About Us

President's
Message

Kazuhiko Yokota

Company Information

Management Vision /
Management Philosophy

Company Data /
Access

The History of
the Starzen Group

Officers

Facilities / Group Companies

Management Vision / Management Philosophy

Our goal is to become a global company that delivers everyday happiness through our food value chain.

Since our founding in 1948, there have been remarkable advances in social and economic conditions. At the same time, people’s lifestyles have also undergone significant change.
The Starzen Group has addressed various demands in each era, including the penetration of Western-style food culture, the rise of the nuclear family, the increasing number of working women, the aging population and declining birth rate, the health-consciousness of a longevity society, and the growing interest in food safety and security.
Our Management Vision is “to become a global company that delivers everyday happiness through our food value chain.” We will continue to contribute to the enrichment of everyone’s lives as an integrated food supplier for customers who are always in search of fresh, delicious food.

Management Philosophy

Be a Company with Which Customers Feel Fortunate to Do Business

We recognize that our mission is to fulfill our social responsibility to all stakeholders. We strive to increase customer satisfaction through a constant focus on helping customers grow and earning their trust.

Become a Company Where Our Employees Are Happy to Work

We are developing workplace environments and systems to ensure our people can continue working with us for many years with peace of mind. This is based on our recognition that enhancing the satisfaction of our employees, as our closest stakeholder, is essential for us to grow sustainably and to fulfill our social responsibilities to customers and other stakeholders.

Grow through Our Work

To remain a company deemed essential by society by consistently supplying safe and reliable products, we foster a workplace environment in which all employees enjoyably work to solve problems and personally grow through their jobs.

Company Data

Trade Name Starzen Co., Ltd.
Established June 17, 1948
Headquarters Starzen Shinagawa Building, 2-4-13 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0075
Capital 11,658.27 million yen
Shares Listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 8043)
Representative Representative Director, President & CEO Kazuhiko Yokota
Employees 2,729 (as of the end of March 2023)
Business description Processing and sale of meat, manufacture and sale of meat products, food stuffs, etc.
Sales 425billion yen (consolidated) (fiscal 2022)
Clients Supermarkets, meat specialty stores, department stores,
family restaurants, fast food chains,
convenience stores, co-operatives, food processing manufacturers,
meat wholesalers, and others
Suppliers Group companies (production processing factory, etc.), economic organizations, agricultural cooperatives, Japanese meat wholesale markets, overseas packers, and others

Access

Headquarters Access

Starzen Shinagawa Building, 2-4-13 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0075

The History of the Starzen Group

A refrigerator truck
Jun.
1948
Established National Livestock Co., Ltd. based on the National Livestock Cooperative (capital: 7.5 million yen) and started the buying and selling of cattle
Oct.
1955
First trial import of Frozen Beef from Australia
Mar.
1958
Take the leadership of Industry in introducing the first refrigerated truck transport of pork carcass
Chiba Frozen Foods Plant
Chiba Frozen Foods Plant
Matsuo Plant
May.
1972
Contracted with McDonald's Japan Co., Ltd., and opened Chiba factory in July of the same year and started manufacturing hamburger beef patties.
Sep.
1972
Established Zenchiku Australia (currently Starzen Australia PTY LTD) and started full-scale overseas business development.
Sep.
1977
Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Jul.
1979
Established Zenchiku U.S.A.
Dec.
1995
Invested in Australian Meat Packer G & K O'Connor.
Oct.
1998
Opened a processing center in Kawasaki and expanded the processing business.
Ribbon cutting ceremony for the first shipment of exported beef
Feb.
2000
Capital and business alliance with LM Foods Co., Ltd. (currently LOHMEYER CORPORATION).
Jun.
2009
Established Starzen Europe ApS.
Jan.
2010
Started to export Japanese Wagyu to Macau.
Mar.
2011
Started to export Japanese Wagyu to Hong Kong.
Sep.
2012
Started to export Japanese Wagyu to U.S.A.
Jan.
2014
Started to export Japanese Wagyu to EU.
May.
2016
Capital and business alliance with Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
Dec.
2017
Capital and business alliance with ADiRECT Singapore.
Apr.
2019
Started to export Japanese Wagyu to Australia.
May
2017
Started to export Japanese Wagyu to Russia.
Kaseda Plant
Feb.
2020
Installed solar power generation equipment at AKUNE plant and KASEDA plant.
Apr.
2022
Launch our WAGYU brand “AKUNE GOLD”.
Sep.
2022
“AKUNE GOLD” crowned World’s Best Steak in 2022 World Steak Challenge.
Jun.
2022
Expansion of AKUNE plant completed.
Jul.
2023
Obtained export license from Sannohe plant to Taiwan and started exporting.

