[CC may contain inaccuracies] Tofu brush out of the fryer and plenty of them.
The president of Yummy likes the taste test, a piping hot fried tofu at this
plant located near the base of Mt. Fuji.
He insists the water originating from the famous mountain makes his tofu
tastes better. And after clearing rounds and rounds of
the factory's sanitary requirements, we get a tour of the facility.
They make all kinds of soy products, from fresh tofu to slabs of the deep
fried kind called aged in Japanese. Okay, so apparently there's a 50 miracle
inside, and they make a year or so ago, and then they cut it up here and then
even smaller over there before they fried up for, I guess only tofu have
been made by mom and pop shops for centuries.
But with the country's declining population, many are closing down.
So how does Yummy beat the odds? The number of tofu companies in Japan
going bankrupt is nearing an all time high, but yummy stock has doubled in the
last three months. What are you doing right that's
attracting investors. I know we adopted tongue twister, so I
think investors are starting to realize we are not just a small traditional tofu
shop, but rather a properly established food company.
We used to focus on sales and profits. But ever since I took over as company
president, I have been trying to raise productivity.
I think the achievements are starting to show in our earnings.
Tofu is not an easy business. You got the rising soybean prices, not
to mention Japan's declining population. So what's keeping you up at night?
I mean, what is the biggest challenge you'll face and how will you overcome
it? You know, we are currently working to
deal with rising inflation by implementing energy saving measures and
replacing equipment. As prices continue to remain high.
For the soybeans we import. We are considering increasing the use of
domestically produced soybeans. We are planning to shift 10% of the
soybeans we use to domestic ones starting March of next year.
At what young level will you go back to buying International?
I'm basing our business plan of the current exchange rate of about 150 to
the dollar. I think we could be more profitable if
the exchange rate was 140 or stronger. As I was walking around the factory
earlier, I saw a lot of foreign workers. Are you looking to increase the number
of foreign workers you have here at the factory and what kinds of work are they
doing at all? We have a lot of employees from Vietnam
and Indonesia, but I don't want them to go home after just three or five years.
I want them to become long time employees.
Your mommy. I would like to provide them the same
equal opportunities as Japanese employees, and I want to increase the
number of foreign workers going forward to help with the labor shortage
in Japan. Tofu is a staple.
It's always in our fridges. What are your ambitions for overseas
expansion? Kyrgyz Overseas.
Tofu is often considered a health food. But if we expand outside Japan in ten or
15 years, I want people to eat our tofu because of the delicious taste, and not
just for health reasons. I do see an opportunity for your mommy
to raise our profile abroad. You know, we must win their chance with
our ongoing commitment. What do you think is the one thing Japan
needs most to stay ahead in the world? I think it's important to take on more
and more challenges, whether it's new investments or hiring new employees.
We can achieve something great. I think this kind of mentality is what
both our company and Japan as a whole need to succeed because of that
openness.