Company Profile

Message from the President

Indomitable

Ajirushi is committed to the production of healthy products that boast superior quality and safety and also

taste great, with a focus on marine products, including octopus, squid and shrimp etc. Ajirushi’s beginnings

go back as far as 1887, when its founder, Heisuke Koinuma, started selling marine products around Japan

operating from the mother vessel, “Ajirushi Maru”. In the time following, his son, Heinosuke Koinuma,

expanded the business into the processing of marine products, enhancing the technologies used and creating

the necessary facilities to establish the current AJIRUSHI, K.K in 1957. In 2007, Ajirushi celebrated its 50th

anniversary.

Amidst a whirlwind of socioeconomic changes, Ajirushi aims to continue working to plot its own course as a

producer of new and exciting food products regardless of the business environment under its motto of “Futo-

Fukutsu” in Japanese means “Indomitable”, based on the principle of survival of the fittest. In order to meet

the demands of its customers, Ajirushi started the production of boiled shrimp in 2004 along with a range of

other packaged products, harnessing the goodness of marine products, such as octopus, squid and shrimp.

Carrying on its tradition from the Meiji era, Ajirushi will continue to pursue the production of healthy products

that boast superior quality and safety and also taste great.

AJIRUSHI，K.K
President Katsuhisa Koinuma
Business Overview
Ajirushi is involved in the processing and product development of octopus, squid and other marine products

and the planning and sale of refrigerated and frozen food products.

In 1963, second generation president (currently serving as adviser) Masakazu Koinuma , independently

established a route to import octopus from West Africa. In addition to boiling the common octopus imported

frozen from West Africa, it was shipped to the central market area at Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo and to

other areas across Japan. Ajirushi quickly rose to become a leader in the processed marine product industry

and in its home town of Nakaminato came to be known as the “Octopus House”.

In addition to secondary processing (boiling), Ajirushi was quick to move on to third stage processing,

including seasoning and preparation. Over the years, Ajirushi has developed a large range of processed

marine products, including its flagship product, steamed octopus, seasoned octopus and octopus in vinegar

and a series of prepared foods containing Chinese squid, mountain vegetables and marine products that have

been steamed until they are soft and tender. Each product comes in a standard and size to meet market

demand from packs in commercial sizes to packs for individual use with home-delivery services.

The processing department is constantly developing new products, with our development team using

information garnered from our sales division to create a range of new products to meet customer needs.

In addition to domestic demand, a surge in the popularity of Japanese cuisine has seen an increase in

demand from overseas and Ajirushi is now exporting to countries like the US, Australia and countries all over

Europe.

Processing, product development, planning and sales etc. of octopus, squid and other marine products.
Factory Information
The secret behind the great taste of Ajirushi octopus lies in its factories. Fresh octopus imported from West Africa is

thoroughly cleaned and placed into a specially designed steamer to be cooked.

The process is simple, from delivery to processing right through to shipment allowing Ajirushi to treat the product

with nothing but respect. Let’s see inside the Ajirushi factory, home of the delectable Ajirushi octopus.

1Cutting

An incision is made at the base of the legs to give

the octopus its round, plump shape when it is steamed.

2Cleaning

The octopus is then placed in a revolving cleaning barrel

where salt is used to remove the slime that causes

unpleasant odors.

3Steamer

The octopus is steamed at a temperature between 90-95°C.

The high humidity helps to produce juicier, plump octopus.

4Cooling

The octopus passes along a conveyor to a container where

they are immersed in cold water for approximately 20mins to cool.

5Screening

The octopus is measured by a computer system and is

automatically screened by weight.

6Shipping

It is then packaged ready for shipping.

10 tones of Ajirushi octopus is shipped to dining tables

in homes every day.

Quality Control
Total sanitary controls for frozen food products

HACCP is an international standard for food safety. The quality of food products is one criteria of food safety. So what kinds of risks are

there? Potential risks include food poisoning, contamination and other chemical hazards, including agricultural chemicals and drugs etc.

HACCP was established with the aim to eliminate these hazards.

In comparison to conventional sanitary control methods, which placed an emphasis on inspection of the finished product (food product),

HACCP aims to manage (analyze and identify potential hazards) critical stages in the production process in order to increase food safety and

to identify processes or treatment methods from which these hazards can be eliminated or reduced to acceptable level, establish these as

critical control points (CCP) and develop control standards (acceptable standards).

Working towards food safety

Food safety is a matter of international concern. Past incidents have proven that failure to implement proper food management can have a

significant impact on everyday life, and in some cases can bring a profitable business to its knees. Overwhelming pressure from consumers,

environmental groups and government bodies has forced players that form part of the food supply chain (namely manufacturers, catering

industry, restaurants, hotels, food manufacturers, food distributors, retailers, food product storage providers, and pet food manufacturers

etc.) to implement safer food management systems.

The hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system is an international standard that defines the requirements of food safety

management systems. Using the HACCP system allows organizations to identify hazards that will impact on food safety and sanitation, focus

on critical control points among the food production processes and systematically define and establish acceptable limits. The HACCP system is

based on the following seven principles.

1. Analyze biological, chemical or physical food hazards.

2. Identify critical control points in every facet of production, including raw materials, storage, processing, sales and consumption.

3. Establish critical limits and preventive measures for each critical control point. For example, defining the minimum cooking temperature

and time etc.

4. Monitor critical control points.

5. Plan and establish corrective measures.

6. Maintain records

7. Systematic and periodical inspection of food management systems by an independent third party certification body.

Certification that your food management systems comply with the HACCP requirements provides the following advantages.

○Promotes enhanced food safety and food safety management systems

○Verifying that you are mindful of the production/trading of safe food products

○Increased credibility in the eyes of consumers, retailers and government authorities

○Enhanced brand/corporate image

○Comes in handy when you are the subject of an audit by a regulatory body/ stakeholder

○Increased opportunity to penetrate new markets and establish new clientele

H: Hazard

A: Analysis

C: Critical

C: Control

P: Point

Biological (micro-organisms, parasites etc.), chemical (additives etc.) and physical (glass, metal etc.) substances that pose a threat to food

safety.

Points, stages or procedures where biological, physical or chemical factors can be controlled.
Corporate Profile
Company name: AJIRUSHI,K.K

President: Katsuhisa Koinuma

Established: March, 1887

Incorporated: May, 1957

Capital: 45 million yen

Address: 1110-9 Sawameki, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki 311-1211 Japan

Tel:＋81-29-263-2111

Fax:＋81-29-263-2155

Sales
Employees: 150 Team

Development
Organizational Chart Team
Sales
Group
Shipping
Team

Representative Managing Production Production

Board of Directors
Director Director Group Team 1

Production
Team 2
Quality Assurance
Group Production
Team 3

Administration
FC Team
Group