Sunus Co., Ltd.

Sunus Co., Ltd. (株式会社サナス) is a Japanese food-ingredient manufacturer headquartered in Kagoshima, in southern Kyushu. The company traces its origins to 1936, when it was established as Nihon Denpun Kogyo Co., Ltd. (日本澱粉工業株式会社) and began producing sweet-potato starch in Kagoshima and Miyazaki Prefectures. Over the following decades it expanded from starch into sweeteners, noodles, and other processed food ingredients, becoming a diversified starch and saccharification specialist. The company's product range today spans starch, harusame (mung-bean and potato starch noodles), kuzukiri (arrowroot noodles), saccharification products such as glucose, fructose-glucose syrup, maltose, and starch syrup (mizuame), as well as tsukemono pickles and other food items. Its consumer-facing lines include products such as Kirikko shiso-flavored noodles, green-bean harusame, Sunus Fiber, kuzukiri, and mizuame, while its industrial lines supply sweeteners and starch-derived ingredients to food and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Sunus is based in Kagoshima City, where its main plant and saccharification operations were relocated to the coastal industrial zone (now Minamisakae) in 1972. The company operates a cornstarch plant built in 1982 and has a group of subsidiaries and affiliates. It presents itself as committed to safety, quality, and environmental responsibility, with published policies on quality and food safety, procurement, environment, and corporate conduct. As a regional Japanese ingredient maker, Sunus is not a household name nationally, but its starch, noodle, and sweetener products are used in both household and industrial food applications. The company remains active, with ongoing product launches and recruitment activity noted on its official website.

Sunus Co., Ltd. was founded in 1936 (Showa 11) as Nihon Denpun Kogyo Co., Ltd. (日本澱粉工業株式会社), starting production of sweet-potato starch in Kagoshima and Miyazaki Prefectures. In its first year it built seven starch factories in Kagoshima Prefecture (Kanoya, Furue, Kurino, Ijuin, Kawanabe, Chiran, and Kobayashi) and continued to build additional starch plants in the prefecture. In 1938 the company began producing starch syrup and glucose from sweet-potato starch. During World War II, its factory was destroyed by fire in 1945, and in 1946 the company relocated to 1534 Harayama-cho in Kagoshima City. After the war, the company received about 18,000 tsubo of land from a former military-managed factory site and rebuilt its operations there. In 1948 Sunus started manufacturing harusame (starch noodles) using the properties of sweet-potato starch. Initially handmade by craftsmen, production was later mechanized; in 1963 the company moved the factory to Shinei-cho and succeeded in developing extrusion-type harusame manufacturing technology, expanding sales from Kyushu to nationwide and achieving Japan's top production volume for frozen harusame at the time. In 1955 the company succeeded in industrializing powdered starch syrup by the spray method, and in 1959 began producing glucose by the enzymatic method. In 1969 it started producing glucose-fructose liquid sugar. In 1972, amid difficult business conditions—declining sweet-potato starch production, declining glucose sales, and struggles in its Yakushima sugar business—the company relocated its head office and saccharification plant to the Kagoshima coastal industrial zone (now Minamisakae). The move was a rebuilding bet, and the current Minamisakae plant began operating after about two years of construction. Also in 1972, the company began producing tsukemono pickles, converting its Ei starch factory into a pickle factory; its Kirikko product, launched in 1983, became a long-selling hit. In 1975 Sunus began producing glucose-fructose liquid sugar by continuous isomerization, in 1978 started manufacturing pharmaceutical-grade maltose, and in 1979 began producing kuzukiri. In 1980 it succeeded in developing fructose separation technology and began producing fructose-glucose liquid sugar. In 1982 it completed a cornstarch plant and entered the corn industry. In 1986, marking its 50th anniversary, the company kicked off TPM (Total Productive Management) activities, which included efficiency improvements, factory automation, and human resource development. The company continues to operate from Kagoshima, producing starch, noodles, sweeteners, and other food ingredients, and maintains a group of subsidiaries and affiliates.

• 1986

  50th anniversary; kicked off TPM activities.

• 1983

  Launched Kirikko pickle product, a long-selling hit.

• 1982

  Completed cornstarch plant; entered corn industry.

• 1980

  Developed fructose separation technology; began producing fructose-glucose liquid sugar.

• 1979

  Began producing kuzukiri.

• 1978

  Began manufacturing pharmaceutical-grade maltose.

• 1975

  Began producing glucose-fructose liquid sugar by continuous isomerization.

• 1972

  Relocated head office and saccharification plant to Kagoshima coastal industrial zone (now Minamisakae); began tsukemono production.

• 1969

  Began producing glucose-fructose liquid sugar.

• 1963

  Moved factory to Shinei-cho; developed extrusion-type harusame manufacturing technology.

• 1959

  Began producing glucose by enzymatic method.

• 1955

  Succeeded in industrializing powdered starch syrup by spray method.

• 1948

  Began manufacturing harusame (starch noodles).

• 1946

  Relocated to Harayama-cho, Kagoshima City.

• 1945

  Factory destroyed by fire during the war.

• 1938

  Began producing starch syrup and glucose from sweet-potato starch.

• 1936

  Founded as Nihon Denpun Kogyo Co., Ltd.; began sweet-potato starch production in Kagoshima and Miyazaki.

A regional Japanese starch and saccharification ingredient manufacturer supplying safe, high-quality food ingredients to household and industrial customers.

• Household food

  Kirikko shiso-flavored noodles (60g)

• Household food

  Green-bean harusame (100g)

• Household food

  Sunus Fiber

• Household food

  Kuzukiri (180g, 200g)

• Household food

  Mizuame (starch syrup)

• Industrial ingredient

  Glucose

• Industrial ingredient

  Fructose-glucose syrup

• Industrial ingredient

  Maltose

• Industrial ingredient

  Cornstarch

• Food

  Tsukemono pickles

1. 1株式会社サナス 公式サイトsunus.co.jp
2. 2歴史・沿革 - 株式会社サナスsunus.co.jp
3. 3サナスについて - 株式会社サナスsunus.co.jp
4. 4当社方針・行動計画 - 株式会社サナスsunus.co.jp
5. 5Sunus Co., Ltd. (Japan) - Wikidatawikidata.org