In this insightful interview, GK delves into the strategies and philosophies guiding DELTA International’s approach to challenges posed by differing business cultures. Focused on fostering enduring relationships and upholding stringent quality standards, President Mr. Takashi Toriumiย shares his perspectives on the intricacies of international trade, the evolving landscape of consumer preferences, and providing nourishment to customers.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ด๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐?
We work specifically with a โone commodity, one companyโ mindset, where we help our supplier match Japanese quality standards. Rather than simply shopping around throughout the year for the best prices, we believe that building long-lasting relationships with suppliers with different business cultures is the best way to build trust and understanding.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต-๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ?
Our company originally started with a raisin grower in California, opening up a channel for them to supply bakeries in Japan. This then led on to supplying other ingredients, such as walnuts, almonds, and prunes. In Turkey, we initially worked via the embassy, and we were one of the first companies in Japan to make links with the agricultural field there.
We always try to understand them, and then encourage them to understand us, especially when it comes to consumer buying trends and expectations in Japan.
๐ง๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐, ๐๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ?
In the last few years, we have seen strong demand for dried fruit, as well as nuts such as hazelnuts and walnuts. We have seen in recent times almond-based beverages becoming more popular as well. We have been conducting research in collaboration with Hiroshima University, as well as Tamagawa University, looking into how nuts affect the body. Especially with the latter university, they have also been looking at ways of growing almonds domestically.
As we donโt have plants or an assembly factory, we rely on our technological know-how and human resources to succeed. Because the population is also decreasing in Japan, in general people are eating less food. Finding ways to grow fruit and nuts domestically, as well as adding value where possible, is definitely a way to sustain growth in the future. As mentioned previously, we also work with other educational institutions to find health benefits of nuts; some have been found to reduce the effects of aging if consumed regularly.
