BOURBON: Company Profile: Company History

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1924	Kitanihon Seika, Bourbon's direct forerunner, originates as Mogamiya, a famous Japanese-style confectionery store in the city of Kashiwazaki in Niigata Prefecture. After seeing the Tokyo Earthquake of 1923 temporarily bring to a halt the supply of confectionery to regional areas, the founder of Kitanihon Seika, Kichizo Yoshida, decides to establish a factory in Niigata for the mass production of confectionery. Located in front of Kashiwazaki Station, the factory commences manufacture of cookies. Company capitalized at 100,000 yen. Kichizo Yoshida, founder and first president
1925	Starts making candy drops using a Japanese machine.
1927	Installs a second cookie machine. Imports another candy-drop machine to increase production. Capital increases to 200,000 yen.
1932	Starts sales of chewing gums and candy cigarettes. Opens Tokyo store. Japanese National Railways agrees to Kitanihon Seika's request to transport confectionery in container cars from Kashiwazaki to Akihabara (Tokyo). First shipment transported.
1934	Commences manufacture of rice crackers.
1937	Starts supply of hardtack, powdered miso (soybean paste), and sweet foods to the Japanese army engaged in the Sino-Japanese War.
1940	Establishes Kitanihon Shoji Corporation (later renamed Kitanihon Noji Corporation when it commences agriculture, livestock farming, and fishing). Sets up Kashiwazaki Hikoki Corporation (disbanded after World War II).
1945	Manufactures war supplies from 1942 until end of war. Permitted to convert back into civilian goods manufacturer in October 1945. Produces hardtack and flour for Japanese soldiers and other Japanese returning from overseas.
1948	Commences manufacture of cookies for babies and small children.
1949	Starts manufacture of miso, soy sauce, and caramel.
1952	Company name changes to Kitanihon Shokuhin Kogyo Corporation.
1953	Initiates manufacture of confetti candy and China marble candy.
1954	Capital increases to 40 million yen. Stocks listed on Niigata Stock Exchange. Junji Yoshida, appointed second president in June 1954
1957	First cookie band oven starts operation.
1961	Commences sales of Hagoromo rice crackers.
1962	Enters bean snacks market.
1963	Establishes new factory in Arahama, suburb of Kashiwazaki (today's Head Office Factory). Capital increases to 100 million yen.
1965	Commences sales of White Rollita cookies. Takaaki Yoshida, appointed third president in July 1964
1966	Becomes first company in Japan to automate rice cracker production. Establishes mass production system for thin rice crackers.
1967	Opens Tokyo Branch Office.
1968	Headquarters move to the Arahama Factory. Establishes branch offices in Osaka and Nagoya.
1969	Sets up the Maki Factory. Opens branch offices in Kobe and Yokohama.
1971	Starts to develop nationwide sales network. Annual sales: 8.6 billion yen.
1972	Establishes Ogata Factory. Annual sales: 11.4 billion yen.
1973	Capital increases to 250 million yen. Annual sales: 14.7 billion yen.
1974	Commences sales of Lumonde cookies, which became one of company's bestselling products. Sets monthly sales record of 2 billion yen by mass-producing gourmet cookies that were previously sold as gift items. Annual sales: 20 billion yen.
1975	Establishes Washima Factory. Cookies sold in 150-yen packs prove very popular. Capital increases to 500 million yen. Annual sales: 40.5 billion yen.
1976	Expands sales network to 60 offices nationwide. Starts selling Potelka potato chips. Sets up the Yoshida Scholarship Foundation. Annual sales: 40.5 billion yen.
1978	Expands sales network to 100 offices nationwide. Starts sales of Baum Roll cakes. Annual sales: 47 billion yen.
1979	Commences sales of Pikkara crackers and Elise wafers. Annual sales: 50.8 billion yen.
1980	Starts sales of Ajigonomi crackers. Annual sales:56.5 billion yen.
1981	Establishes Tsukigata Factory. Awarded Monde Selection Gold Medal for Pikkara crackers. Annual sales: 63.8 billion yen.
