Kameda Seika has acquired 90% of agricultural producer Maisen to enhance its product offerings in the gluten-free market.

Target Information

Kameda Seika has acquired a majority stake in Maisen, a company based in Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, which is engaged in the production and processing of agricultural products. This acquisition took place on February 18, 2019, with Kameda Seika obtaining 90% of the shares from the company's representative director, Senichi Makino. Following the acquisition, Ryuuaki Murai, the director of the General Affairs Department at Kameda Seika, has been appointed as Maisen's new president.

Founded in 1992, Maisen reported sales of ¥392 million. The company has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Maisen Fine Food, which is also involved in the manufacturing, marketing, and import-export of food products. Maisen began its operations by focusing on staple food offerings, such as brown rice. Currently, the company operates a facility that does not use any specific allergenic ingredients except soybeans, and it is dedicated to producing and selling gluten-free products like brown rice bread and vegetarian meat substitutes.

Industry Overview

The agricultural processing industry in Japan has been experiencing significant transformations driven by changing consumer preferences and increasing health consciousness. With a growing demand for gluten-free opti