1979 Started Exports
ASHIZAWA SHOKAI was founded in 1979 as an international trading company in Osaka. We mainly exported kitchenware such as spoons and forks to Southeast Asian countries. Our biggest sale in the 1980s was playing cards to Thai Airways International.
As the Japanese yen strengthened drastically after the “Plaza accord” agreed by the G5 countries in 1985, Japanese exports declined. As a result, our sales of household products decreased. Since then, we have shifted our main merchandise to add value products such as food additives for food processing factories and special types of Machinery.
Additionally, we have experience in importing plastic cookware, toys, and cowskin pet toys. In 2019, we began importing Manuka honey from New Zealand and distributing it throughout Japan.
1999 Started E-Commerce
In 1999, we launched the first online store of Chinese cuisine dim sum. It sold well, and we received the Shop of the Year Award from Rakuten Mall. We opened the second online store of porcelain dolls for gifts and won the Shop of the Month and Week prizes.
In 2015, we started selling GPS shoes for patients with dementia. This innovative item has been featured widely in mass media, TV shows, radio, and newspapers. We are also operating a website to recruit new students for a care worker training school.
Crowdfunding and more
In recent years, we have been paying attention to crowdfunding sites as new effective ways to launch products. Baumkuchen project Nov. 2016
Additionally, our big concern is sustainability. Eco-friendly and ethical – style must be keywords for us.