Blue Zone Holdings has announced its acquisition of a 70% stake in Delight Holdings, a food supermarket operator in Aichi Prefecture, aiming to expand its market presence in Japan's growing grocery retail industry.

Information on the Target

Blue Zone Holdings <417A> is a holding company established on October 1, 2025, to operate the food supermarket chain Yaoko. In a strategic move to expand its operational footprint, Blue Zone Holdings is acquiring Delight Holdings, a company under the Mercuria Holdings <7347> fund, which manages food supermarkets.

Delight Holdings, based in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, operates 12 grocery stores under the brand "Cook Mart" primarily in the Toyohashi and Hamamatsu regions. For the fiscal year ending March 2025, Delight Holdings reported a revenue of 35.4 billion yen, an operating profit of 841 million yen, and net assets amounting to 4.78 billion yen.

Industry Overview in the Target’s Specific Country

The Japanese grocery retail industry has been undergoing significant transformations, driven by evolving consumer preferences and technological advancements. Notably, the demand for fresh, high-quality food products has surged, compell