Corporate Information-Kibun History

Kibun Group Historical Summary

1930～
1940～
1950～
1960～
1970～
1980～
1990～
2000～
2010～
2020～

Heian period

Fish paste-based products typified by kamaboko (loafs of surimi fish paste steamed on small wooden boards until firm.) are truly a traditional Japanese food; they appear in the written record as far back as the Heian period (794-1185) in a book ^{[annotation1]} on imperial court ceremony. They are a major invention of which Japan can be proud, having been developed over 1,000 years in a land surrounded by the sea and blessed with a climate yielding an abundance of different kinds of fish. Kamaboko started as banquet cuisine in the imperial court and then spread broadly through samurai families. It diversified further and earned a place in the dietary culture of the common people during the Edo period (1603-1868).

Illustration from a Heian period (794-1185) book on imperial court ritual showing kamaboko served at a banquet.

Enlarge the illustration

1930～

131938: Founding of Kibun

Kunihito Hoashi left snowy Yamagata for Tokyo with the goal of becoming a top trader. He opened Yamagataya Rice Shop at Hacchobori on his 25th birthday. He then established a base at the fish market and began seafood wholesale. By an unusual twist of fate he came to learn about surimi-based products, which has been a traditional food of Japan since the ancient days. He started producing kamaboko, with the goal of becoming Japan's No.1 kamaboko maker. This laid out the foundation for today's Kibun.

Kibun founder Kunihito Hoashi

1940～

151940: Kinokuniya Fruit Shop opens outside the Tsukiji Wholesale Fish Market. The name is later changed to Kibun.

161941: Kibun starts selling marine products as a wholesaler.

211946: Symbol of an innovative spirit = Moto Guzzi

In 1946, 10kg of rice cost 20 yen, the starting salary of government workers was 540 yen, and people relied for transportation on bicycle taxis and charcoal-powered automobiles that discharged black smoke. Ln the same year, Kibun spent 30,000 yen purchasing a Moto Guzzi, one of the best motorcycles of Italy. The Guzzi drove to Urayasu and Kujukuri beach every day at dawn when it was still dark, to purchase produce. The energetic motorcycle gathered attention along with the fresh seafood lined up at the Kibun shop, and Kibun slowly but surely established a reputation. The innovative spirit and mobile power are still very much part of Kibun and its employees today.

Kibun's Moto Guzzi, still carefully preserved today

221947: Kibun starts producing processed fish products.

241949: Age-ball（fried fish ball) is launched.

Kibun-Tsumire is launched.

1950～

251950: Drive to make rapid progress = First foray from Tsukiji into a department store

In 1950, department store Ginza Matsuzakaya asked us to open a shop on its sales floor. It was the first time that a retailer at Tsukiji was asked to open a shop at a department store. The person in charge of food at Matsuzakaya walked around the fish market in search of tasty, high-quality surimi-based products, tasted some of them, sought opinions from trusted sources and then decided to ask Kibun to open a store at the department store. This was the first advance into a department store by Kibun, and it served as the catalyst for the rapid advances it made in subsequent years.

Kibun opened company shops one after the other on well-known shopping streets anchored by department stores around the country

251950: Hanpen is launched.

261951: Industry-leading advertising strategy = Telephone pole ads

In 1951, our advertisements could be found on electricity poles in the Sangenjaya district of Setagaya, Tokyo. The advertisements featured black writing, indicating "Kibun" against a yellow background. Kibun continued to post advertisements on available electricity poles. lt was a unique strategy that no one else in the industry was trying. Along with yellow bicycles that ran along the main streets, our advertisements swept across towns. And the name Kibun gradually became known among the public.

A Kibun signboard hanging on a telephone pole on Showa Street and a Kibun delivery bicycle in the foreground

261951: Ingredients for oden are branded with the Company's name.

301955: Kibun starts selling packaged satsuma-age.

301955: Taking the lead on food safety = Product packaging and white sanitary gowns

In 1953 and 1954, Kibun pioneered new packaging for satsuma-age, kamaboko, and other products designed to bolster production efficiency and hygiene. Meanwhile, the uniforms of the day were mostly black or gray, which did not properly reveal stains. Kibun workers started wearing white uniforms at factories. The uniforms were to be washed if they became soiled. This was an approach that emphasized hygiene.