1982	Enters chocolates market. Starts sales of Sylveine cakes. Annual sales: 68.4 billion yen.
1984	Enters candy market. Commences sales of Cheese Okaki crackers. Annual sales: 77.5 billion yen.
1989	On June 1, company changes name to Bourbon Corporation after its well-known brand name. Establishes Murakami Factory. Commences sales of Hi-Chocolat confectionery series.(From December 1989, business year changed to Japanese fiscal year [April through March].) Annual sales: 80.5 billion yen.Establishes Ogata Factory. Annual sales: 11.4 billion yen.
1992	Annual sales: 95.1 billion yen.
1993	Establishes Haguro Factory. Capital increases to 1.03 billion yen. Enters chewing gum market. Annual sales: 95.2 billion yen.
1994	Commences mass production of wheat flour crackers. Annual sales: 106.2 billion yen.
1995	In response to decline in drinking-water quality, commences sales of mineral water and alkaline ionized water, realizing company's long-cherished desire to find second way to contribute to society. Because first day of production coincided with Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, company sends products to Kobe area as emergency relief supplies. Enters chilled desserts market. Annual sales: 100.4 billion yen.
1996	Yasushi Yoshida becomes president of Bourbon Corporation on August 1. Commences sales of powdered cocoa and Petit snack series. Annual sales: 91.2 billion yen.
1997	Commences sales of Sarara tea and Icemint chewing gum. Annual sales: 85.4 billion yen.
1998	Establishes the Toyoura Factory. Commences sales of Communicase chewing gum. Reman Seika Co., Ltd. joins Bourbon Group. Receives ISO 9002 certification for beverage automation line. Annual sales: 85.6 billion yen.
1999	Petit Potato series marketed. Chlorine-free packaging introduced for all products to eliminate dioxins. Starts to introduce staff uniforms made from recycled PET bottles. Annual sales: 91.2 billion yen.
2000	Shares listed on Second Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange. Receives ISO 14001 certification for head office, Head Office Factory, and Ekimae Factory. Annual sales: 93 billion yen.
2001	Commences sales of Kita no Tamago Sable butter cookies and Chotos rusks, Chuel cookies and Squid Cracker Bits. Creates and improves quality control system. Annual sales: 86.4 billion yen.
2002	Commences sales of Paribre. Annual sales: 82.9 billion yen.
2003	Commences sales of GI Dr. series. Annual sales: 81.9 billion yen.
2004	Annual sales of 84.1 billion yen. Currently expanding ISO 14001, ISO 9001, and ISO 2000 certification. Establishment of Conduct Code and Basic Policy. Foundation of help-line. Published Environment Report. Establishment of Gosen Factory.
2005	Annual sales of 86.2 billion yen. Establishment of Product Development Center. ISO 14001 certification received by Ogata Factory.
2006	Annual sales of 91.7 billion yen. Factory construction site secured in Changxing, Zhejiang Province, China. Approval of Hazardous Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system at Haguro Factory by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. ISO 22000 certification received by Toyoura Factory. Received PrivacyMark accreditation.
2007	Annual sales: 93.5 billion yen. Receives Food for Specified Health Uses for 2 items of Milk Cocoa Seni Shukan Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony of BOURBON (CHANGXING) FOODS CO.,LTD Commences Boysenberry series. Establishes BOURBON(SHANGHAI)COMMERCE CO.,LTD in Shanghai, China. Contributes to Niigata Chuuetsuoki Earthquake.
2008	Annual sales: 96.5 billion yen. Opens high-quality chocolaterie of Paris tradition, “a la Reine Astrid”as the first shop in Japan. Production of 6 items of Petit Series starts at Bourbon (Changxing) Foods Co., Ltd. Release of Blanchul Mini Chocolate Acquisition of the right to name the indoor tennis fields in Miki General Disaster Prevention Park in Hyogo Prefecture as “Bourbon Beans Dome.”
2009	Annual sales: 101.3 billion yen. Launched "Suteki Style" Merged consolidated subsidiary 9 companies in Niigata.(from October 1)
2010	Annual sales:102.1billion yen. Launched "Slow Bar" ECHIGO BEER Co.,Ltd joins Bourbon Group Bourbon's Almondrush, a chocolate bar, receives an excellent hit award in the 29th Food Grand Prix Contest sponsored by Japan Food Journal Co., Ltd. Launched "Fettuccine Gummi"
2011	Annual sales: 102.4 billion yen Contributes to the Great East Japan Earthquake. Opened　an office in Washington D.C. （established Bourbon Foods USA　Corporation）