House Foods
A major Japanese food manufacturer best known internationally for Japanese curry, spices, prepared-food mixes, and curry restaurants.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
House Foods is a Japanese food manufacturer and food-service group whose origins date to 1913, when the business began in Osaka as Urakami Shoten. It entered the curry market in 1926 and developed into one of Japan's most prominent producers of packaged Japanese curry. Its best-known consumer brands include Vermont Curry and Java Curry, products that helped make curry roux a mainstream household cooking format in Japan. The company is commonly described as the world's largest manufacturer of Japanese curry. The group's business extends well beyond curry. House Foods produces spices and seasonings, including wasabi, shichimi, yuzukosho, and black pepper; roux and dry mixes for dishes such as cream stew, beef stew, chowder, Hayashi rice, mapo tofu, sundubu-jjigae, Bolognese sauce, oden, fried rice, hamburgers, and gratin; instant noodles such as Umakacchan; snacks including Tongari Corn and potato chips; desserts such as Fruiche, puddings, sherbets, and jellies; and beverages including oolong tea, mugicha, lassi, vitamin drinks, and functional-health products. Its wider group also includes specialized businesses in premium and commercial spices, vermicelli, prepared convenience foods, meat substitutes, salsa, and food trading. Internationally, House Foods has built a substantial presence through House Foods America, which is a major United States tofu producer with facilities in California and New Jersey, and through food-service operations. In 2016, the group acquired Ichibanya, operator of the Curry House CoCo ICHIBANYA restaurant chain. The chain has expanded across Japan and multiple overseas markets, making House Foods both a packaged-food company and a significant curry restaurant operator. The group has also operated food venues connected with the Tokyo Disney Resort, including Hungry Bear Restaurant at Tokyo Disneyland and the Casbah Food Court at Tokyo DisneySea. House Foods has used television sponsorship, celebrity collaborations, and mass-market product advertising to associate its products with family cooking and everyday convenience. It has also invested in food technology. One notable development is Smile Ball, a tear-free onion created by reducing the onion compound responsible for tears; the work received the 2013 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Since 2013, the corporate organization has operated under a holding-company structure known as House Foods Group Inc., while House Foods remains the central consumer-facing food brand. Its positioning combines accessible Japanese home cooking, convenience, broad category coverage, and the internationalization of Japanese curry and related food-service concepts.
History
House Foods traces its origins to 1913, when the business was established in Osaka under the name Urakami Shoten. Its early development placed it within Japan's expanding packaged-food sector, where shelf-stable seasonings and cooking aids offered households a practical alternative to preparing every ingredient from scratch. The company's decisive category move came in 1926, when it began selling curry. Over time, House Foods helped popularize Japanese curry as a home-cooked meal through packaged roux and related products. Japanese curry became the company's defining category. Rather than selling only spices, House Foods developed products that simplified preparation by combining seasonings and thickening ingredients into convenient blocks or mixes. Vermont Curry and Java Curry became its most recognizable curry brands, serving different taste profiles while reinforcing the company's association with family meals and everyday Japanese cooking. The company expanded its portfolio in parallel, producing wasabi, shichimi, yuzukosho, pepper, other seasonings, and a wide range of roux and dry mixes for Western-influenced Japanese dishes, soups, stews, sauces, and prepared meals. House Foods subsequently broadened into noodles, snacks, desserts, beverages, health products, tofu, vermicelli, convenience foods, and food-ingredient trading. Its subsidiaries and affiliated businesses allowed the group to address both consumers and commercial customers. Gaban and Asaoka Spice strengthened its spice activities, while House Wellness Foods developed beverages and health-oriented products. Malony became associated with cellophane noodles and vermicelli, and Delica Chef with prepared foods supplied to the Japanese convenience-food market. The group also developed an international manufacturing and food-service presence. House Foods America became a major tofu supplier in the United States, operating production facilities in California and New Jersey. The American business also operated Curry House, a California Japanese-curry restaurant chain, before selling it in 2019. In Japan and overseas, House Foods expanded its restaurant exposure through its relationship with Ichibanya. The group acquired Ichibanya in 2016; its Curry House CoCo ICHIBANYA chain operates in Japan and a range of Asian, North American, European, and other international markets. House Foods has also operated restaurants at Tokyo Disney Resort, including the Hungry Bear Restaurant and the Casbah Food Court. Innovation and brand communication have been recurring parts of the company's development. House Foods has sponsored television programming, notably the World Masterpiece Theater on Fuji TV, and has used entertainers and public figures in advertising and collaborations. Its research program produced Smile Ball, a tear-free onion developed by reducing the lachrymatory agent that normally causes eye irritation when onions are cut. The development received the 2013 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry and illustrated the company's interest in applying food science to familiar household ingredients. In 2013, the wider organization adopted a holding-company structure under the name House Foods Group Inc. This structure reflected the group's expansion beyond a single packaged-food manufacturer into food manufacturing, wellness, tofu, restaurants, prepared foods, and trading. The present group therefore combines a historically Japanese curry-centered consumer brand with a broader portfolio of domestic and international food businesses. Its continuing identity rests on accessible products for home cooking, strong curry expertise, and the export of Japanese food formats through branded products and restaurants.