Officers

Kazuhiko Yokota

Kazuhiko YokotaRepresentative Director, President & CEO
Supervisor of Quality Assurance Division and Audit Department

Masao Uzurahashi

Masao UzurahashiManaging Director
Supervisor of Sales Division, Overseas Division, McDonald’s Division and Logistics Division

Masamichi Takahashi

Masamichi TakahashiManaging Director
Supervisor of Breeding and Farming Division,
Production Division,
STARZEN MEAT PROCESSOR Co.,Ltd.

Ryuso Sadanobu

Ryuso SadanobuDirector
General Manager of Finance and Group Controller Division

Tsunehiro Sana

Tsunehiro SanaDirector
Supervisor of Corporate Division and Administrative Division

Wataru Ohara

Wataru OharaDirector(external)

Kaku Yoshisato

Kaku YoshisatoDirector(external)

Masanori Matsuishi

Masanori MatsuishiDirector(external)

Mariko Eto

Mariko EtoDirector(external)

Kouhei Kanno

Kouhei KannoFull-time Audit & Supervisory Board Member

Masashi Hirata

Masashi HirataFull-time Audit & Supervisory Board Member(external)

Shingo Ogoshi

Shingo OgoshiAudit & Supervisory Board Member(external)

Facilities / Group Companies

Overseas Facilities

STARZEN (AMERICA), INC.
370 Amapola Avenue, Suite 211, Torrance, CA 90501 USA
GoogleMap
STARZEN (AMERICA), INC.

STARZEN (AMERICA), INC. has its office in Los Angeles and delivers beef, pork, chicken and byproducts from North America and Latin America to Japanese households and restaurants. In addition to exporting to Japan, the company also sells its products domestically on the West Coast of the United States, where the food service industry is booming. By handling several breeds of livestock, it is able to address a wide range of food needs. As the globalization of meat procurement progresses, the company is working to increase its cost competitiveness and ability to provide a stable supply of meat in cooperation with group companies.

Leveraging its proximity to the production sites, it collaborates closely with local meat processors, jointly developing high-value-added products and providing guidance on quality management. In addition, in order to respond flexibly to the rapidly growing demand for Wagyu beef in the United States in recent years, it is working with the Japanese export department to expand the Japanese Wagyu beef business, focusing on local market research.
To deliver safe, reliable, and delicious meat to customers, the company will continue to pursue further improvements and provide high-quality meat based on the cornerstone of Starzen’s long-standing commitment to quality meat.

STARZEN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
310 Edward Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, AUSTRALIA
GoogleMap
STARZEN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

STARZEN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD purchases Australian beef sold by the Starzen Group. Established in 1972, it has its office in Queensland, the heart of Australian beef production.

Checking at the manufacturing site are essential for providing safe and reliable beef. As such, the company regularly visits the production plants. It enters the plants and checks the entire manufacturing process, from production to shipping, to ensure that products destined for Japan are properly manufactured.

It also provides feedback from customers in Japan to Australian suppliers. Actively communicating and cooperating with them, it seeks to procure safer, higher-quality beef.

The company has also launched the Australian Wagyu beef brands Eight Blossom Beef and Imperial Blossom Beef with local producers and sells the beef in Australia and various other countries.

STARZEN EUROPE ApS
Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 82, DK-8200 Aarhus N. Denmark
GoogleMap
STARZEN EUROPE ApS

STARZEN EUROPE ApS was established in Denmark in June 2009 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Starzen Co., Ltd. with the main purpose of exporting meat and processed meat products from Europe to Japan and gathering information on livestock production and markets in the EU.

Its main business is exporting beef, pork, chicken, and processed livestock products to Japan. It is currently doing business with suppliers in the EU, including Denmark, France, and Spain. The company is also in close contact with other companies that have export licenses for Japan and is working to develop new suppliers and gather information.

In recent years, due to the diversification of customer needs and globalization, its business scope has expanded significantly compared to when it was first established. The direction of the business has since changed to include the development and sale of sliced products and other primary processed products as well as the export business from the EU to China and Singapore.

The company is committed to supplying quality products from the EU while flexibly addressing changes in economic and political circumstances, such as England’s exit from the EU, and changes in social circumstances, such as the suspension of exports and imports due to livestock-specific diseases and a decrease in the number of livestock animals due to the decline in the farmer population.

Starzen (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Room 704, 7th Floor, New Caoyang Science and Technology Building, No. 399 Nujiang North Road, Putuo District, Shanghai
GoogleMap
Starzen (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Starzen (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. was established in December 2021 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Starzen Co., Ltd. China has a population of 1.4 billion, and meat demand is growing amid economic development. At the same time, because the supply from domestic production is not sufficient to cover consumption, meat imports have increased rapidly in recent years. This trend is expected to continue in the future.
Meanwhile, the market in Japan is expected to shrink due to its aging and declining population, making the development of overseas consumer markets an urgent task.
To overcome these circumstances, the company will focus on sales of imported meats, such as Australian beef, and Japanese meats, such as Japanese Wagyu beef, as well as the manufacture and sale of processed products utilizing the expertise of the Starzen Group. It will strive to establish a meat supply base in the huge market of China.

