Maiya

Maiya (株式会社マイヤ) is a Japanese supermarket chain headquartered in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, operating mainly along the southern coast of Iwate. The company traces its origins to 1961, when Kiyoshi Maiya founded Maiya Shōji Co., Ltd. in Ofunato, using relief funds from the 1960 Chile earthquake tsunami. The store was renamed Shufu no Mise Ofunato-ten and opened as the first supermarket on the Iwate coast in September 1961. In 1979 the company changed its name to Maiya Co., Ltd. and joined the CGC Group. Maiya operates food-oriented supermarkets and has expanded through store openings, business transfers, and acquisitions. It absorbed the operations of companies such as Oishin and Kamaishi Kyōei, and in 2019 acquired all shares of Katahamaya, a supermarket operator in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. The company has also diversified into discount stores and shopping centers, though it later shifted its focus from general merchandise to food supermarkets. The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake severely affected Maiya: its headquarters was washed away and six stores were destroyed or partially damaged, including its main store in Ofunato. Despite this, employees guided customers to safety and the company resumed operations in parking lots and temporary facilities, contributing to local recovery. In 2014, Maiya integrated management with Maeda, Ōban, and Fresco Kikuchi under a joint holding company, Marks Holdings, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary. Today, Maiya continues to operate supermarkets in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures, with leadership passing through several presidents. As of 2026, Haruo Maiya, the second president, serves as chairman and fifth president. The company remains a key regional food retailer and a member of the Tōhoku CGC group.

Maiya was founded on June 3, 1961, by Kiyoshi Maiya in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, as Maiya Shōji Co., Ltd. The founding capital came from relief funds received after the 1960 Chile earthquake tsunami. In July 1961, the company was renamed Shufu no Mise Ofunato-ten Co., Ltd., and in September 1961 it opened a three-story supermarket building, the first supermarket on the Iwate coast. The company expanded with new stores: Ayasato in 1966, Sakari in 1970, Takata in 1972, and Chūō in 1974. In 1977, it opened Matsubara in Rikuzentakata. In May 1979, it joined the CGC Group, and in October 1979 it changed its name to Maiya Co., Ltd., rebranding all stores from "Shufu no Mise" to "Maiya." In December 1979, it opened the Ofunato Shopping Center, later known as Shopping Plaza Maiya, a five-story main store. In 1980, Maiya took over the operations of Oishin, which had gone bankrupt, and established Kamaishi Maiya Co., Ltd. in Kamaishi, absorbing its stores. In 1988, it opened a fresh food center to produce sushi and bento. In 1991, Kiyoshi Maiya became chairman and Haruo Maiya became the second president. In 1992, it opened its first discount store, Max Rikken. In 1993, it absorbed Kamaishi Maiya and established a labor union. In 1996, it moved its headquarters to a separate building. In 1997, it opened its first inland store in Senmaya, and in 1998, its first out-of-prefecture store in Kesennuma, Miyagi. In 2001, it opened a store in Morioka. In 2003, it closed Max Rikken and reopened it as Maiya Ofunato Inter. In 2006, it opened Ripuru in Rikuzentakata and Sendai in a neighborhood shopping center format. In 2009, it took over stores from Kamaishi Kyōei. In 2010, it established Marks Co., Ltd. and other joint ventures. The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, devastated Maiya. Its headquarters was washed away, and six stores were destroyed or partially damaged, including the main store, Chūō, Ayasato, Takata, Ripuru, and Mast. About 40% of sales were lost. The company temporarily laid off about 300 part-time workers and furloughed 50 full-time employees. However, it quickly resumed operations: by March 11 evening, undamaged stores reopened in parking lots; on March 15, it began mobile sales in Rikuzentakata; on March 29, it set up tent sales; and on August 4, it opened a temporary store, Takinosato, in cooperation with Daiwa Lease. By the end of July, all furloughed employees who wished to return were reinstated. In December, Mast reopened and Akasaki opened. In 2012, it opened Ofunato and launched an online supermarket in Ōtsuchi. In 2013, it moved its headquarters to Sakari and issued a new point card. On October 4, 2014, Maiya integrated management with Maeda, Ōban, and Fresco Kikuchi under a joint holding company, Marks Holdings, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary through a share exchange. In 2015, it took over the operation of Alte Sakuradai from Foods M. In 2016, it opened Ofunato. In 2017, it opened the third Takata store in Abasse Takata. In 2018, it opened Maiya Hanaizumi in Ichinoseki, and Haruo Maiya became chairman, with Yoshiyuki Ihara, former director of Inageya, becoming the third president. In 2019, it acquired all shares of Katahamaya, a supermarket in Kesennuma, making it a subsidiary, and opened a rice center. In 2020, it opened a meat processing center in Kitakami. In 2021, it opened Maiya Mizusawa in Ōshū. In 2025, it opened Maiya Miyako Isowake in Miyako, and Minoru Shiraishi became the fourth president. In 2026, Haruo Maiya returned as fifth president while remaining chairman.

• 2019

  Acquired Katahamaya, making it a subsidiary.

• 2018

  Haruo Maiya became chairman; Yoshiyuki Ihara became third president.

• 2017

  Opened third Takata store in Abasse Takata.

• 2014

  Integrated management with Maeda, Ōban, and Fresco Kikuchi under Marks Holdings; became wholly owned subsidiary.

• 2011

  Great East Japan Earthquake: headquarters washed away, six stores destroyed; resumed operations in parking lots and temporary facilities.

• 2010

  Established Marks Co., Ltd. and other joint ventures.

• 2009

  Took over stores from Kamaishi Kyōei.

• 2006

  Opened Ripuru store and Sendai store (first neighborhood shopping center).

• 2003

  Closed Max Rikken; reopened as Maiya Ofunato Inter.

• 2001

  Opened Aoyama store in Morioka.

• 1998

  Opened first out-of-prefecture store in Kesennuma, Miyagi.

• 1997

  Opened first inland store in Senmaya.

• 1993

  Absorbed Kamaishi Maiya; established labor union.

• 1992

  Opened first discount store, Max Rikken.

• 1991

  Kiyoshi Maiya became chairman; Haruo Maiya became second president.

• 1988

  Opened fresh food center for sushi and bento production.

• 1980

  Took over Oishin operations; established Kamaishi Maiya.

• 1979

  Joined CGC Group; renamed to Maiya Co., Ltd.; opened Ofunato Shopping Center.

• 1977

  Opened Matsubara store in Rikuzentakata.

• 1974

  Opened Chūō store.

• 1972

  Opened Takata store.

• 1970

  Opened Sakari store.

• 1966

  Opened Ayasato store.

• 1961

  Founded as Maiya Shōji Co., Ltd. in Ofunato; renamed Shufu no Mise Ofunato-ten; opened first supermarket on Iwate coast.

Regional food-focused supermarket chain serving communities in southern Iwate and northern Miyagi, with a strong emphasis on local presence and disaster resilience.

• Food supermarkets

  Main business of operating food-oriented supermarkets.

• Discount stores (Max)

  Discount store format, first opened in 1992.

• Shopping centers

  Operated shopping centers such as Ofunato Shopping Center.

• Sushi and bento

  Produced at fresh food center since 1988.

1. 1Maiya - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2マイヤ - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org