- 2019
Sale of Curry House in California
[1]House Foods sold its former California Curry House restaurant chain, which had nine locations.
- 2016
Acquisition of Ichibanya
[1]House Foods acquired Ichibanya, operator of the Curry House CoCo ICHIBANYA restaurant chain.
- 2015
Ichibanya becomes part of the group
[3]House Foods Group acquired control of Ichibanya, operator of the CoCo Ichibanya curry restaurant chain.
- 2015
Acquisition of control of Ichibanya
[3]House Foods Group acquired a controlling stake in Ichibanya, operator of the Curry House CoCo ICHIBANYA restaurant chain.
- 2013
Holding-company reorganization
[1]The group began operating under the House Foods Group Inc. holding-company structure.
- 2013
Smile Ball research recognized
[1]The tear-free onion development associated with House Foods received the Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
- 2013
House Foods Group formed
[3]The company reorganized under a holding-company structure to coordinate its food, international, and restaurant businesses.
- 1968
Java Curry launched
[3]Java Curry expanded the company's curry range with a stronger and more aromatic style.
- 1963
Vermont Curry launched
[3]Vermont Curry entered the market with a mild, family-oriented flavor profile and became a core House Foods brand.
- 1960
House Curry launched
[3]House introduced a packaged curry product that supported the rapid growth of convenient home cooking in Japan.
Products and positioning
Mass-market Japanese food focused on convenient home cooking, familiar flavors, curry expertise, and increasingly international food-service and wellness offerings. A mainstream Japanese food group centered on curry, convenient meal preparation, spices, and accessible family cooking, with additional exposure to international foods and curry restaurants.
Japanese curry · 1963
Vermont Curry
One of House Foods' signature Japanese curry roux brands. Vermont Curry is positioned as a mild, family-oriented curry product and is among the company's most recognizable offerings in Japan and overseas. Its block-roux format is designed to let households prepare curry by adding the roux to meat, vegetables, and liquid. A mild Japanese curry roux introduced in 1963. Its sweet and gentle flavor profile was designed to be approachable for families and children, and it became one of House Foods' best-known products. The line is sold in multiple heat levels and package formats and is a central example of the company's strategy of tailoring curry to distinct household tastes. One of House Foods' signature Japanese curry roux brands, introduced in 1963. Vermont Curry is positioned as a mild, family-oriented curry product and is among the company's most recognizable offerings in Japan and overseas. Its block-roux format is designed to let households prepare curry by adding the roux to meat, vegetables, and liquid. The line is sold in multiple heat levels and package formats and is a central example of the company's strategy of tailoring curry to distinct household tastes.
Japanese curry · 1968
Java Curry
A major House Foods curry brand launched in 1968, associated with a stronger and more aromatic flavor profile than the company's milder family curry products. Java Curry is sold as packaged curry roux and represents House Foods' core expertise in adapting spice blends and preparation formats for Japanese home cooking. A curry roux launched in 1968 and positioned around a more robust, aromatic taste than milder family curry products. Java Curry broadened House Foods' range by targeting consumers seeking a stronger flavor and remains an important brand in the Japanese curry category.
seasonings
Spices and seasonings
House Foods manufactures and distributes a broad range of seasonings, including wasabi, shichimi, yuzukosho, black pepper, and other spice products. The category serves both household consumers and commercial users, with specialist group companies including Gaban and Asaoka Spice contributing to the wider spice business.
cooking mixes
Stew, soup, and sauce mixes
The company produces roux and dry mixes for cream stew, beef stew, chowder, Hayashi rice, mapo tofu, sundubu-jjigae, Bolognese sauce, oden broth, fried rice, hamburgers, gratin, and related dishes. These products extend the convenience model used in curry into a broad range of home-cooking occasions.
