Yamazaki Baking: takes over Kobeya packaged bread business

Tokyo / JP. (eb) Yamazaki Baking Co. Limited, Japan’s largest manufacturer of bread, sweet buns and more, will take over the packaged bread business from Kobeya Baking Co. Limited, which has its sales area mainly in the Kanto and Kansai regions. This continues the structural change in the Japanese market. For a long time, the country has been observing a decline in population. A new factor is the significant rise in raw material and production costs caused by the current global crises.

Founded in 1918, the business purpose of the Kobeya Group has so far included the production and sale of bread, cakes, frozen dough as well as delicatessen products. It also includes the development and operation of several bakery brands and bakery restaurants, according to its website. However, the available information is all from 2017 and thus may be out of date.

According to the announcements from Tokyo, Yamazaki Baking will not only take over the packaged bread business, but also the deli business. Yamazaki and Kobeya are said to have contractually sealed their intentions at the end of May 2022.

With the acquisition, Yamazaki Baking aims to improve the efficiency of its production system in the Kansai region and strengthen its sales force. Kobeya Baking now plans to focus on its restaurant business. The acquisition is scheduled to be completed by the end of February next year. Yamazaki Baking intends to retain the Kobeya bread brand for the time being after the acquisition.