Yayoi Sunfoods

Name

Yayoi Sunfoods

Legal name

株式会社ヤヨイサンフーズ

Website

https://yayoi-sunfoods.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen Foods Manufacturing

NAICS

Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Frozen Food Manufacturing (31141)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing (AFAKAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAG), Frozen Breakfast Foods (CRADADAC), Frozen Prepared Meals & Entrées Wholesale (AFAIAHAG), Frozen Snacks & Appetizers (CRADADAD)

Keywords

• Frozen food manufacturing
• Commercial food service
• Bento ingredients
• Ready-made meals
• Soft food products

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Commercial Frozen Food B2B Sales: Sale of frozen foods to commercial food service operators including supermarkets for prepared foods, convenience stores for bento toppings, restaurants, company cafeterias, and institutional catering operations. Products sold as both National Brand (NB) items and Private Brand (PB) under retailer specifications.
2. Direct-to-Consumer Soft Food Sales: Direct sales of SOFLI soft food brand products to consumers through dedicated e-commerce site (sofli.jp) and Amazon marketplace

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Yayoi Sunfoods manufactures and markets commercial frozen foods for the B2B food service industry, including croquettes, hamburg steaks, menchi katsu, gratin, pasta, gyoza, rice bowls, and desserts. The company supplies supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, fast food chains, izakaya, hotels, and institutional caterers. It also sells a soft food product line (SOFLI) for elderly and care-facility consumers. Products are offered as both National Brand (NB) and Private Brand (PB) items.

Product overview

Yayoi Sunfoods is a commercial frozen food manufacturer offering a diverse portfolio of products across multiple sub-brands: EAT VEGE (plant-based/plant-derived foods), SOFLI (soft foods for elderly care), Oliveto (Italian pasta supervised by Chef Uetake), and Deli Grande (home-use gratin and doria). Their core products include menchi katsu, croquettes, and hamburg steaks, where they hold top market share in Japan. The company operates in the B2B market serving ready-made food sections, restaurants, fast food, school/corporate/hospital cafeterias, while SOFLI products are also available direct-to-consumer. Manufacturing follows strict hygiene protocols with rapid freezing, and quality management adheres to FSSC22000 standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EAT VEGE: Plant-based food brand using plant-derived ingredients, positioned as thoughtful 'body-conscious' food for sustainable dining.
• SOFLI（ソフリ）
• Oliveto
• Deli Grande

Products and services

• EAT VEGE Plant-based frozen food line using plant-derived ingredients, positioned as body-conscious food for sustainable dining, targeted at consumers concerned about environmental and food issues.
• SOFLI (ソフリ) Soft frozen food brand designed to provide eating pleasure for people with chewing or swallowing difficulties while easing preparation for caregivers. Includes main dishes, meat/fish, vegetables, desserts, and freeze-resistant ice desserts. Available via dedicated e-commerce shop and Amazon.
• Oliveto Italian-concept frozen food brand offering fresh pasta, spaghetti, gratin, and risotto products, supervised by advisor chef Takamasa Uetake who provides recipe and production guidance.
• Deli Grande Home-style frozen gratin and doria line bringing professional-grade frozen food manufacturing techniques and quality to consumer home dining, featuring milk, béchamel sauce, cheese, and rice components. Sold through Amazon official store.
• Frozen Menchi Katsu, Cream Croquettes, and Hamburg Cutlets Flagship commercial frozen food product lines — frozen menchi katsu, cream croquettes, and hamburg/fish cutlets — where the company holds top market share in Japan. Sold to B2B food service operators under both National Brand and Private Brand labels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Industry top market share in frozen menchi katsu, frozen cream croquettes, and frozen aquatic katsu products

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 植竹隆政 Chef (Ristorante Canobbiano)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChef Takamasa Uetake of Ristorante Canobbiano serves as the advisor chef for the Oliveto brand. The chef provides consultation during product development and only products meeting his quality standards are commercialized. Chef Uetake has extensive Italian culinary training and oversees recipes and production guidance for Oliveto pasta and gratin products.
• Japan Care Food Council (日本介護食品協議会)coreOthersSOFLI soft food products are developed in alignment with Universal Design Food standards established by the Japan Care Food Council in 2002. The Council provides the framework for categorizing products based on chewing and swallowing ability into 4 levels.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nichirei Corporation: Japan's largest frozen food producer with broad categories including frozen prepared foods, meats, and seafood. Comparable as a domestic competitor serving foodservice and retail channels, but at meaningfully greater scale and international reach.
• Maruha Nichiro Corporation: Major Japanese food conglomerate with significant frozen prepared food and seafood operations, including the TableMark foodservice brand. Comparable as a domestic commercial frozen food competitor with broader portfolio and global footprint.
• Nissin Foods Holdings: Iconic Japanese packaged food company dominant in instant noodles but also active in frozen foods and chilled meals. Comparable as a Japan-headquartered manufacturer serving foodservice and consumer channels with prepared food products.
• NH Foods (Nippon Ham): One of Japan's largest meat and processed food producers with significant frozen prepared foods (croquettes, hamburgers, cutlets) serving B2B foodservice. Directly competes with Yayoi Sunfoods in frozen meat-based prepared products.
• Toyo Suisan (Maruchan): Major Japanese food manufacturer of noodles and frozen foods including frozen udon, pasta, and rice products. Comparable as a domestic frozen food competitor serving retail and foodservice channels.
• Kewpie Corporation: Japanese packaged food company with frozen and prepared food offerings alongside dressings and condiments. Comparable in operating as a Japanese CPG manufacturer serving retail and B2B foodservice with prepared products.
• Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Global Japanese food major with frozen foods (gyoza, Chinese prepared dishes) sold via retail and foodservice. Comparable as a domestic competitor in frozen gyoza and Asian prepared food categories overlapping with Yayoi Sunfoods' product range.

Direct peers

• Katokichi Co. Japanese frozen food manufacturer historically focused on croquettes, menchi katsu, and similar breaded frozen products. One of the most direct competitors to Yayoi Sunfoods' flagship product categories.
• Kibun Foods Inc. Japanese frozen and prepared food producer with offerings including croquettes, chikuwa, and institutional catering products. Comparable as a Japanese B2B frozen prepared food specialist.

Regional players

• Eat&Holdings (Wendy's Japan / First Kitchen): Japanese restaurant operator and food company; less directly comparable but represents a domestic foodservice buyer channel for frozen prepared food products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yayoi Sunfoods