The Yamazaki Baking Company, Ltd. is a Japanese food company and one of the world's largest bread-baking corporations, that makes bread, bakery products, and confectionery. It was established by Tojuro Iijima in Japan on 9 March 1948 and started mass production of bread in 1955, and is still controlled by the Iijima family; Nobuhiro Iijima is the third generation of the family to lead the company.
The company produces a wide range of wheat bread and bread-based products, as well as Japanese-style and European-style confectioneries and cakes; cooked bread and sandwiches; rice bread and cakes; and confectioneries.
The company is also a major supplier of bread and bread products to the supermarket and restaurant sectors. In addition to its 25 industrial bakeries, Yamazaki operates an international chain of fresh-from-the-oven bakeries (supplied with the company's frozen dough) under the Sun Moulin Yamazaki, Y Shop, and other shop names.
In addition to dominating the Japanese bread market, Yamazaki has built up a strong international presence, particularly in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and other Asian markets, including Malaysia and Singapore. The United States is the company's largest Western market, although Yamazaki operates stores in Paris and London.
(Wowtimes) Yamazaki’s history and achievements
- 1948: Tojuro Iijima founded Yamazaki Baking Co. in Ichikawa City, Chiba, Japan.
- 1955: The company launched sales of packaged sliced bread.
- 1962: Yamazaki went public on the Tokyo exchange's secondary market.
- 1966: The company transferred its listing to the Tokyo main board.
- 1970: The yamazaki-Nabisco joint venture is launched.
- 1977: Yamazaki opened a store in Los Angeles.
- 1981: Yamazaki founded a Hong Kong subsidiary and opened its first bakery in that market.
- 1984: Yamazaki entered Thailand with a new subsidiary.
- 1987: Yamazaki entered the Taiwan market.
- 1988: Yamazaki opened a store in Paris, France; a central factory to supply Hong Kong bakeries is built; Yamazaki opened a second store in the United States.
- 1990: The company acquired Ikeda Bakery, in California (renamed Yamazaki USA Inc.).
- 1991: The company acquired the institutional bakery business of Vie de France Inc.
- 1994: The company acquired the Vie de France bakeries and trade name, and regrouped under the new subsidiary Vie de France Yamazaki Inc.
- 1998: Yamazaki entered Malaysia with the first bakery in Kuala Lumpur.
- 1999: Yamazaki entered Singapore.
- 2001: The company began converting Vie de France bakeries into a new bakery/café concept.
- 2003: Restructuring restored profitability despite sales slip to ¥722 billion.
- 2014: Japan’s Yamazaki Baking Co., Ltd ranked as the world’s fifth top baking company based on international sales expressed in dollars.
- 2016: Yamazaki acquired the US company Bakewise Brands, parent of Fleischer's Bagels and Tom Cat Bakery.
- 2017: Yamazaki introduced their version of Oreo called "Noir", which is produced at the former Oreo factory in Ibaraki Prefecture.
According to Wikipedia/ fundinguniverse