Bringing the "Taste of Kochi" to the World: A Regional Food Manufacturer's Overseas Strategy Through Locally Based Sales RepresentativesChikamori Sangyo Co., Ltd.

Could you tell us what led you to introduce STANDAGE's automated trading service this time?

Starting from Kochi's traditional food culture, we have primarily focused on manufacturing and selling locally rooted food products. Through our signature local delicacies such as "Katsuo Meshi" (bonito rice) and "Imo Tenko" (sweet potato tempura), we have delivered the value of food deeply rooted in the local community. A turning point came about 10 years ago. With the current CEO taking office, we adopted the management philosophy of "Not afraid of change, from Kochi to the world," and began a new challenge: expanding into overseas markets.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we participated in exhibitions around the world, including Paris, Los Angeles, Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, and Shanghai. We introduced our products through the Kochi Prefecture booth, but while the response was positive, we faced the challenge of not being able to convert it into business deals.

After a period of stagnation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we established a local subsidiary in Singapore at the end of 2022. As we accelerated our overseas expansion once again, the challenges we faced were "manpower" and "expertise." For a small or medium-sized enterprise in a regional area, handling interactions and sales activities with limited resources is a significant burden. It was at this time that we came across STANDAGE's "Omakase Trading" service through an introduction from a financial institution.

We were greatly attracted to the system that allows us to entrust a whole range of tasks, including sales activities, trade show support, sample delivery, e-commerce site listings, and local marketing, and decided to implement it.

What exactly did it entail?

Supporting participation in local trade shows is an extremely valuable endeavor for us. Most recently, our products were exhibited at the STANDAGE booth at FHA (Asia's leading food and beverage trade show) held in Singapore. Despite the difficulties of traveling from Japan, the STANDAGE staff at the event carefully conveyed the appeal of our products, resulting in numerous business card exchanges and expressions of interest from multinational buyers.

The fact that they not only handle our participation in trade shows but also provide comprehensive support, including business card management, follow-up on business negotiations, and sales activities with interested companies, is extremely helpful. Furthermore, their support for listing on Southeast Asian e-commerce sites such as Shopee, and their ability to expand sales channels based on response analysis, are areas we could not have achieved on our own. In our local sales activities, we feel that the understanding of local culture and business practices by their local staff directly contributes to our success.

What results have you achieved since implementing it?

Approximately six months have passed since the introduction of "Omakase Trading," and although the infrastructure is still being built, results are definitely starting to appear. We are now realizing "sales channel development by sales representatives stationed on-site," which was previously impossible due to human and time constraints.

Thanks to STANDAGE's support, we've been able to smoothly conduct business negotiations with local buyers and approach highly motivated target customers. Handling this in-house would involve significant burdens in terms of human resources, training, and travel expenses, but entrusting it to an external partner has allowed us to achieve both efficiency and certainty.

What kind of support do you expect from Omakase Trading in the future?

Currently, we are in the phase of expanding product awareness and establishing sales channels, but in the future, we are considering building a factory in Malaysia and opening local stores in Singapore and other locations. Rather than simply exporting, we aim to build a stronger brand foundation by establishing an integrated system of local production and sales.

To achieve this, the existence of a partner who can provide real-time feedback on local needs is essential. We hope to move towards a feasible future through even closer collaboration, including obtaining primary information through "Omakase Trading," marketing support, and hints for new product development.

Comments from Mr. Shiraki and Mr. Morimitsu of Chikamori Industries

"Omakase Trading" is more than just outsourcing. For us, it feels like we've gained another overseas sales representative; they are a trustworthy partner. In the future, we hope to achieve further growth by collaborating with STANDAGE not only in Southeast Asia but also in other countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia.