PASONA Furusato Incubation, part of the Pasona Group, operates at the intersection of business incubation, regional revitalization, and community-driven innovation. Through initiatives such as the Awaji Resort, the organization supports entrepreneurship, startup growth, and collaborative project development across industries, including food tech, hospitality, and sustainable regional ecosystems.

Founded in 1883 and headquartered in Osaka, Wadaman Co., Ltd. is a long-established Japanese company specializing in the sourcing, processing, and wholesale of sesame seeds. Originally established as a dried food wholesaler, the company has a history of about 80 years as a sesame seeds manufacturing specialist. With more than a century of experience in ingredient handling and quality control, Wadaman supplies a wide range of food manufacturers, confectionery producers, and food service companies across Japan.

Nizona Corporation is a Japanese company specializing in the development and manufacturing of health and nutrition-related products, including functional foods, nutraceuticals, and wellness supplements. The company works with licensed Japanese subcontract manufacturers and exports its products to over 20 countries worldwide, combining Japanese quality standards with global reach.

Ezaki Glico, headquartered in Osaka, Japan, has spent the past 100 years developing a wide range of food, beverage, and confectionery products. Guided by its purpose, “Healthier days, Wellbeing for life,” the company is now placing particular emphasis on nutrition and health, with brands such as Almond Koka (a plant-based almond milk), SUNAO (confectionery and food brand with appropriately controlled sugar content), POWER PRODUCTION (sports nutrition products) and etc.

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Tokyo, US FOODS & CO., LTD. specializes in the import and distribution of green coffee beans, specialty coffee products, and roasting-related materials. The company plays an important role in connecting international coffee producers with roasters and retailers across Japan. Its long-standing expertise and global sourcing network position US FOODS as a key player in supporting Japan’s growing demand for high-quality and diverse coffee offerings.

ALLIED COFFEE ROASTERS CO., LTD. is a long-established Japanese coffee manufacturer that handles the roasting, processing, and sales of regular coffee beans for commercial, food service, and consumer markets. With multiple production facilities across Japan, including a roasting plant in Kobe, the company supplies a wide range of coffee products to retailers, restaurants, and manufacturers nationwide. Their operations support stable production, quality control, and reliable distribution within Japan’s coffee supply chain.

S. Ishimitsu & Co., Ltd., founded in 1906 and headquartered in Kobe’s Nada district, engages in the global trade and development of food ingredients and beverages. The company supports food business operations via the supply of commercial-use food ingredients developed domestically and overseas. Known for its expertise in coffee, tea, and diverse food products, S. Ishimitsu combines quality, innovation, and sustainability to meet global market needs.

-Introducing Next-Generation Plant-Based-Butter that brings innovation to the Japanese Market-

As a result of the Next Kitchen 2024 program, Nichifutsu Shoji Co., Ltd., a participating partner company, successfully introduced the 100% plant-based-butter to the Japanese market through a collaboration with the Dutch foodtech company “Be Better My Friend”.

Are you a foodtech startup looking to collaborate with leading Japanese corporates?

Next Kitchen is a cross-border open innovation initiative that connects global foodtech startups with leading Japanese food companies to co-create the future of food. We’ve extended the deadline one last time to ensure everyone has the opportunity to apply!

FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES Ltd. has grown mainly from the kaiten sushi (conveyor-belt) chain, "Sushiro," which was founded in Osaka in 1984. Today, under the corporate philosophy of "Discovering new tastiness, Sharing moments of Joy" the company operate over 1,198 restaurants under the brands Sushiro, Kyotaru, Sushi Misaki, and Sugidama across ten countries and regions, including Japan. The core of F&LC’s sustainability efforts lies in the desire to enrich the lives of customers by providing delicious “FOOD” together with “People (COMPANIES)”, such as business partners, employees, and local communities.

The company continues to advance initiatives in sustainable sourcing across its group businesses.

Pasco Shikishima Corporation is a company with deep experience in bread and food production processes and food supply-chain logistics. Its business operations encompass a wide range of products and services, with demonstrated capabilities in extended-shelf-life frozen food manufacturing and international distribution.

Founded in 1909 and based in Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture, Awajimengyo Co., Ltd. has built a reputation for manufacturing fresh pasta under the “Nama Pasta” brand, leveraging its long-standing expertise in noodle production, careful ingredient selection, and dedication to product quality and safety.