Product packaging that led the industry

311956: Kibun develops production of shiokara.(Shiokara is a food made from salted and fermented fish entrails.)

341959: Kibun is commissioned to prepare special dishes for the wedding ceremony of the Crown Prince, the current Emperor Emeritus. Thereafter, Kibun becomes a purveyor to the Imperial Household Agency.

341959: Kibun starts installing automatic packaging machines.

341959: Grilled Chikuwa is launched.

1960～

381963: Kibun completes the Yokohama Factory, a fully automated plant that breaks new ground in the industry.

391964: Kibun develops retort-pouch oden, a precursor of today's Oden Ichinin Mae.

391964: Kibun Trading Inc. is established.

401965: Sales of New Year's osechi products start to take off around this time.

Goma-tofu is launched.

411966: The design of Kibun products is standardized, and full-scale advertising is rolled out.

411966: Egg-tofu is launched.

Preparations for making Soup of Oden (Liquid type) is launched.

421967: Sasakama is launched.

1970～

451970: Construction of the Shizuoka Factory, an industry-standard model plant for Kibun, is completed.

461971: Kibun receives an order to provide shisen-ryori (dishes for celebratory banquets) to the Imperial Household Agency.

471972: Kibun sets up base in Thailand.

A distribution center equipped with refrigerated distribution is completed at the Tokyo Ryutsu Center.

471972: Sozai Kamaboko (kamaboko as a side dish) is launched, which leads to the increasing popularity of kamaboko on dining tables. (This was the precursor of today's Iki: Kamaboko Containing Sea Bream.)

Preparations for making Soup of Oden（granule type) is launched.

481973: The Kibun Foods Research Center is completed.

481973: Takebue (chikuwa) is launched.

491974: Kibun Foods (U.S.A.), Inc. is established in Seattle.

501975: Kaiyo Foods, Inc. is established in Okinawa.

511976: Chikuwabu is launched.

521977: Kibun starts producing and marketing soy milk.
Kibun establishes a base in Singapore.

International Computer Systems Co., Ltd. (now Kibun Fresh Systems Co., Ltd.) is established.

521977: Soy milk is launched.

531978: The Funabashi Factory is completed.

541979: Unagiya is launched.

1980～

551980: Niku-gyoza is launched.

571982: Kibun establishes a base in Hong Kong.

571982: New Year's Products of assortment 'OJUZUME' set is launched.

591984: Kibun Fresh Supply Co., Ltd. (now Kibun Fresh System Inc.) is established.

591984: Chinese-style buns series is launched.

601985: Kibun introduces its corporate identity program.

601985: Uogashi-age is launched.

611986: Meat-wonton is launched.

Sakanayose, the precursor of products such as Nabedane, is launched.

621987: Marine (Crab-Flavored Seafood) is launched.

Kibun-no-Kisetsu (assortment of Oden) is launched.

631988: Isokobachi (Noodles which is made from seaweed and konjac) is launched.

元1989: Hosonuki-tofu, the precursor of products such as Noodle-like tofu, is launched.

Paripari-Potato (This product is the cheese, corn and mashed potatoes fried wrapped in the skin of wheat.) is launched.

1990～

31991: Yasai-tempura (Satsuma-age containing vegetables) is launched.

51993: A production base for Southeast Asia is completed in Thailand.

71995: The Eniwa Factory is completed.

81996: Chee-chiku is launched.

Salad-Shitaraba (Crab-Flavored Seafood) is launched.

91997: The Tokyo Factory is completed as a supply base of East Japan.

Hokushoku Co., Ltd. joins the Kibun Group.

101998: Kamaboko in the shape of Hello Kitty is launched.

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101998: The Tokyo Factory is awarded certification as a seafood exporter to the United States and the European Union (EU).

Kibun (Thailand) Co., Ltd. receives HACCP certification.

111999: The Tokyo Factory receives HACCP certification (comprehensive sanitation management and production process) and ISO 9002 certification (switching to ISO 9001 in 2003).

