OKIHAM

What OKIHAM does

OKIHAM (Okinawa Ham Sogo Shokuhin Kabushiki Kaisha / 沖縄ハム総合食品株式会社) is a privately held, Okinawa-based food manufacturer founded in 1977 and headquartered in Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The company produces processed meat products (ham, wiener sausages, jerky), retort-packaged Ryukyu cuisine dishes, shikuwasa-based functional beverages and condiments, and prepared side dishes (惣菜). It operates three manufacturing lines — original meat processing, a dried-food factory added in 2002, and a beverage factory added in 2005 — and holds ISO22000 food-safety certification.

The company's core technical differentiation combines German Meister meat-processing techniques with Okinawan ingredient sourcing (Okinawa-raised pork, local shikuwasa citrus, Nuchimas sea salt), packaged in retort-pouch and shelf-stable formats pioneered by the company in 1982. It holds two registered patents: a GABA-enhancement method via lactic-acid fermentation of Okinawan green papaya (Patent No. 5114625), and a shikwasa extract vinegar manufacturing method using pomace. The functional-beverage line is anchored on registered functional-food claims (notification J301) for citric acid and GABA. Revenue is generated through unit-priced hardware sales across processed food, beverages, and condiments/seasonings, sold via own e-commerce, Okinawan supermarket and souvenir-shop distribution (including Naha Airport), and factory-direct channels.

The company serves primarily Okinawan households, tourists purchasing local food souvenirs, and health/wellness consumers interested in functional beverages. It is recognized regionally as one of Okinawa Prefecture's top 100 companies by revenue and self-positions as "Okinawa's Face" (沖縄の顔). At its 35th anniversary (~2012) it reported approximately 7 billion yen in sales and 600+ employees; current revenue is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is concentrated within Okinawa with mainland Japan reached via e-commerce and shipping.

Name

OKIHAM

Legal name

沖縄ハム総合食品株式会社 (Okinawa Ham Sogo Shokuhin Kabushiki Kaisha)

Website

https://okiham.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

OKIHAM is a private Okinawan food manufacturer (founded 1977) producing processed meats, retort Ryukyu cuisine, and shikuwasa-based functional beverages and condiments, serving Okinawan households, tourists, and wellness consumers via retail, souvenir, and direct e-commerce channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Processed Meat and Retort Ryukyu Cuisine

NAICS

Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Pork Further Processing (Cured, Smoked, Ham, Bacon) (AFANABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cooked/Ready-to-Eat Pork Products (Fully Cooked, Sliced, Diced) (AFANABAG), Jerky & Meat Snacks Manufacturing (AFAKAIAH), Prepared Meat & Seafood Entrées with Sides (Complete Meals) (AFANAFAI)

Keywords

• Processed meat products
• Retort Ryukyu cuisine
• Shikuwasa functional beverages
• Okinawan ham sausages
• Pork ear jerky snacks

Headquarters

HQ city

Yomitan

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Processed Food Products: OKIHAM generates revenue through manufacturing and selling processed food products including ham, sausage, Wiener sausages, jerky (mimiga/pork ear skin), retort Ryukyu cuisine dishes, and prepared side dishes (惣菜). The company pioneered selling Ryukyu cuisine in retort format since 1982.
2. Beverages: Revenue from shikwasa-based beverages including functional drinks, juices, and vinegars. The company produces various shikwasa products including the Zenkaisu functional beverage containing citric acid and GABA, and OKINAWA Sango Calcium drink.
3. Condiments and Seasonings: Sales of condiments and seasonings including shikwasa salt sauce, processed brown sugar products, and other Okinawan specialty ingredients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

OKIHAM manufactures and sells processed meat products including ham, Pokipoki wiener sausages, and pork-ear (mimiga) jerky, alongside retort-packaged traditional Ryukyu (Okinawan) cuisine dishes such as rafute and Okinawa soba condiments. It also produces a portfolio of functional beverages, juices, vinegars and condiments centered on shikuwasa (Okinawan citrus) and papaya-derived GABA, selling primarily to consumers in Okinawa and across Japan.