STARZEN SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.

STARZEN SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Starzen Co., Ltd. established in October 2013.

Starzen Co., Ltd. Bangkok Representative Office

The Starzen Co., Ltd. Bangkok Representative Office was established in November 2020. It provides product sales support in Thailand, a consumer market that is experiencing remarkable economic development. At the same time, it is working to strengthen Starzen’s relationship with Thailand, a country of origin that is expanding exports of chicken and processed products not only to Japan but also to the rest of the world as the world’s kitchen.

Domestic Processing and Manufacturing Facilities

Meat processing plants

Ishikari Plant
  • [Number of heads processed per day]
  • Beef:70 Pork:600
  • [Country of Export Certification]
  • Pork:Hong Kong
Misawa Pork Center
  • [Number of heads processed per day]
  • Pork:2300
  • [Country of Export Certification]
  • Pork:Hong Kong, Vietnam, Macau
Sannohe Beef Center
  • [Number of heads processed per day]
  • Beef:50
  • [Country of Export Certification]
  • Beef : Vietnam, Macau, Thailand, Myanmar
Koriyama Plant
  • [Number of heads processed per day]
  • Pork:900
  • [Country of Export Certification]
  • Pork : Macau
Akune Plant
  • [Number of heads processed per day]
  • Beef:90 Pork:1400
  • [Country of Export Certification]
  • Beef : 25 Countries and regions(US, Asia, EU etc.)
    Pork : Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, etc.
Kaseda Plant
  • [Number of heads processed per day]
  • Beef:35 Pork:830
  • [Country of Export Certification]
  • Beef : Vietnam, Macau, Thailand
    Pork: Hong Kong, Vietnam, Macau
Maruzen Co., Ltd.
  • [Number of heads processed per day]
  • Beef:40
  • [Country of Export Certification]
  • Beef : Vietnam, Macau, Thailand, Myanmar

Processed food and manufacturing plants

Starzen Co., Ltd.Chiba Plant
Manufacture of hamburger patties
Starzen Co., Ltd.Matsuo Plant
Manufacture of hamburg steaks
Starzen Co., Ltd.Motomiya Plant
Manufacture of hamburg steaks
Starzen Co., Ltd.Tagajo Processing Center
Manufacture of sliced roast beef, sliced roast pork, etc.
Starzen Co., Ltd.Koriyama Processing Center
Manufacture of sliced meats, portion cutting, seasoning, etc.
Starzen Co., Ltd.Kanto Processing Center(Akishima)
Manufacture of sliced meats, processing of ground meat, etc.
Starzen Co., Ltd.Kanto Processing Center(Kawasaki)
Manufacture of sliced meats, roast beef, roast pork, etc.
Starzen Co., Ltd.Kansai Processing Center
Manufacture of sliced meats, roast beef, roast pork, etc.
LOHMEYER CORPORATIONNasu Plant
Manufacture of ham, sausages, bacon, roast beef, etc.
STARZEN MEAT PROCESSOR Co., LtdAkune Plant Processed Food Production Center
Manufacture of beef and pork byproducts
King Shokuhin Co., Ltd.
Manufacture of processed meat products, processed fish products, delicacies, etc.
Aoki Foods Co., Ltd.
Manufacture of noodles

Group Companies

Information on group companies that support the supply chain of Starzen, an integrated food supplier.

Processing of meat

STARZEN MEAT PROCESSOR Co., Ltd

Processing and sale of domestic meats, etc.

Maruzen Co.,Ltd.

Processing and sale of beef raised in Japan

Meat Service Co., Ltd.

Processing and sale of domestic byproducts

Douou Meat Center Co., Ltd.

Processing and sale of domestic meats

Manufacture and sale of processed meat products and other food products
LOHMEYER CORPORATION

Manufacture and sale of processed meat products such as ham, sausage, and roast beef

King Shokuhin Co., Ltd.

Manufacture and sale of processed meat products, processed fish products, frozen foods, delicacies, etc.

Sales of meat and processed meat products, etc.

Nick Foods Co., Ltd.

Sale of meat, processed foods, etc. for restaurants

Logistics and storage

Starzen Logistics Co., Ltd.

Distribution of meat, processed foods, etc., and refrigerated/frozen warehousing business

Other businesses

Aoki Foods Co., Ltd.

Manufacture and sale of noodles

Starzen IT Solutions Co., Ltd.

System development, etc.