What Marutomo does

Marutomo Co., Ltd. (マルトモ株式会社) is a privately held Japanese food manufacturer founded in 1918 and headquartered in Iyo City, Ehime Prefecture, specializing in katsuobushi (dried, smoked, and fermented bonito flakes), dashi seasonings, and Japanese pantry staples. The company operates nine product categories spanning katsuobushi shavings (花かつお, プレ節®), powdered dashi and dashi packs (新かつおだしの素, 和食の力), dried sardines (煮干し), liquid soup bases (液体つゆ), seasonings and condiments, chilled products, gift sets, pet food/toppings (だいすき series), and nutritional supplements. Its core technology is built on proprietary direct-fire roasting (直火焙煎加工), 25-micron ultra-thin shaving, koku-uma double blending of two skipjack tuna types, and nitrogen gas packaging, all developed over a century of in-house processing.

The business model is a multi-channel consumer packaged goods operation within Japan, combining owned e-commerce (marutomo-shop.jp), marketplace presence on Rakuten and Yahoo! Shopping, physical retail distribution, and a dedicated B2B food service line for restaurants and commercial operators. Pricing spans value-tier katsuobushi sachets (from 196 yen) through premium gift sets (up to 5,400 yen). Customer segments include health-conscious Japanese consumers, Japanese cuisine enthusiasts, pet owners, and food service businesses. The company holds FSSC22000 food safety certification and Japanese DX certification, and operates dedicated manufacturing facilities in Ehime Prefecture.

Marutomo is led by President Akira Myoseim and is a founder/management-owned family business with no disclosed external institutional investors or parent company. Recent strategic activity centers on digital transformation, new brand launches (お野菜まる® vegetable series, だしペディア® educational platform), co-development partnerships (Ajikan for ごぼうだしの素), and academic collaboration (Okayama University of Science for pet nutrition research), signaling a moderate-growth, brand-and-content-led evolution of a mature category leader.

Name

Marutomo

Legal name

Marutomo Co., Ltd. (マルトモ株式会社)

Website

https://marutomo.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Marutomo is a 1918-founded, privately held Japanese food manufacturer specializing in katsuobushi, dashi seasonings, liquid soup bases, and related Japanese pantry staples. It sells across owned e-commerce, marketplaces, retail, and B2B food service channels in Japan via sub-brands like プレ節® and だいすき.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Japanese Katsuobushi & Dashi Seasonings

NAICS

Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193), Spice and Extract Manufacturing (311942), Other Snack Food Manufacturing (311919), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Fermented & Specialty Condiments Manufacturing (Kimchi Base, Gochujang, Miso-Based Sauces) (AFAKADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pesto, Cooking Pastes & Concentrated Flavor Bases Manufacturing (AFAKADAN), Specialty Snack Foods Manufacturing (Ethnic/Regional, Gourmet, Functional) (AFAKAIAO)

Keywords

• Katsuobushi production
• Dashi seasonings
• Dried fish products
• Japanese soup stock
• Tsuyu liquid sauces

Headquarters

HQ city

Nagoya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consumer Food Products: Sale of packaged food products including bonito flakes, dashi seasonings, liquid soups, and condiments to individual consumers through retail and online channels.
2. Business/Commercial Products: Sale of food service and commercial-use products to restaurants, food service operators, and businesses.
3. Pet Food Products: Sale of pet treats and toppings made from fish products, targeting pet owners.
4. Gift Products: Premium gift sets for special occasions and celebrations, including seasonal gifts (お中元, お歳暮) and ceremonial gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Marutomo manufactures and sells Japanese food products based on katsuobushi (dried, smoked, fermented skipjack tuna) and dashi (soup stock). Core product lines include shaved katsuobushi flakes (hanakatsuo, soft-shaved, thick-shaved), powdered dashi seasonings and dashi packs, liquid tsuyu soup bases, dried sardines (niboshi), condiments, gift sets, pet food/toppings, supplements, and dedicated commercial-use products sold to food service operators.