2000～

122000: The Company's Headquarters and the Yokohama Factory receive ISO 9001 certification.

132001: Kuntama (smoked egg) is launched.

132001: Kibun (Thailand) Co., Ltd. receives ISO 9002 certification (switching to ISO 9001 in 2008).

The Tokyo Factory receives ISO 14001 certification.

142002: A business tie-up is formed with Maruha Corp. (now Maruha Nichiro Corporation.).

152003: Soup-gyoza (Dumplings which boils in soup) is launched.

Preparations for making soymilk nabe is launched.

162004: Kireteru-Atsuyaki-Tamago(pre-cut Japanese omelet) is launched.

Hamburg made of bean curd and chicken is launched.

162004: A capital and business alliance between Kikkoman Corp. and the Kibun Group.

172005: The Yokohama Factory receives HACCP certification.

Kaiyo Foods, Inc. receives ISO 9001 and HACCP certification.

172005: Sashimi of Yuba milk is launched.

182006: The Shizuoka Factory receives HACCP certification.

192007: Tamanegi-tempura(Satsuma-age containing onions) is launched.

Nagoya-style assortment of Oden is launched.

192007: The Okayama Soja Factory is completed as a supply base for West Japan.

212009: Kibun begins launching Disney character-themed products.

Camembert filled Chee Chiku was selected as a Top 40 promising export food product by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

212009: The Eniwa Factory and The Okayama Soja Factory receives HACCP certification.

2010～

222010: Salad de Noodle (Noodles made from soybean curd refuse), the precursor of Sugar-free Noodles, is launched.

Kibun develops a paper matt for rolling Date-maki for New Year's celebrations.

222010: The Okayama Soja Factory receives ISO 9001 certification, and the Funabashi Factory receives HACCP certification.

242012: Delicious up to the skin chikuwa is launched in Hokkaido.

242012: Kibun establishes a base in Korea.

252013: Sugar-free Noodles is launched.

262014: Soft & easy-to-eat Osechi is launched (currently known as easy-to-eat & gentle on the body Osechi).

262014: A business tie-up is formed with Kanetetsu Delica Foods Inc..

A switch is made from ISO 9001 to ISO 22000. The Eniwa Factory, Funabashi Factory, Yokohama Factory, Shizuoka Factory, and Okayama Soja Factory receive ISO 22000 certification.

272015: Low sodium surimi seafoods are launched.

272015: A business tie-up is formed with Horikawa Co., Ltd.

Nishi Nihon Kibun Foods Inc. is established.

The Tokyo Factory receive FSSC 22000 certification.

282016: Sugar free Healthy Noodle is launched in North America.

282016: The Okayama Soja Factory of Nishi Nihon Kibun Food is awarded certification as a seafood exporter to the EU.

Kibun Foods Safety Center Inc. is established.

292017: The Yokohama Factory is awarded certification as a seafood exporter to the EU.

The Kibun Food Safety Center Inc. has acquired ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 certification for microorganism testing.

302018

302018: Kibun establishes a base in The Netherlands.

312019: Wasabi Chee Chiku is launched.

元2019: Kibun establishes a base in China.

2020～

22020: Overseas expansion of Wasabi Chee Chiku is launched.

32021: Microwave Meal "Deep-fried Chikuwa with dried seaweed flakes" is launched.

52023: A switch is made from ISO 22000 to FSSC 22000.
The Eniwa Factory, the Funabashi Factory, the Yokohama Factory, the Shizuoka Factory and the Okayama Soja Factory receive FSSC 22000 certification.

62024: A capital and business alliance with Maruha Nichiro Corporation.

※Product packaging may not be the one at the time of release or currently on sale.

[annotation1]：

•References: History of Kamaboko (in Japanese) by Wataru Shimizu (Japan Food Journal Co., Ltd.); Encyclopedia Nipponica (in Japanese) compile and edited by Tetsuo Oga (Shogakukan Inc.)

•Illustration: 1672 copy in History of Kamaboko (in Japanese) by Wataru Shimizu (Japan Food Journal Co., Ltd.), Hibiya Library Annex, National Diet Library 8

Kibun History