Our Story

Enrich and Enliven our World with Food.

The Nagatanien Group values originality,
Determination to continuously supply quality and good tasting,
Listening to our customers, and caring about our society,
Tackling global problems with food related solutions,
“Enriching and enlivening” our world for a sustainable future.

We have for a long time worked on food;
a type of sustenance that is important and necessary for everyone.
In the three hundred years of our work,
innovation and pioneering have been at the core of our spirit.
Even as the top brand for a seventy-year-old food product,
our journey to develop and innovate new products continues.

We are, and continue to be, the company our society needs.

Soshichiro Nagatani,
the father of Japanese Green Tea (Sencha)

The origins of Nagatanien can be traced back to Soshichiro Nagatani in the mid-Edo period, more than 280 years ago.
At that time, the common people drank "senjicha" tea, which had neither aroma nor taste, was reddish black, and was not very tasty.
Soshichiro, therefore, spent 15 years perfecting the process of producing beautiful light green, aromatic, sweet, and tasty "sencha" tea. Furthermore, because Soshichiro did not monopolize the new process he invented, sencha spread to all production areas in Japan and was accepted by Western countries as a representative Japanese export.
Soshichiro's great achievements have been passed down to posterity and he is enshrined as the "Tea Sect Myojin".
Nagatani Soshichiro's "spirit of creativity" later bore fruit in the invention of "Ochazuke Nori" more than 200 years later.

The Creation of Ochazuke Nori,
a pioneer of instant food in Japan

Yoshio Nagatani is the 10th generation from Soshichiro Nagatani, the founder of sencha in Japan. Yoshio developed "Ochazuke Nori" in 1952 combining seasoning powder with powdered green tea, chopped laver, and arare. With its yellow, red, black, and green striped packaging inspired by kabuki, a traditional Japanese theater, "Ochazuke Nori" became a nationwide hit.Seventy years later, Nagatanien's ochazuke-nori continues to be the top branded product in Japan, boasting a market share of over 80%.

Yoshio Nagatani, the founder of Nagatanien

The Creation of Ochazuke Nori,
a pioneer of instant food in Japan

Yoshio Nagatani is the 10th generation from Soshichiro Nagatani, the founder of sencha in Japan. Yoshio developed "Ochazuke Nori" in 1952 in collaboration with his father Takezo, combining seasoning powder with powdered green tea, chopped laver, and arare. With its yellow, red, black, and green striped packaging inspired by kabuki, a traditional Japanese theater, "Ochazuke Nori" became a nationwide hit.Seventy years later, Nagatanien's ochazuke-nori continues to be the top branded product in Japan, boasting a market share of over 80%.

Yoshio Nagatani, the
founder of Nagatanien

Nagatanien Honpo Co.,Ltd.
(now Nagatanien Holdings Co.,Ltd.) Established.

Nagatanien Honpo Co., Ltd. was established on April 30, 1953 in Shiba-Atago-cho, Minato-ku, Tokyo (currently Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo). Capitalized at 300,000 yen. Takezo Nagatani is appointed chairman and Yoshio Nagatani is appointed president.

Pioneered the development
of freeze-drying technology
in Japan and launched "Sake Chazuke".

Through trial and error, the company devised a processing method for salmon and finally developed a technique to freeze-dry salmon without losing any of its flavor. 1970 saw the completion of "Salmon Chazuke" made with freeze-dried salmon. The groundbreaking taste of the product was so well received that "Salmon Chazuke" became a nationwide hit and continues to sell well as Nagatanien's signature product.
In 1975, Nagatanien established Sun Freeze Dry (now Nagatanien Foods Sunflex Factory) as a production base for freeze-dried salmon flakes and miso. The company boasts one of the largest production scales in Japan, and is constantly experimenting with new materials and new forms of freeze-drying, and continues to introduce many products that surprise the food industry.

Instant miso soup "Asage"
that overturned the image of instant miso soup

In 1974, the company launched "Asage," an instant miso soup using freeze-dried miso that was costly but did not lose its flavor, in addition to using expensive ingredients that were carefully selected for their quality. Although the price was four times higher than that of ordinary instant miso soup at the time, the product enjoyed brisk sales. Many customers commented that it tasted better than the miso soup they usually drank at home.
The "Asage" series is still sold in many retail stores in Japan more than 40 years later, and Nagatanien boasts one of the largest sales shares in the country.

