Kitoku Shinryo

What Kitoku Shinryo does

Kitoku Shinryo Co., Ltd. is a Japanese rice wholesaler founded in 1882 and headquartered in Tokyo, listed on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange (TYO: 2700). The company procures domestic rice through medium- and long-term quantity contracts with major agricultural cooperatives (Keizairen) in Kanto, Hokuriku, Tohoku, and Hokkaido, and imports rice from the USA, Thailand, Vietnam, and China under licensed programs with Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF). It distributes to traditional rice stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, co-ops, food service businesses, and the Japanese government, operating a just-in-time production and delivery system with regional branches and factories across Japan.

Beyond core rice wholesaling, Kitoku Shinryo runs a Processed Rice Foods division built on proprietary vegetable lactic acid bacteria fermentation technology that lowers protein content in rice to support medical dietary needs, producing the Echigo reduced-protein series and the Matsubu-Mai product (which reduces protein content by 95% for CKD and PKU patients, launched in July 2013). The company also produces rice flour, premium Kome Roman rice, HMR (home meal replacement) prepared foods, chicken eggs and meat through Toyo Kitoku Foods and Naigai Shokuhin, and livestock feed from milling byproducts. Revenue of ¥100.7 billion (consolidated, FY2015) is generated across domestic wholesale, government import contracts, and international export operations.

The international footprint is structured through four overseas subsidiaries: Angimex-Kitoku (Vietnam, 1991; 25,000 MT/year capacity; ISO9001:2000 and BRC certified), Kitoku America Inc. (USA, 1996), Kitoku Thailand Ltd. (2008), and Kitoku (Dalian) Trading Co., Ltd. (China, 2011; joint venture with Dalian Tianyuan International Logistics). The company holds exclusive import agreements for Thai fragrant rice from Chiameng Co. Ltd. and contracts with California rice producers for Akita Komachi rice imports under the SBS system. Its competitive position rests on long-term cooperative supply contracts, government importer licensing, and 130+ years of brand heritage in Japan's staple-food market.

Name

Kitoku Shinryo

Legal name

Kitoku Shinryo Co., Ltd.

Website

http://www.kitoku-shinryo.com/

Company type

Public

Founded year

1882

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kitoku Shinryo is a publicly listed Japanese rice wholesaler (TYO: 2700, founded 1882) supplying domestic and imported rice to supermarkets, convenience stores, food service, and the Japanese government via licensed import programs, with four overseas subsidiaries and a proprietary reduced-protein rice product line.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rice Wholesaling and Milling

NAICS

Rice Milling (311212), Food Manufacturing (311), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)

SIC

Grain Mill Products (2040), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Flour & Milling Products Manufacturing (wheat, corn, rice, specialty flours) (AFAKABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Starches, Flours & Milling Products Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAH), Crackers, Biscuits & Grain Snacks Manufacturing (savory biscuits, crispbreads) (AFAKABAH)

Keywords

• Rice wholesale
• Rice milling
• Processed rice foods
• Livestock feed supply
• Global rice distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Rice Sales (Domestic): Core business of rice wholesaling in Japan. Kitoku Shinryo is a leading rice wholesaler with guaranteed stable supply systems through medium- and long-term quantity purchase contracts with major agricultural cooperatives (Keizairen) and unit cooperatives in Kanto, Hokuriku, Tohoku, and Hokkaido regions.
2. Rice Import/Export Operations: Importing rice from USA (California), Thailand, Vietnam, and China under government licensing programs. Exports rice products to USA, Canada, France, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, EU, Oceania and North America through overseas subsidiaries.
3. Processed Rice Food Products: Development and sale of processed rice foods including reduced-protein 'Echigo' series, rice flour, pre-cooked rice, rice crackers (junmai sembei), and premium Kome Roman rice.
4. Livestock Feed: Supply of defatted rice bran from factory processing operations and imported feed through contracts with US farms. Activities supporting recycling-based society using food byproducts.
5. Food Products: Chicken eggs, chicken meat, and HMR (home meal replacement) prepared foods through subsidiary companies Toyo Kitoku Foods and Naigai Shokuhin.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Kitoku Shinryo is a wholesale rice milling company that supplies domestic and imported rice to supermarkets, convenience stores, food service businesses, the Japanese Government, and international markets. The company also produces and sells processed rice food products (reduced-protein Echigo series, rice flour, Kome Roman premium rice, Matsubu-Mai protein-reduced rice), livestock feed (defatted rice bran and imported feed), and food products (chicken eggs, chicken meat, and HMR prepared foods) through its subsidiaries. It maintains a global sourcing and distribution network spanning Japan, USA, Thailand, Vietnam, and China.

