Yoshihiko Nishida
I had decided from a young age that I would become a business owner.
From the moment I could understand things, I knew I wanted to be a business owner. However, after graduating from university, I decided to spend some time gaining real-world experience and worked at a company in the fisheries industry. I believed that working in the fisheries sector would not only provide valuable experience but also help me expand my network, which would be useful when it came time to take over the family business. In fact, the knowledge I gained working in the frozen food division has been extremely beneficial in our subsequent business development.
Three years after starting my career, I joined Saiki Marine Products. At that time, the core business was wholesale, sourcing dried sardines (iriko) and dried fish from Saiki Bay and nearby ports, and distributing them to markets and wholesalers across the country.
After joining the company, I traveled across Japan for a while. Every time I went on a business trip, the clients would introduce me to “delicious local fish,” but honestly, my true feeling was that “the fish from Saiki is the best.” I strongly felt that I wanted to deliver the deliciousness of my hometown, Saiki, to the whole country. I wanted more people to try it. With that strong desire, I made the decision to enter the retail industry and opened “Saiki Umi no Ichiba〇” (Saiki Sea Market〇) in 2006, a place where all kinds of marine products from Saiki come together.
The Secret to Saiki’s “Deliciousness” with Centuries of History
Going back 400 years from the present day, Saiki was a castle town governed by the feudal lord, Mōri Takamasa. He built Saiki Castle on Mount Yahata, located downstream of the Bansho River, and developed the town. The Bansho River, which was used for both the military defense of Saiki Castle and maritime transportation, also played a significant role in nurturing the sea of Saiki. By developing forests for fish breeding, the nutrients from the forests were supplied to the sea through rivers and soil. This fostered a rich environment for plankton to thrive, enriching the entire sea. While Mōri Takamasa promoted land reclamation for the town’s development, he also focused on creating an environment suitable for fish to live in. He understood from that time that forests played an important role in providing a habitat for fish. This led to the flourishing of the fishing industry in Saiki, which eventually became known for the saying, “The Lord of Saiki holds sway even in the harbor.”。
In Saiki City, supported by its abundant fishing grounds, the seafood processing technology has progressed greatly. Many processing companies, passionate about technological advancement, have actively adopted new techniques while preserving traditional methods, constantly improving the quality of their products. Today, it is even said that Saiki boasts some of the finest seafood processing technology in Japan. The secret to the deliciousness of the fish caught in Saiki lies in the combination of fish raised in a rich environment and the high-level processing skills that have been developed over a long period of time.
I want to make the producers, customers, and everyone involved happy.
Since starting Saiki Umi no Ichiba〇, there has been one key principle I have cherished: “To make everyone involved happy.” Our company motto, displayed in the office, states, “We should not engage in business that only benefits our company.” This has led me to focus on how to create a business that brings joy to both the producers who provide the products and the customers who purchase them. By reflecting on this question, my approach to both parties has evolved.
First, I established a system to actively collaborate with producers. By working with more producers, the product lineup in the store expands, giving customers more choices. To make this possible, we have minimized the costs that producers need to bear when participating in our sales, and we allow them to use our refrigerated storage facilities for free. This allows producers to sell their products at affordable prices, benefiting everyone involved.
We aim to continue treating each producer and their products with care, so that we can earn the trust to say, “We want you to carry our products,” and deliver them to our customers.
Challenges in New Areas such as Social Media and Cross-Border E-Commerce
With the evolution of internet services, cross-border business has become easier to achieve compared to the past. Now, I want to deliver the deliciousness of Saiki’s fish to the world. Using e-commerce and other tools, I plan to start by targeting Southeast Asia and challenge myself with cross-border business.
In December of this year, we completed the construction of a new refrigerated warehouse to store our customers’ products. This new facility boasts the largest capacity in Oita Prefecture. It also employs technology that does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2), and has been approved by the Ministry of the Environment. Looking towards a sustainable society, I aim to continue taking on challenges in the field of environmental issues.
Passing on the Blessed Environment of Saiki to the Next Generation
In 1902 (Meiji 35), my grandfather founded Nishida Shoten as a marine products wholesaler, which marked the beginning of Saiki Marine Products. What was built by the previous generation has evolved in form and has been passed down through each succeeding generation, like a baton being handed over.
What I have always kept in mind is to “fulfill the role appropriate for each era.” Over the years, we have expanded into various businesses, including the freezing and sale of aquaculture feed, ice production, wholesale, food service, and retail, responding to the needs of the times. Every day, I have thought deeply and gone through trial and error. Naturally, there have been many times when things didn’t go as planned.
However, no matter how much times change, the things we have cherished remain unchanged.
The sea of Saiki, which has been carefully protected by those before us for hundreds of years, has brought abundant blessings to our lives. At Saiki Marine Products, we have continued our business by delivering that abundance to our local community in Saiki and to customers nationwide. Moving forward, we aim to continue bringing joy to our customers and producers, and we are committed to protecting the environment in which delicious fish thrive.