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TALK ABOUT “Wismettac”｜#03

Young People Roundtable

The Wismettac culture,

TALK ABOUT “Wismettac”｜#03

Young People Roundtable

The Wismettac culture,

Where individuality thrives

NEW GRADUATE
Entry

CAREER
Entry

Four young employees working in a variety of departments.
For young employees who say "every day is a challenge," we offer a system where anyone can take on challenges regardless of seniority or position.
We spoke to them about the unique culture of the Wismettac Group.
And what are the prospects for the Wismettac Group from the perspective of young people?
Four elite people who will lead the future will talk about their present and vision for the future.

ASIAN FOOD
GLOBAL BUSINESS

Asian Food Global Business
Wataru Fukuda
New graduates joining in 2020

AGRICULTURAL
BUSINESS

Agricultural business
Ryuta Kishi
New graduates joining in 2020

AMENITIES & RETAIL
BUSINESS

Amenity & Retail Business
Yui Aoyama
New graduates joining in 2020

NEW BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT

New Business Development
WBD Company※
Momoka Shibata
New graduates joining in 2021
※Wismettac Business
Development Company

*Affiliations and content are current as of the time of coverage.

INDEX

CHAPTER 01Attracted by the diverse solutions and passion of our employees.

CHAPTER 02 A culture that accepts and supports the individuality of young people.

CHAPTER 03Doing everything we can to become a leading company in the industry.

CHAPTER 01

I was attracted by the diverse solutions and the passion of the employees.

-Please tell us what your focus was in your job search and how you found out about the Wismettac Group.

During my time at university, I went to Portugal on a working holiday and worked at a local Japanese restaurant, hoping to spread the good things about Japan. From there, I wanted to work in a position that would help spread the appeal of Japan to the world through food, so I focused my job search on the food industry. I became interested in the Japanese restaurant where I worked because the ingredients were imported through the Wismettac Group.

I studied abroad in Australia at Kishi University, where I met many different people and learned about diverse cultures, which strengthened my desire to go abroad. I wanted to take on various challenges using my experience abroad, so I was researching industries, mainly trading companies, when I came across the Wismettac Group at an on-campus company information session.

Aoyama: I studied abroad in Spain during my university days and was impressed by the local food culture, which is what made me want to work in the food industry. I wanted many people in Japan to enjoy the food culture that doesn't exist in Japan. I was looking for a company that could help me realize this dream when I came across the Wismettac Group.

Shibata: My host father, who I studied abroad with in high school, was a doctor and specialized in "diet therapy," which cures illnesses through food. Food is an essential part of life, and I wanted to make people's bodies and minds healthy, which is why I wanted to work in the food industry. I learned about the Wismettac Group at a job fair, and I was interested in them because they are expanding their business globally.

-What attracted you to the Wismettac Group?

Fukuda: The group is responsible for everything from product development to proposals, distribution and sales to customers around the world, so I thought I could be involved in the global food business from various angles here. There are also many young employees who are active here, and the fact that it is an environment where even young people can take on challenges seemed appealing to me.

The breadth of Kishi Solutions is a big attraction. Even in a world of rapid change, the food industry is a business that will continue to be in demand, and I was also attracted by the fact that there are many overseas bases and that you can work globally. Also, when I visited the alumni office, all the seniors were friendly and easy to talk to, and I remember thinking that the company culture seemed to suit me.

Aoyama: I also decided to join the company based on the impression I got from talking to senior employees. What attracted me the most was that the company offers an environment where young employees can take the initiative and challenge themselves to do what they want to do. Another thing that attracted me was that the company has departments in a wide range of fields and areas, and I felt that I could grow through a variety of experiences.

Shibata: One of the great things about the Wismettac Group is that there are many enthusiastic employees! My seniors are friendly, but also have great passion for their work, and it was impressive to see them talking about their work with sparkling eyes. As a new business, we are working on creating solutions in the medical field using food, and I thought that I could achieve what I want to do here, so I decided to join the company.

CHAPTER 02

A culture that accepts and supports the individuality of young people.

-Please tell us about your current job.

Fukuda: We deliver safe and secure products to our customers in a stable manner in line with the food regulations of each country, which are updated daily. I am in charge of the overall product management of flour and noodle products. After receiving orders from overseas bases, I check whether each product complies with food regulations and, if necessary, change the printed information on the packaging and product stickers for export. I coordinate delivery dates and departure dates with the relevant departments. If there are any changes to regulations, we must coordinate with the manufacturer by the deadline to reflect the information necessary for export on the packaging and product stickers, and update the packaging. Since we are a small but elite organization, even young employees can act independently to smoothly make adjustments and negotiate.

Kishi is mainly responsible for the okra from the Philippines and Thailand, and is responsible for inventory management, sales progress management, and sales management. He is required to have the negotiating skills to consider the interests of both our customers and our company, such as considering sales standards and negotiating prices with producers. Even young employees are entrusted with large budgets, and the company has a great deal of discretion and grows quickly. Fruits and vegetables are perishable, so inventory management is very important, so he values communication not only with customers but also with internal members and strives to share information.

We propose overseas brand sweets, foods, seasonal event products, etc. to Aoyama imported food stores and general goods stores. Since the products that are needed and the way of creating sales areas differ depending on the target audience and concept of the store, we strive to propose the most suitable products from a marketing perspective.
In addition, we visit the sales floor and communicate with customers to analyze sales trends and customer demographics. We use the feedback we receive to plan our next products and propose new sales floor designs.