Product overview

OKIHAM (沖縄ハム総合食品会社) is an Okinawan food manufacturing company producing a diverse portfolio of meat products (ham, sausages, jerky), retort foods (Ryukyu cuisine), shikuwasa beverages and condiments, and prepared dishes. Core products include the Poki Poki sausage series, Mimiga jerky series, and Shikuwasa-based functional beverages and condiments. The company is known for preserving traditional Okinawan culinary heritage, having first commercialized Ryukyu cuisine in retort format in 1982. Manufacturing capabilities span refrigerated, frozen, and room-temperature products with ISO22000 certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Okiham Pokipoki Premium Pork Sausage (オキハムポキポキプレミアム) Premium pork sausage using 100% Okinawa-raised pork aged for 72 hours, with coarse-ground texture and thick satisfying size, targeted at adults seeking a high-quality Okinawan sausage.
• Okiham Pokipoki Long Wiener Sausage (オキハムポキポキロングウインナー) Long-format wiener sausage from the Pokipoki series with distinctive snappy/crunchy texture, suited for hot dogs, breakfast, snacks, and barbecue use, 175g pack with 40-day shelf life.
• Mimiga Jerky (ミミガージャーキーN) Pork ear skin (mimiga) jerky with chewy texture seasoned with Nuchimas sea salt, rich in high-quality protein, available in 9g and 23g sizes with up to 180-day room-temperature shelf life, marketed as a snack/sake accompaniment.
• Mimiga Peanut (ミミガーピーナッツ和え) Thinly sliced pork ear (mimiga) served with peanut sauce, with crispy texture and high collagen protein content, 110g pack with 30-day shelf life.
• Seasoned Pork Belly Rafute (味付け三枚肉375g) Okinawan-style rafute (braised pork belly) served as a representative Okinawan pork dish, usable as a standalone side dish or as an Okinawa soba topping, 375g (12 pieces) with 120-day shelf life.
• Grilled Rafute (炙りラフテー) Rafute (braised pork belly) finished with a broiling step for char marks and aroma, a representative Ryukyu court-style dish with thick-cut portion control, 270g pack.
• Black Vinegar Rafute (黒酢ラフテー) Rafute (braised pork belly) cooked with black vinegar for a refreshing taste, featuring skin-on pork belly with crispy skin texture, 180g pack.
• Rafute Curry (らふてーカレー) Retort curry dish combining braised pork belly (rafute) with OKIHAM's original curry blend, featuring Okinawan black sugar sweetness, room-temperature storage, microwave-ready in 2 minutes.
• Suppon Nankotsu Soki Soup (すっぽんなんこつソーキ) Soft-shell turtle (suppon) and pork rib cartilage soup made using self-cultivated soft-shelled turtles from OKIHAM's own aquaculture farms in Yomitan and Motobu, 350g pack with rich yet refreshing broth.
• Goat Meat and Beef Offal Soup (牛モツ入りやぎ汁) Okinawan-style soup combining goat meat and beef offal, with goat and beef meticulously debittered to retain authentic flavor; does not contain goat offal, 500g pack with 1-year unopened shelf life.
• Gapao Rice Haneji Chicken (ガパオライス 羽地鶏使用) Ready-to-eat retort Thai basil chicken rice using Haneji chicken from Nago city with basil-flavored sauce, served by adding a fried egg on rice, 240g (80g x 3 packs).
• Taco Rice Mini (タコライスマイニ) Single-serve 60g taco meat for preparing taco rice, with versatility for tacos, sandwiches, or pasta, 18-month unopened shelf life.
• Chikara-meshi Taco Rice Bowl (力飯 tacos 丼) Ready-to-eat taco rice bowl topping with cheese and tomato sauce, named 'kunchi' (stamina/endurance in Okinawan dialect), 90g pack with room-temperature storage.
• Salt Cartilage Soki with Shikuwasa Flavor (塩だれ軟骨ソーキ シークヮーサー風味) Cartilage soba (pork rib cartilage) seasoned with shikuwasa salt flavor, cooked tender so it can be eaten whole, usable in salt yakisoba or vegetable stir-fries, 150g pack.
