"Online Retail Was a Red Ocean" ~ Celebrating Yon-nana Club's 10th Anniversary ~

The "Yon-nana Club," a name frequently mentioned in this column, celebrated its 10th anniversary this April. This site, where you can order carefully selected local specialties from regional newspapers, has reached a significant milestone. Even from my perspective, where time seems to fly by due to age, this feels like a major turning point. Congratulations.

When I asked President Kenichiro Kurita, "Looking back on these past ten years, what were your thoughts?", he replied, "Online retail is such a red ocean. We really felt that painfully. While generating sales itself is achievable, the difficulty of sustaining profitability over time, you know?" He added, "If we had been too fixated on online retail, the company would definitely have gone under by now (laughs)."

President Kurita

Among the management principles of the Yon-nana Club, what I find appealing is the vision of "Revitalizing the Regions, Enriching Japan." This vision reflects a strong sense of crisis regarding the current concentration of wealth in Tokyo, while simultaneously embodying an optimistic brightness: "Since there are so many wonderful products and services in the regions, if we can properly turn them into businesses, Japan should become even more prosperous." This ability to step back and view the gap between reality and the ideal in a positive light is pure sense of humor. Even among large corporations, it's rare to find such a clear vision.

That's probably why. Even when asked, "What path do you think you'll take over the next decade?", Mr. Kurita's answer remains unwavering.

"It took ten years to understand the realities of regional areas, small and micro businesses, distribution systems, and more. And I've grasped just how difficult it is to 'revitalize local areas and enrich Japan.' For example, over these past ten years, the environment surrounding local small and micro businesses has changed dramatically, yet many companies still haven't changed. And not changing now means 'decline.' That's precisely why 'revitalizing local areas and enriching Japan' is something we absolutely must do. And since it's a never-ending task, I'm prepared to tackle it not just for ten years, but forever."

I won't irresponsibly claim Yonnana Club's future is rosy. But this company, which has clearly defined its path forward (its hypothesis) through the power of "vision," seems fortunate.

Pink Soy Sauce

By the way, when I pressed Kurita-san on what he'd recommend most at Yon'nana Club right now, he mentioned Tottori's "Pink Soy Sauce." This product won the top prize in the 2015 "Wow, This Exists! Awards." What's amazing is its appearance. They say it "brings fashion to seasonings," and indeed, the bottle shape is innovative. That said, the product isn't just gimmicky for attention. The source of its vivid color is locally grown beets – the same vegetable used in Russia's iconic soup, borscht.

I used this to season sashimi for my evening drink, and wow. The sensation of my eyes deceiving my taste buds was intense. But thinking about it, dishes stimulating all five senses are now standard even at avant-garde restaurants worldwide. Pink soy sauce might just be the vanguard of changing household seasonings... maybe.

What's even more amazing is that this product has become one catalyst for Tottori Prefecture's current "pink push." They're highlighting the pink flowers of their famous local product, rakkyo (pickled garlic), repainting the station building at Koi-Yamagata Station pink because "love is pink," and even running a pink steam locomotive. Honestly, it's all a bit confusing, but it seems like a fun, lively trend.

Pink Steam Locomotive

Governor Hirai (left) even made an appearance

Oh, and this book. President Kurita has written a passionate, passionate "Afterword." Please give it a read.