Product overview

Kitoku Shinryo is a leading Japanese rice wholesaler with a diversified portfolio organized around four core product lines: Rice (domestic and imported), Food Products (eggs, chicken meat, HMR prepared foods), Livestock Feed, and Processed Rice Food Products. The Processed Rice division includes the reduced-protein Echigo series and Matsubu-Mai for health-conscious consumers, rice flour products, and premium Kome Roman rice. The company operates globally through four overseas subsidiaries: Angimex-Kitoku in Vietnam (producing long-grain and Japonica rice), Kitoku America in California (handling US rice imports), Kitoku Thailand (Thai rice imports), and Kitoku Dalian Trading in China (COFCO rice distribution). Kitoku America also holds exclusive contracts for US-grown Akita Komachi rice, while the company serves as the exclusive importer of fragrant rice from Thailand's Chiameng Co. Ltd.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Echigo: Reduced-protein rice series developed using vegetable lactic acid bacteria fermentation technology for patients with kidney disorders requiring low-protein diets.
• Kome Roman
• Matsubu-Mai
• Angimex-Kitoku
• Calmochi
• Toyo Kitoku Foods
• Akane Chicken
• Carotene E Eggs

Products and services

• Domestic and Imported Rice Wholesale domestic rice sourced through medium- and long-term quantity purchase contracts with major agricultural cooperatives (Keizairen) and unit cooperatives in Kanto, Hokuriku, Tohoku, and Hokkaido regions, plus imported rice from USA (California medium grain, Akita Komachi), Thailand (Jasmine, Long Grain, Glutinous, Japonica), Vietnam (Long Grain and Japonica from Mekong Delta), and China (COFCO rice). Distributed to supermarkets, convenience stores, co-ops, traditional rice stores, and food service businesses.
• Reduced-Protein "Echigo" Series Low-protein rice products developed using proprietary vegetable lactic acid bacteria fermentation technology, with protein content lowered to 8%. Includes pre-cooked rice, rice flour type, okayu (soft rice), and junmai sembei (rice crackers). Designed for people with renal failure and other kidney disorders requiring protein-restricted diets, offering superior taste with natural flavor and firm texture.
• Rice Flour Series High-quality rice flours produced using air pulverizers and roller mills in a sanitation-controlled environment. Includes top-grade flour from non-glutinous rice and mochi (rice cake) flour for Japanese confectionery, breads, western-style pastries, Chinese-style doughs, and rice crackers. R&D team researches versatility and develops new textures and recipes.
• Kome Roman Premium Rice Top-of-the-line premium rice selected from the finest quality and flavor from yearly harvests throughout Japan, based on over 120 years of experience in the rice industry. Not available at volume sales stores, positioned as a premium brand.
• Matsubu-Mai Protein-Reduced Rice Protein-reduced rice that reduces protein content by 95% using proprietary special technique. Designed for CKD (Chronic kidney disease) and PKU (Phenylketonuria) patients on protein-restricted diets. Maintains good firmness like normal rice after cooking and can be frozen for storage without texture change after microwave reheating. Best before date of six months under factory-sealed condition; can be stored at room temperature after unsealing.
• Food Products Chicken eggs (including Carotene E Eggs special eggs), chicken meat (Akane Chicken brand and top-quality Tsukuba Chicken raised without drugs), and HMR (home meal replacement) prepared foods including chawanmushi and onsen tamago products. Produced and sold through subsidiary companies Toyo Kitoku Foods and Naigai Shokuhin.
• Livestock Feed Supply of livestock feed ingredients including defatted rice bran from factory processing operations and imported feed through contracts with US farms. Supports beef, pork, poultry, and fish industries. Activities support a recycling-based society using food byproducts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Protein content of Echigo rice reduced to 8% through lactic acid fermentation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dalian Tianyuan International Logistics Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2011Joint venture partner for Kitoku (Dalian) Trading Company Ltd. established February 2011 in Dalian, China. Dalian Tianyuan is a large logistics company in Dalian with strong distribution capabilities in grains and trading port access. This partnership enables Kitoku to serve Japanese companies expanding into Chinese market.
• Bizen Shokuryo Co.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Kitoku Shinryo acquired stake in Bizen Shokuryo Co. of Setouchi, Okayama in 2002, enabling operations expansion into Chugoku region.
• Angimex Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Joint venture partner for Angimex-Kitoku Limited Company established 1991. Angimex is one of the biggest rice exporters in Vietnam. The partnership operates in An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, with annual production capacity of 25,000 tons. AKJ cultivates Long Grain and Japonica Rice.
• COFCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKitoku Shinryo has had firm business relationship with COFCO, the biggest food supplier in China, for many years. Kitoku (Dalian) Trading Company inherits and continues this relationship, selling COFCO's rice in Dalian, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chengdu and Hong Kong.
• Chiameng Co. Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive importer of fragrant rice produced by Chiameng Co. Ltd. of Thailand, one of the world's most highly reputed producers of fragrant rice. The rice has been enthusiastically praised by customers including those in the food service industry, enhancing the status of Thai rice in Japan.
• California Rice Producers and Growers' GroupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKitoku America Inc. has business relationships with most rice milling companies and growers' group in California. Through contracts with leading California rice producers, Kitoku imports high-quality U.S.-grown Akita Komachi rice to Japan under SBS system.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hakubaku Co., Ltd. Major Japanese processed rice foods company producing rice noodles, rice flour, and packaged rice products. Directly comparable to Kitoku Shinryo in the processed rice food and rice flour categories and competes for similar retail and foodservice customers in Japan.
• Kameda Seika Co., Ltd. Leading Japanese rice cracker (sembei) manufacturer whose product lines overlap with Kitoku's junmai sembei and processed rice snacks. Comparable in processed rice food manufacturing, distribution to supermarkets and convenience stores, and brand-driven retail competition in Japan.