Product overview

Marutomo Co., Ltd. is a Japanese food manufacturing company founded in 1918, headquartered in Iyo City, Ehime Prefecture, specializing in premium katsuobushi (dried, smoked, and fermented bonito) products and dashi-based food ingredients. The company's product portfolio consists of shelf-stable dried and powdered food products organized into nine main categories: (1) katsuobushi and other shaved bonito products including flower katsuobushi, soft-shaved katsuobushi, and thick-shaved katsuobushi; (2) powdered dashi seasonings and dashi packs, headlined by the 新鰹だしの素 (New Katsuobushi Dashi Powder) product line; (3) dried sardines (niboshi) for dashi and snacking; (4) liquid soup bases including white dashi, ago dashi, and soy sauce dashi; (5) seasonings and condiments such as tempura crumbs; (6) chilled/refrigerated products; (7) gift and commemorative product sets; (8) pet food and topping products including the だいすき series; and (9) nutritional supplements leveraging katsuobushi protein. Key branded product lines include the premium プレ節® (Pure Bushi®) brand at 25-micron ultra-thin shaved format launched in 2016, the 素直な、おかか。® (Sunao na Okaka®) premium okaka brand, the だし小鍋 (Dashi Konabe) hot pot soup base series, the だしの力 (Dashi no Chikara) blended dashi brand, and the newly launched お野菜まる® vegetable-inclusive food series. The company also publishes the だしペディア® educational content platform about Japanese dashi culture and maintains recipe resources. Marutomo operates both consumer and business-to-business (food service) sales channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pure Bushi (プレ節): Premium katsuobushi product line featuring 25-micron thin shavings made from carefully temperature-controlled, defrosted, and boiled two types of skipjack tuna.
• Sunao no Okaka (素直な、おかか。)
• Daisuki (だいすき)
• Dashinoki (だし小鍋)
• Wasyoku no Chikara (和食の力)
• Dashi no Chikara (だしの力)
• Fuwafuwa Hanakatsuo (ふわふわ花かつお)
• Shinkatsuodashi (新鰹だしの素)
• Ago Dashi Tsuyu (焙焼あごだしつゆ)
• Katsuo-bushi-ya (鰹節屋)
• Oyasai Maru (お野菜まる)

Products and services

• Hanakatsuo (花かつお) and Other Shaved Katsuobushi

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% salt reduction possible while maintaining flavor due to rich umami from proprietary processing
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GREEN×EXPO 2027 (2027 International Horticultural Expo)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 June 2026Sponsorship of the 2027 International Horticultural Expo (GREEN×EXPO 2027), demonstrating commitment to sustainability and environmental initiatives aligned with the company's ESG goals.
• 岡山理科大学 (Okayama University of Science)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Joint research collaboration in veterinary science. Marutomo presented research findings at the 41st World Veterinary Association Congress, indicating ongoing academic partnership for pet food and health-related research.
• 株式会社あじかん (Ajikan Co., Ltd.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative product development partnership for the 'ごぼうだしの素' (burdock dashi powder) product. Ajikan's roasted domestic burdock is combined with Marutomo's skipjack tuna from Makurazaki. This partnership leverages each company's core ingredients and expertise to create a unique umami-rich dashi product with rich burdock flavor.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Riken Vitamin: Japanese food manufacturer with presence in dashi, seasonings, and processed foods for both consumer and food service channels. Comparable product mix and B2B/B2C distribution approach to Marutomo.
• Yamaki (ヤマキ): One of Japan's largest dedicated katsuobushi and dashi manufacturers, with a directly overlapping product portfolio (katsuobushi shavings, dashi packs, tsuyu) and similar target customers (Japanese households and food service). Closest direct comparable to Marutomo in core category.

Broad incumbents

• Nissin Foods Holdings: Global instant noodle leader with extensive dashi-based product portfolio. Represents the convenience/instant-format competitive vector that pressures traditional dashi preparation, making it a relevant adjacent competitor.
• Ajinomoto: Japan's largest food manufacturer with a broad seasonings portfolio including Hondashi (instant dashi), soups, and frozen foods. Competes with Marutomo in the dashi and seasoning category but operates at massive scale across many food categories.
• Kikkoman: Global leader in soy sauce with extensive seasonings portfolio including dashi-related products and tsuyu. Marutomo's Katsuo-bushi-ya dashi soy sauce directly competes with Kikkoman's premium soy sauce and seasoning lines.
• House Foods: Diversified Japanese food manufacturer with major presence in curry, stew, and spices/seasonings. Competes indirectly with Marutomo in Japanese home cooking seasonings and offers broader category reach.
• Mizkan: Major Japanese vinegar and seasoning manufacturer with significant presence in tsuyu, ponzu, and dashi-based liquid seasonings. Overlaps with Marutomo in tsuyu and seasoning liquid categories through established brands.
• S&B Foods: Major Japanese spice, herb, and seasoning manufacturer with extensive retail presence. Competes with Marutomo in the broader Japanese household seasoning category, particularly through spices and dried seasonings.

Others

• Itoham Foods: Major Japanese processed food manufacturer serving both retail and food service channels. Comparable in B2B/B2C food manufacturing operations in Japan though focused on meat rather than seafood/seasonings.

Regional players

• Shimadaya Corporation: Specialty Japanese manufacturer focused on traditional dried and fermented foods including dashi ingredients and noodles. Comparable in heritage and craft focus, though with more emphasis on noodles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/marutomo_coltd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/marutomo2012
• Facebookfacebook.com/marutomo.co.jp
• Instagraminstagram.com/prebushi_marutomo

Compliance2 records

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 Marutomo