• Okinawa Shikuwasa Drink 500ml PET (沖縄シークヮーサードリンク) Ready-to-drink Okinawa shikuwasa beverage containing 3% locally grown shikuwasa juice in a 500ml PET bottle, designed for convenient consumption, mainland shipping and souvenir use, 270-day shelf life.
• Shikuwasa Zenkaisu 500ml (シークヮーサー全快酢500ml) Functional shikuwasa vinegar beverage with fruity and refreshing sour taste, registered as a functional food (notification J301) containing 1000mg citric acid and 100mg GABA per 50ml daily serving to reduce temporary fatigue and improve sleep quality.
• Shikuwasa Zenkaisu 1L (シークヮーサー全快酢1L) 1L bottle version of the functional shikuwasa vinegar drink with GABA and citric acid, providing approximately 20 days of supply at 50ml daily intake diluted 3x with water.
• GABA Min (ギャバミン) Functional beverage using OKIHAM's patented lactic acid fermented Okinawan papaya extract (Patent No. 5114625) high in GABA, containing 109mg GABA and 330mg citric acid per 50ml.
• Rofu Papa GABA (老覇パパギャバ) Health functional food (nutritional functional food) 200ml single-serve bottle containing vitamin C, E and 58mg GABA derived from fermented papaya, targeted at stress and lifestyle disease management.
• Okinawa Shikuwasa 100 1L (オキナワシークヮーサー100 1000ml) 100% shikuwasa juice made from organically grown Okinawan shikuwasa with strong acidity and clean taste, containing high nobiletin content associated with lifestyle disease prevention, in a 1L PET bottle.
• Okinawa Shikuwasa 4x Concentrate (沖縄シークヮーサー4倍希釈) 4x concentrated shikuwasa juice made from locally grown Okinawan shikuwasa for dilution 4-5x with water or carbonated water, suitable also as a mixer with shochu or awamori, 500ml bottle.
• STRONG HABIT Shikuwasa 100 360ml (STRONG HABITシークヮーサー100) 360ml shikuwasa juice made from September-harvested fruit with strong aroma, acidity and bitterness, containing nobiletin for lifestyle disease prevention.
• Shikuwasa Salt Sauce (シークヮーサー塩だれ) Salt sauce condiment for grilled meat and various dishes, using Pacific seawater-derived Nuchimas sea salt with shikuwasa and garlic aroma, packaged for both daily table use and as an Okinawa souvenir.
• Okinawan Ponzu with Shikuwasa Vinegar (おきなわポン酢) Ponzu sauce leveraging shikuwasa extraction vinegar developed jointly with the Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, featuring high nobiletin content, suitable for salads, hot pots and grilled fish.
• Papa Shikuwasa No Added Sweetener or Flavor (甘味料・香料無添加 パパシークヮーサー) Shikuwasa functional beverage with no added sweeteners or flavors, containing high nobiletin (25mg) and GABA (110mg) per serving through the patented Okinawan papaya fermentation process.
• OKINAWA Sango Calcium (OKINAWAサンゴカルシウム) Coral calcium beverage combining fructooligosaccharide, casein phosphopeptide, vitamin D and GABA from papaya fermentation, certified under the WELLNESS OKINAWA JAPAN program, in a 720ml bottle.
• Royal Rich Premium Wiener (ロイヤルリッチ) Premium wiener sausage emphasizing a five-sense sensory experience of umami taste, smoky aroma, chewy texture, extra-thick appearance and crispy skin with juicy meat, 250g with 35-day shelf life.
• Mochchi Purple Sweet Potato Dango (もっち紫芋入コロコロ団子) Bite-sized mochi-style dango dumplings with chewy texture made with Okinawan purple sweet potato, 180g pack of approximately 11-13 pieces with 90-day frozen shelf life.
• Beni Goma Dango 6-piece (紅いもゴマ団子6個入り) Chinese-style sweet dumplings featuring steamed Okinawan purple sweet potato coated with sesame, a source of dietary fiber and polyphenols, 210g (6 pieces), freeze storage required.
• Salt Zenzai with Barley (塩ぜんざい麦入り) 170g Sweet red bean soup (zenzai) with salt and barley combining sweet and salty mellow flavors, using Nuchimas sea salt, with room-temperature storage, 170g pack.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pioneered retort-packaged Ryukyu cuisine in 1982, creating a new food category

