Are you overlooking the charm of local businesses?

In an era where finding the "right answer" for a company is difficult, there are energetic companies that demonstrate originality. What exactly is their secret? This ongoing column series introduces insights gathered by Dentsu Inc.'s "Company Design" team from key figures at each company.

The third installment features the case of Uema Food and Life in Okinawa Prefecture.

Read the full "Company Design" series on Web Dentsu Inc. News here.

 

Uema Food and Life

Taking the initiative without competing, from Okinawa to the world

Uema Food and Life has rapidly gained attention in Okinawa's food market in recent years. Leveraging the region's unique environment, it aims to become a one-of-a-kind presence in markets where it doesn't need to compete.

Speaker: Mr. Yoshihisa Ueama (President, Ueama Food and Life)
Interviewer: Shinji Muto (Dentsu Inc. CDC)

 

Uema Food and Life
Guided by the philosophy "To protect, pass on, and develop Okinawan culture through food," the company operates not only restaurants but also provides catering services (photo in text), manufacturing, and wholesale distribution.

Carving out individuality with locally rooted DNA

"I don't want to compete. If an enemy comes, I'll run away," jokes Mr. Ueama. Since taking over his parents' "Ueama Bento Tempura Shop" and incorporating the family business in 2009, he has consistently identified niche areas and grown the company's performance.
His strategy of leveraging Okinawa's unique culture and climate to avoid excessive competition is intriguing. This includes expanding the distribution channels for Okinawa tempura, the soul food of the prefecture, to convenience stores, and handling catering for events and memorial services, which are in high demand locally.

Mr. Yoshihisa Uema (President, Uema Food and Life)

After graduating from university, Ueama immediately became a business owner. Through trial and error, he arrived at a conviction: "To carve out distinctiveness rooted in the people of that region—their physicality, blood, genes—and firmly establish a local presence."

Shinji Muto (Dentsu Inc. CDC)

To groups possessing unique cultures and environments

He never misses an opportunity to share this philosophy with all employees, part-timers, and temporary staff. "We repeatedly communicate our story, our roots, and why our products are designed this way," Ueama explains. "We want everyone to constantly be aware of why we do what we do and what kind of change we aim to bring to the world." He is striving to create new company values together with everyone.

Catering preparation scene

Once a year, they hold a mandatory retreat where everyone shares knowledge to improve daily life, covering topics like household budgeting and insurance. "Work happily without overdoing it. Keep it simple, Okinawan-style. It feels more like building a community or neighborhood than just a company." What Uema aims for is likely a unique, relaxed collective that leverages its culture and environment to make its mark globally from Okinawa.

Ueama Food and Life President Kiju Ueama (left) and Dentsu Inc. CDC Shinji Muto (right). "He mentioned that 90% of their products haven't changed since his parents' generation. We can't take our eyes off Mr. Ueama's next move and the future as he pursues growth while staying true to his identity," (Muto)

Editor's View: "Company Design Techniques" #03

As soon as President Ueama's interview ended, I felt an immediate urge to pull out my English-Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries. I wanted to double-check the meaning of the English word "local." Sure enough, "local" carries no meaning of "rural as opposed to urban"; it only means "within a limited area." Words meaning "countryside" or "of the countryside" are "country" or "rural." In short, "region" and "local area" are entirely different concepts. President Uema draws this line with remarkable clarity and applies it to concrete management strategies.

President Uema's strategy can be summarized as follows: The weaknesses of the "region" can be overcome by leveraging distribution power and cutting-edge technologies like IoT and AI. On the other hand, to enhance the appeal of the "local community," one must confront head-on the unique climate, culture, and soul deeply rooted in that area. It's not that one shouldn't confront it; rather, it's precisely by facing it that infinite possibilities open up. This isn't mere local pride or love for Okinawa. Here, we glimpse the clear vision and conviction of an exceptional business leader.

"Businesses rooted in a region can last 100 or 150 years," says President Uema. To achieve this, he aims to cultivate Okinawan tempura as its own distinct category, much like how "soba and Okinawan soba are different, right?" This is both a meticulously calculated marketing strategy and a powerful reminder of the importance of branding. In the near future, when Okinawa Tempura establishes itself as a distinct category, the product will no longer be merely a "local specialty." It will become a "global brand born from the Okinawa region." To put it simply, much like Champagne, nurtured by the terroir of the Champagne region in France.

"The Secret of Why Some Companies Thrive" #01 is here. #02 is here.
The project site for "Company Design" is here.