instant noodles
Umakacchan
An instant ramen line in House Foods' broader noodle and convenience-food portfolio. It illustrates the company's expansion from curry and seasonings into quick-preparation staple foods.
snacks
Tongari Corn
A House Foods snack brand based on corn, included among the company's established packaged snack offerings alongside potato chips and other convenience-oriented foods.
restaurant chain
Curry House CoCo ICHIBANYA
The curry restaurant chain operated by Ichibanya, in which House Foods Group acquired a controlling stake in 2015. CoCo ICHIBANYA provides a food-service extension of House Foods' curry expertise and operates across Japan and numerous international markets.
food technology and produce · 2013
Smile Ball
A tear-free onion developed by reducing the onion compound responsible for inducing tears during cutting. The research was recognized with the 2013 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry and is also marketed in the United States under the name Goldies.
soy foods
House Foods tofu
House Foods America is a major United States tofu producer, with facilities in California and New Jersey. The business supplies tofu products to the American market and represents one of the group's most significant non-curry international food activities.
Curry roux · 1960
House Curry Powder
A foundational packaged curry product introduced in 1960. House Curry helped simplify the preparation of Japanese curry by combining seasoning components in a convenient format. It represents the company's transition from selling spices toward branded, ready-to-use household meal products. One of the company's historic curry products, introduced during the 1920s. It gave households a standardized curry-spice blend and established the product association between the House name and Japanese curry seasoning.
Shelf-stable prepared curry
Curry Marche
A prepared curry line sold in shelf-stable formats. It belongs to House Foods' broader retort-food business, which serves consumers seeking a ready-to-eat curry rather than a meal prepared from curry roux.
Curry restaurant
CoCo Ichibanya
A curry restaurant business operated by Ichibanya. House Foods Group became its controlling shareholder in 2015, giving the group a major food-service platform alongside its packaged-food brands.
Marketing campaigns
- Television and entertainment collaborations
Japan
House Foods has used television sponsorships and celebrity collaborations to promote its products. The documented collaborations include entertainers and groups such as Arashi, Hey! Say! JUMP, AKB48, Nogizaka46, Takuya Kimura, Masahiro Nakai, Tsubasa Honda, Hikaru Nishida, Emi Takei, Miki Fujimoto, and Gen Hoshino.
- World Masterpiece Theater sponsorship
Japan
House Foods sponsored Fuji TV's World Masterpiece Theater programming, associating the brand with family-oriented television and broad household reach.
Brand decisions
2019
Sold the California Curry House chainM&ABackground
House Foods America had operated the Curry House Japanese-curry restaurant chain in California.
Action taken
House Foods sold the chain, which had nine locations.
Aftermath
The restaurants later closed permanently on February 24, 2020 under their new ownership.
2016
Acquired IchibanyaM&ABackground
House Foods had a long-established curry business and sought a larger presence in branded curry restaurants and international food service.
Action taken
House Foods acquired Ichibanya, the operator of Curry House CoCo ICHIBANYA.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded House Foods' restaurant footprint across Japan and overseas markets and linked its packaged-food expertise with a major curry restaurant platform.
2015
Acquisition of control of IchibanyaM&ABackground
House Foods had a long-established curry business and sought to extend its curry expertise beyond packaged products and participate more directly in food service.
Action taken
House Foods Group acquired a controlling stake in Ichibanya, the operator of the Curry House CoCo ICHIBANYA restaurant chain.
Aftermath
Ichibanya became a major restaurant platform within the House Foods Group, diversifying the group while strengthening its association with curry and expanding its restaurant footprint across Japan and overseas markets.
2013
Adopted a holding-company structureStrategyBackground
The organization had expanded beyond packaged curry into multiple food, wellness, manufacturing, restaurant, and trading activities. House Foods had developed businesses across packaged food, international operations, and related activities. A group-level structure provided a framework for managing these businesses separately while coordinating overall strategy.
Action taken
The group reorganized under House Foods Group Inc., with operating activities placed within a broader holding-company organization.
Aftermath
The structure supported a diversified group spanning consumer foods, food service, tofu, wellness products, prepared foods, and food trading. The reorganization created the corporate platform used for subsequent diversification, including the expansion into curry restaurants.
Sources6 sources
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