Processed food business
Business Purpose
Bringing Joy to Meals
and Fun to the Table
The Business Purpose of our processed foods business, “Bringing Joy to Meals and Fun to the Table,” is realized through the products and services we provide, so that our consumers can experience the value of food through meals. It is not only that the products are delicious, but also that the quality is protected to bring assurance, that the products are sold at affordable prices and offered at accessible locations, and that they meet diverse needs. We have continued to deliver our products in this way, despite the changing times.
TableMark Co., Ltd.’s flagship product, frozen udon noodles, was recognized by the Guinness World Records™ for the highest sales volume in 2023. In other frozen food categories, we hold the No. 1* share in Japan for frozen udon noodles, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and meat dumplings. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the launch of the packed cooked rice which is an ambient food product. In the field of seasonings, we have four overseas production bases and have a market presence in more than 20 countries around the world.
These are the results of our stakeholders’ recognition of our efforts to realize our Business Purpose. We will continue to strive to deliver value to as many consumers as possible.
*
Fuji Keizai Co., Ltd. Processed foods marketing data book 2025: Vol.2
2023 results from the frozen udon noodle, frozen okonomiyaki, frozen takoyaki and frozen meatballs
Keisuke Nakagomi
Senior Vice President,
Food Business
Industry overview
Japan’s processed food market has been expanding steadily against the backdrop of growing demand for quick and simplified meal preparation due to the increase in the number of dual-income households and changing lifestyles. In addition, as the frequency of eating at home is rising alongside the increase in the number of those working from home and for other reasons, the longer storage life, simplicity, and convenience of processed foods are once again becoming selling points, and demand is expected to remain strong even though consumption behaviors have returned to pre-COVID-19 patterns, as shown by the recovery in demand for dining out, for example.
Although Japan’s population has been entering a declining phase recently, demand for processed foods is expected to continue to increase owing to labor shortages in the food service industry and other factors.
At the same time, we will continue to closely monitor trends in sales channels, such as the expansion of private brand product lineups by distribution companies and industry reorganization among wholesalers, as well as soaring labor and logistics costs arising from labor shortages and raw material price fluctuations reflecting the volatility in international market prices and exchange rates.
Our business overview
In the processed food business, we operate a frozen and ambient foods business and a seasonings business. In the frozen and ambient foods business, TableMark Co., Ltd. and other companies are developing several convenient and tasty brands for daily use, such as frozen Sanuki Udon noodles, frozen okonomiyaki, and packed cooked rice.
In the seasonings business, centered on Fuji Foods Corporation, we deliver products that utilize unique technologies, such as seasonings that can easily add authentic cooking aroma and yeast extracts, to the food service industry and processed food manufacturers. We also have bases in four locations overseas in the U.S. and various Asian countries, and we are developing business in a wide range of fields.
Performance over the past five years
While revenue was impacted by changes in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sales remained strong, especially for flagship products. Despite the continued significant rise in raw material and other business costs, adjusted operating profit is growing steadily, supported by price revisions, cost cuts achieved through an improved product mix, and the establishment of an optimal production system.
Revenue for fiscal year 2024 increased 2.2% from the previous fiscal year, underpinned by price revisions mainly in the frozen and ambient foods business, as well as sales growth in the seasonings business thanks to a recovery in demand for the dining-out sector and other factors.
Despite the increase in raw material costs, adjusted operating profit increased by 17.8% compared to the previous fiscal year, primarily due to sales growth including the effect of price revisions.
Revenue and adjusted operating profit (JPY BN)
Business strategy
The processed food business is positioned to complement the JT Group’s profit growth and it is working to grow profits in Japan and accelerate overseas expansion, with the following as its basic strategies.
- Strengthen the earnings base in Japan and profit growth by enhancing the value of flagship products with a high market share
- Accelerate expansion into overseas markets, where business opportunities are growing amid the rising global popularity of Japanese food, leveraging taste creation expertise developed in Japan
- Address future food issues and work toward realizing the JT Group’s processed food Business Purpose through business activities such as research and development
Sustainability strategy
We aim to address social issues related to food together with our stakeholders and create fulfilling moments through food.
We promote sustainability initiatives based on the JT Group Materiality to contribute to the creation of sustainable nature and society, and the JT Group Sustainability Targets based on this materiality.
Specifically, we will contribute to food inclusion in line with diversifying consumers values and interests, and promote initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of our products and manufacturing processes, as well as carry out food safety initiatives that are fundamental to the realization of our Business Purpose.
Case study 1
Food safety initiatives
- Materiality
Good governance
- Target items
Provide safe, secure and high-quality products
In the processed food business, to realize our Business Purpose of “Bringing Joy to Meals and Fun to the Table,” we are committed to stringent safety management from four perspectives: food safety, food defense, food quality, and food communication, ensuring that we deliver safe and high-quality products to our consumers. These efforts are not only carried out by the manufacturing and quality assurance departments. We foster a culture where all employees share the importance of food safety and implement a Group-wide quality assurance system throughout the entire value chain, from product development to delivering products to consumers.
Four perspectives on food safety management
Case study 2
BEYOND FREE line of foods, offering high-value-added products
- Materiality
Value creation that exceeds
consumer expectations
- Target items
Contribute to food inclusion
The processed food business stays close to diversifying consumer needs, values and interests, and develops and markets high-value-added foods, aiming for a world where everyone can freely and deliciously enjoy what they want to eat and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
As part of this effort, TableMark Co., Ltd. offers through its online shop the BEYOND FREE brand of foods, in which plant ingredients are carefully selected for each menu item to provide a delicious plant-based taste, not only in taste and appearance, but also in aroma and texture.
From 2025, in order to deliver value to more consumers, in addition to our own e-commerce channel, BEYOND FREE, we have started to sell our products through major e-commerce malls and to offer commercial products for restaurants. Going forward, we will continue to believe in the potential of plant-based ingredients and to explore the power of raw materials to deliver new and delicious flavors.