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Okinawa Beautiful Island Foundation (一般財団법인沖縄美ら島財団)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022OKIHAM partnered with the Okinawa Beautiful Island Foundation to support Shuri Castle restoration efforts through the 'Shuri Castle Restoration Support Project – Revive Shuri Castle' (首里城復興支援プロジェクト　蘇れ首里城). The company donates 1 yen per product sold from selected items (approximately 50 products including Ryukyu cuisine series, ham/sausage products, jerky, and shikwasa beverages) to support cultural heritage restoration. The 2022-2023 contribution was 3,597,173 yen with cumulative donations exceeding 10 million yen.
• Ryukyu Golden Kings (琉球ゴールデンキングス)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOKIHAM serves as an official sponsor (オフィシャツポンサー) of the Ryukyu Golden Kings professional basketball team. The partnership includes booth sales at home games, co-branded products with team logos and mascot Gody illustrations on packaging, and collaborative promotional activities to support local sports and community engagement.
• Kariyushi Hotels (かりゆしホテルズ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Kariyushi Hotels' Chinese cuisine head chef and operations manager to develop recipe collections using OKIHAM products. Recipes featuring products like Nakami-jiru (中味汁), Nankotsu Soki (軟骨ソーキ), Konbi-fu Hash (コンビーフハッシュ), and Poki-poki Wiener are featured in recipe columns published in weekly Home Purasu magazine.
• Okinawa Prefecture Basketball Association (沖縄県バスケットボール協会)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOKIHAM supports the Okinawa Prefecture Elementary School Minibasketball Tournament 'Warabi Cup' (ワラビーカップ) as special sponsor for 12 consecutive years. Provides encouragement funds (40万 yen) and product donations to participating teams.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kenko Mayonnaise / Q&B Foods (Kewpie): Dominant Japanese condiment and prepared food manufacturer. Adjacent rather than direct, but comparable on processed/retort CPG distribution, food safety certifications, and mainstream supermarket penetration.
• Kirin Holdings: Major Japanese beverage and food company with broad functional drink portfolio including health-oriented products. Relevant for OKIHAM's expansion ambitions in the functional beverage category.
• House Foods Group: Large Japanese processed food manufacturer (retort curries, seasonings, beverages). Comparable on retort pouch technology and functional beverage expansion strategy.
• Pokka Sapporo: Large Japanese beverage and ready-to-drink manufacturer. Comparable to OKIHAM's shikuwasa beverage line on PET-bottle RTD production scale and nationwide distribution, though OKIHAM is a niche regional brand.

Direct peers

• Nippon Ham Holdings: Japan's largest processed meat company spanning ham, sausage, and prepared foods across retail and foodservice. Direct peer on product category (ham/sausage/prepared pork) and on multi-channel retail distribution strategy.
• Marudai Co., Ltd. Mid-large Japanese processed meat manufacturer with wiener sausage and ham product lines. Comparable on sausage/wiener production scale and national grocery retail distribution.
• Prima Meat Packers: Major Japanese ham and sausage producer with significant processed meat share. Comparable in product category (sausages, hams, deli meats) and in B2C retail distribution; OKIHAM differentiates through Okinawan localization.
• Itoham Foods: One of Japan's largest ham and sausage manufacturers with a broad processed meat portfolio and similar German-craft heritage. Directly comparable on ham/sausage core, national retail distribution scale, and CPG food safety certifications.

Emerging players

• Miyako Snacks / regional jerky manufacturers: Smaller Okinawan and Kyushu meat snack makers competing in pork-based jerky and snack categories. Direct competition in the mimiga jerky sub-segment where OKIHAM leads.

Regional players

• Awase Suisan / Okinawa regional food manufacturers: Regional Okinawan food producers operating in processed seafood and local specialties. Comparable on geographic concentration in Okinawa and on serving the Okinawan consumer segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/okihamweb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@okinawaham
• Facebookfacebook.com/okinawaham

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 OKIHAM