Flour milling is the core business of the Nisshin Seifun Group, and the commercial wheat flour that we produce is a vital food resource. We also supply wheat-related products, such as bran and wheat germ, as well as rye flour and various other food ingredients. As the leading company in the Japanese flour milling industry, we have a social responsibility to enhance productivity and ensure reliability of supply. At the same time, our contributions to the creation of new food culture in Japan, with such products as frozen noodles, Napoli Pizza, and tsukemen (dipping noodles), have helped us to maintain a position of leadership in the Japanese market for many years.

Another area in which we have continually enhanced our capabilities is the proposal of ideas for the development of high-value-added products to meet changing needs. For example, we have established the So-Shoku (“food creation”) Club as an online membership site for commercial users of our products. By distributing information through the So-Shoku Club, we aim to create new markets for products that help people to enjoy both delicious flavors and good health, including high-fiber flour, whole wheat flour, and bran. The Nisshin Seifun Group’s advanced flour milling technology is an important advantage that helps us to stay ahead of our competitors. Our challenge going forward will be to adapt to environmental changes and global competition by centralizing our production operations at large-scale plants in coastal locations, and by continually reducing operating costs through the introduction of AI and other new technologies.

Progress in international trade negotiations, population decline, dietary diversification, escalating global competition, and other factors are driving major changes in the business environment for flour milling in Japan, which imports around 90% of its wheat supplies. As the only Japanese flour milling company with production operations in the United States, Canada, and Australia, which are Japan’s three main sources of wheat imports, the Nisshin Seifun Group has a significant advantage in terms of access to knowledge and information about wheat production.

We are also establishing production operations in Thailand and in New Zealand with the aim of securing access to regional markets that offer the potential for future growth in wheat flour demand. Our overseas production capacity has expanded substantially as a result of acquisitions and other initiatives and now stands at 11,040 tons per day, or 1.4 times the level in Japan. We will continue to work with our group companies to build our overseas presence by adapting technology developed in Japan to local markets.