Overseas Strategy of a 250-Year-Old Company: The Partnership Approach Chosen by a Long-Established Seasoning ManufacturerIchibiki Co., Ltd.

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

Our company started as a brewing business and has continued to produce products centered on miso and soy sauce. We have been involved in exporting overseas for some time, and in recent years we have exhibited at international trade shows.

While we saw the potential for overseas exports, we also felt the difficulties. Because regulations and consumer preferences differ from country to country, it wasn't easy to select what to market, and we struggled with differentiating ourselves from the competition.

Amidst these circumstances, one of our employees found STANDAGE's booth at a trade show, which led us to consider implementing their solutions after receiving their proposal. As our company as a whole was strengthening its policy of focusing on overseas expansion, we felt it would be difficult to proceed on our own, and we were looking for a company that could support us.

We chose "Omakase Trade" because of its ease of use, and also because we wanted to accumulate know-how not only in indirect trade but also in direct trade in the future. We decided to proceed with STANDAGE, who have the necessary expertise, and learn from them.

What exactly did it entail?

Naturally, we are also trying to expand our business overseas, but we lack knowledge of country-specific regulations and customs duties. In this context, we are grateful that STANDAGE finds and introduces customers at trade shows regardless of the region. We also appreciate them sharing their knowledge of country-specific regulations and customs duties.

It was great that members from STANDAGE came to our factory for a tour. I feel that they were able to understand the strengths of our products, which cannot be conveyed through documents alone, by seeing them face-to-face, rather than just through remote interaction. It also gave our overseas team members a chance to meet in person, which helped to build a good relationship.

What effects have you seen since implementing it?

Each of our offices has members involved in overseas exports, and we didn't have many opportunities to meet face-to-face on a regular basis. However, since we started regular meetings with STANDAGE, all of our export staff have had the chance to gather together, and I feel that our communication has become much closer than before.

Initially, our focus was on three untapped areas, but we encountered difficulties due to regulations and tariffs in each country. On the other hand, we've received inquiries from customers in countries and regions we hadn't initially considered, who are interested in our seasonings. While we haven't yet closed any deals, we're starting to feel a sense of progress.

We are currently exploring how to proceed with achieving our current export sales targets. Developing a sales strategy, methods, and gathering information on regulations and consumer preferences in various countries are beyond our capabilities on our own, so we would like to leverage STANDAGE's expertise in these areas.

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

Frankly speaking, my first priority is for you to successfully complete as many orders as possible.

Regarding the trade cloud, I appreciate that customer communication history, negotiation results, and meeting minutes are all centralized and easy to view. I also like that it's easy to track past communication history even if the person in charge changes. I think it's a very well-designed system that makes it easy for anyone to review.

Comment from Mr. Numata of Ichibiki Co., Ltd.

I once heard someone at a study group say that "it's difficult to leave trade entirely to someone else," and I feel that it's important to work alongside them rather than leaving everything to them. We will rely on STANDAGE for things we don't understand, but our own efforts are also necessary, and I believe that is the key to success. We will continue to work hard, making good use of STANDAGE's entrusted trade services.