Nishimoto Wismettac Group, previously known as Nishimoto Trading Co., Ltd., was founded in 1912 in Kobe as a food importer and exporter. Today, the Group is based in Tokyo but our head office is still registered in Kobe.
In the 105 years since the Company was founded, we have remained committed to our founding principle of supplying Japanese food to the world and bringing the world’s food to Japan.
In the part of our business that sources the world’s food for Japanese consumers, we started out as Japan’s first importer of US oranges and lemons. Today, as the exclusive import agent for Sunkist Growers Inc. in the US, we have become one of the largest importers of fruit and vegetables in Japan, while also expanding the range of products we import and sell to include seafood and a wide choice of delicatessen items. Importing fruit, vegetables and other produce is now one of the Group’s core businesses.
Recently, we are seeing some exciting growth opportunities in new areas. One example is rising demand for Japan’s delicious fruit and vegetables in overseas markets.
We plan to help drive a dramatic increase in consumption of Japanese produce overseas using our expertise in the international trade of fresh produce, accumulated over the last 80 years, and local information gleaned from our extensive sales network in Japan.
The other side of our business, which supplies Japanese food to the world, began more than a century ago when we started supplying food to first-generation Japanese émigrés who longed for a taste of home.
Our in-house brand Shirakiku is now a well-known Japanese food brand with many devoted customers worldwide.
Initially focused on customers of Japanese descent, our Japanese food business has seen strong growth on the back of rising consumption of Japanese food in many countries and regions worldwide, led by North America, where it has become part of everyday diets in some areas.
More recently, the large number of overseas visitors to Japan is driving a second wave of demand covering more markets and types of food and higher volumes, spurred by people seeking out Japanese food after they return to their home countries. Against this backdrop, we will continue to work towards our mission of supplying delicious, healthy Japanese food to more dining tables around the world.
In closing, it gives me great pleasure to report that the Nishimoto Wismettac Group listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in September 2017.
I would like to thank all our individual and institutional investors and our loyal customers for their support in achieving this milestone.
I hope we can count on the generous support of all our shareholders and customers as we work towards our corporate mission of delivering Japanese food to the world.
Nishimoto Co., Ltd.
Chairman & CEO
Yoshiro Susaki