Shibata: I am involved in new business development of meals for people with specific diseases, especially marketing and sales-related work, at WBD Company (Wismettac Business Development Company), which is entering the field of "food x medicine (healthcare)". There are few precedents for "food x medicine (healthcare)" in the industry, and it is a new initiative for our company, so everything is a trial and error challenge. In order to provide patients with safe and secure meals, we are working responsibly with medical professionals to develop products. In addition, we are starting by developing channels with the medical industry, such as hospitals, so I feel that this is a very rewarding and challenging project.

-Everyone seems to be taking on challenges every day. When do you feel like the culture is one in which young employees can take on challenges?

Shibata: As a new employee with no marketing experience, I felt a great deal of discretion when I was entrusted with marketing strategies for a new business because "you can come up with new ideas because you have no bias." I think the organizational culture that accepts individuality and gives opportunities to take on challenges, regardless of seniority or position, is unique to the Wismettac Group.
Additionally, when I take on a challenge, my senior colleagues watch over my progress, and I am grateful that they create an environment where I can easily ask for advice when I'm in doubt.

Aoyama: I'm grateful for the support of my seniors. When I proposed a product to a customer, the conditions didn't match and it was difficult to get the order. When I consulted a senior employee about this, he gave me advice from a perspective that I hadn't noticed, and I was able to successfully come up with a proposal that satisfied the customer. By fusing my own ideas with the know-how of my seniors and making the best proposals possible, I can feel myself growing.

Even though Kishi is a junior salesperson, he is expected to act as the person in charge of the products he is in charge of, so it is important that he approaches the job with his own will. When faced with a problem, he first tries to sort out the situation on his own, and then, if necessary, involves his seniors in order to deal with it quickly. The seniors have overcome many problems themselves, which is why they are able to support the younger employees. Even when there is a problem, he takes the initiative to solve it and uses adversity as a learning experience, which I feel allows him to grow greatly.

Fukuda: The Wismettac Group has a culture of "try it yourself first." In order to achieve the goal of delivering products to customers by the deadline, we are expected to proactively propose and work on what to communicate to whom and when, regardless of seniority. With this sense of ownership, I feel that I can grow every day by taking on new projects and gaining experience. Of course, there are down-to-earth aspects to the work, but by making evidence-based decisions about what is needed when handling food products overseas, I feel that it is very rewarding to be able to contribute to food around the world.

CHAPTER 03

We will do everything we can to become a company that leads the industry, one thing at a time.

-What kind of organization would you like to see the Wismettac Group develop into in order to move forward as a global food solutions company?

Fukuda: In these days of rising health consciousness and attention to environmental considerations, I hope that we will not only strive to avoid being overtaken by the times, but also work to become an organization that leads the trend of the times. To that end, I think it is necessary to promote digital transformation, streamline operations, and create a system that can provide safe and secure food without mistakes. For example, if we can automate various tasks, we can use the extra time saved to develop products and plan and develop new businesses. I would like to work on improving operational efficiency so that we can continue to take on new challenges.

Shibata: I want to provide not only food, but also solutions derived from it, and make our organization one that can solve various problems around the world. For example, we may be able to create a new solution by combining food and robots. Rather than focusing only on the business I am currently in charge of, I want to look at the world's problems from a broader perspective and connect them to new business.

Aoyama: Rather than completing solutions within the department, I want to actively communicate with other departments more than ever before and aim to be a flexible organization that is not bound by existing ideas. For example, if Shibata's "Food x Medicine (Healthcare)" team and the department that handles supplements called "NATUMEDICA" work together, it could lead to new solutions. In order to further deepen exchanges throughout the organization and provide new value to the world, I personally would like to broaden my horizons by building connections both inside and outside the company.

I want to further increase the recognition of the Kishi Wismettac Group and make it a company that represents Japan. To that end, I would like to develop solutions that capture social issues and trends and lead the food industry. For example, a lot of plastic materials are used in packaging for fruits and vegetables. Even a young employee can improve this by negotiating with the fruit and vegetable material company that he or she is in charge of, and as a result, contribute to the SDGs. I would like to find out what I can do one by one and create solutions that will contribute to solving social issues, including the SDGs, not only for our customers but also beyond that.

-Finally, please give a message to all the students.

Fukuda: For example, it is easy to buy souvenir sweets in Japan and take them overseas, but when you are involved as a company, the scale, strictness, responsibility, and difficulty are on a whole different level. There is nothing like the joy of overcoming the difficulties of exporting and providing safe, secure, and delicious food to customers all over the world. Come work with us at this company that contributes to food while interacting with countries all over the world!

Kishi: I think this is the perfect company for people who are interested in overseas countries and food. In the agricultural business, depending on the work you are in charge of, you will be using English almost every day when communicating with overseas suppliers. Also, you will be given the opportunity to try various things regardless of seniority, so there are many opportunities for those who want to play an active role while they are still young.

I feel that the Aoyama Wismettac Group is a company that will absorb what you communicate. If you have the courage to communicate what you want to do, it will be accepted and the environment will change. If you have a vision of who you want to be, you will definitely be able to succeed! I look forward to working with you all.

Shibata: I agree. I feel that this is a generous company that supports what you want to do and creates an environment that makes it easy to take action. That's why it's important to approach your work with a sense of ownership and to challenge yourself without refusing anything. By doing so, you can improve your human skills and provide great value to the world. Let's grow together with colleagues who will help you improve yourself!