Listed on the First Section
of the Tokyo Stock Exchange

Within six years nine months of our 1976 listing on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Nagatanien achieved its coveted promotion to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Company name changed to Nagatanien Co.,Ltd.
(now Nagatanien Holdings Co.,Ltd.)

In 1992, the company name was changed from "Nagatanien Honpo" to "Nagatanien (currently Nagatanien Holdings Co., Ltd.)"

Began displaying Nagatanien's name
on Sumo Prize Banner

Nagatanien began displaying its name on the Sumo Prize Banner since the May 2000 tournament, as a reflection of the company sentiment towards preserving Japan's national sport "Sumo." This has continued for more than 20 years to the present.

ISO 9001 Certification

In 2003, all Nagatanien companies in Japan (currently Nagatanien Holdings and operating company Nagatanien) acquired ISO 9001 certification, an international standard quality management system.
We aim to further improve the technical capabilities necessary for higher-quality products and more customer satisfaction.

Sale of "A-Label" series products
for customers that suffer from food allergies

In 2003, we launched the "A-Label" series of products free of ingredients such as "eggs, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanuts."
In order to minimize the possibility of contamination by allergenic foods, a thorough management system is in place that covers all stages of production.

Acquisition of Fujiwara Seimen Co.,Ltd.
as a subsidiary

In 2008 we acquired Fujiwara Seimen Ltd. and Fujinohana Ltd. (later merged into Fujiwara Seimen).
By combining Fujiwara Seimen's established noodle-making technology and Nagatanien's ability to develop original processed food products, we hope to pioneer new noodle markets that are yet unseen.

Founding of Sunny Foods Co.,Ltd.

Established Sunny Foods Co., Ltd. to handle the production and sales of industrial food ingredients (powdered extract, granulated products, healthy food materials) in 2009.

Quality assurance system "NAFSAS" introduced.

In 2009, the company established its own quality assurance system, NAFSAS, for all of its group companies in Japan, which consists of three pillars: quality assurance and customer satisfaction, food safety, and crisis management.

Acquisition of Muginoho 
Holdings Co.,Ltd. (now DAY TO LIFE Holdings Co.,Ltd.) as a subsidiary

In 2013, the company acquired Muginoho Holdings Co., Ltd., which operates a variety of sweets businesses in Japan and overseas, mainly selling cream puffs through "Beard Papa's Freshly Made Factory" as a subsidiary.

Acquisition of Muginoho 
Holdings Co.,Ltd. as a subsidiary

In 2013, the company acquired Muginoho Holdings Co., Ltd., which operates a variety of sweets businesses in Japan and overseas, mainly selling cream puffs through "Beard Papa's Freshly Made Factory" as a subsidiary.

Transition to holding company structure

In 2015, the company transitioned to a holding company structure and established Nagatanien Holdings Co., Ltd. and Nagatanien Co., Ltd.

Investment in MAIN ON FOODS,CORP.
(and its subsidiary JSL FOODS,INC.)

The growing U.S. market for Asian foods is no longer out of our reach, thanks to the addition of JSL Foods, one of the largest U.S. producers of Asian noodles. One of our main U.S. businesses is now in the production and sales of Japanese food and other Asian foods.In 2016, we came into an official partnership with MAIN ON FOODS Group.

Acquisition of Broomco
(3554)Limited(Chaucer Group)

In 2016, the company acquired Chaucer Group as a subsidiary, part of its new overseas expansion effort.
With the addition of international freeze-dry food product maker Chaucer Group's global production facilities and distribution channels, we have begun our multifaceted foray into the market of freeze-dry fruits and vegetables.

Founding of Nagatanien Foods Co.,Ltd.

Consolidation of Nagatanien group factories into production and packaging corporation, Nagatanien Foods Co., Ltd.

Selection of the Prime market segment of the 
Tokyo Stock Exchange

In 2022, Nagatanien chose to transition from the First Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange to the new Prime market segment.

70th Anniversary of Nagatanien's founding

To Nagatanien's 70th Anniversary in 2023, and Many More To Come.