Broad incumbents

• ZEN-NOH (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations): Japan's largest agricultural cooperative federation and dominant rice wholesaler/distributor. ZEN-NOH operates the upstream side of the supply chain from which Kitoku Shinryo purchases via Keizairen contracts, making it both a critical supplier relationship and the largest incumbent competitor in domestic rice wholesaling.
• Marubeni Corporation: Major Japanese sogo shosha (general trading company) with significant grain and food trading operations including rice. Comparable to Kitoku Shinryo in global rice sourcing, government-program participation, and international rice distribution, but operates across a vastly broader portfolio of commodities.
• Itochu Corporation: One of Japan's largest trading companies with extensive food and grain operations including rice trading and import/export. Comparable to Kitoku Shinryo in licensed rice importing and international rice distribution, but operates as a diversified conglomerate across many sectors.
• Mitsubishi Corporation: Another major Japanese sogo shosha with substantial grain trading and food distribution including rice. Comparable in import/export rice operations and global sourcing, but with vastly greater scale and diversification than Kitoku Shinryo.
• Toyo Suisan (Maruchan): Major Japanese food company producing instant noodles, HMR prepared foods, and frozen meals that compete with Kitoku's Toyo Kitoku Foods subsidiary in the prepared foods space. Comparable in HMR category exposure and Japanese retail distribution, though much larger and broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Satake Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of rice milling and processing equipment, optical sorters, and grain processing machinery. While primarily an equipment supplier rather than a rice wholesaler, Satake operates in the same rice processing ecosystem and is comparable for understanding the broader Japanese rice industry value chain.
• Bourbon Corporation: Japanese snack food manufacturer with rice cracker and grain-based snack products that overlap with Kitoku's processed rice category. Comparable in retail snack distribution, rice-based product manufacturing, and Japanese convenience store channels, though smaller in rice-specific operations.

Regional players

• CPF (Charoen Pokphand Foods): Thai-based vertically integrated food and agribusiness conglomerate with significant rice operations in Thailand and Vietnam. Comparable to Kitoku's overseas sourcing operations, particularly its Angimex-Kitoku Vietnam JV and Kitoku Thailand subsidiary, though operates primarily in Southeast Asia rather than Japan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 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 Kitoku Shinryo