YONEYAMA.,co ltd.
Japanese food-packaging trading house providing integrated planning, development, procurement, manufacturing, sales and delivery of food containers and packaging.
Last updated September 27, 2026
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Overview
YONEYAMA.,co ltd. (株式会社ヨネヤマ) is a Japanese food-packaging company headquartered in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. Founded in April 1946 by Ichiro Yoneyama as a small individual shop in Kawasaki's Namiki district, the company began by selling ice-candy sticks, chopsticks, paper chopstick bags, advertising matchboxes and wrapping paper. It grew into a comprehensive food-packaging trading house handling food trays, shopping bags, food labels, chopsticks and related supplies, and today describes its products under the registered trademark "foodware." The company serves supermarkets, convenience stores, food manufacturers and restaurant chains through B2B channels, and also operates a B2C online store, "foodware+," selling commercial takeout disposable containers and materials. YONEYAMA's business spans product planning, development, design, procurement, sales and delivery, with a catalog reported to cover roughly 80,000 items including food containers, bags, hygiene products, logistics supplies and store fixtures. The company has expanded through subsidiaries and group companies covering packaging, logistics, agriculture and trade, hotel operations, town development and rental spaces. It operates branches across Japan, including Kawasaki, Tokyo, Tama, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo, and has established overseas entities in Taiwan and Thailand. The current president and group representative is Yasushi Takei, who joined the company in 1993 and became the third-generation president in 2010 after the sudden death of the second president, Sadazo Yoneyama. Under his leadership the company has pursued digital transformation, sustainability initiatives and global expansion. YONEYAMA celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2026 and has received recognition including the 2015 Diamond Management Club Excellent Company Award and environmental awards for its packaging recycling efforts.
History
YONEYAMA was founded in April 1946 by Ichiro Yoneyama, a native of Iida, Nagano Prefecture, as an individual shop in Namiki, Kawasaki City (now Kawasaki Ward), shortly after World War II. Its early merchandise included wooden sticks for ice candy, chopsticks, paper chopstick bags, advertising matchboxes and wrapping paper. In December 1951, the business was incorporated as Yoneyama Shoten Co., Ltd. with its head office in Sunako (now Kawasaki Ward), capitalized at 1 million yen and employing 20 people. A major breakthrough came in 1958 when Sadazo Yoneyama developed Waron Cell Pack, an artificial bamboo sheath product patented as a replacement for bamboo sheath and thin wood used by meat shops; it became a hit and drove significant growth. The patent was later licensed royalty-free to Fukusuke Kogyo. In 1962, an annex building was constructed in Nisshin-cho, Kawasaki City; this building survives today as the mixed-use facility unico, operated as a real estate business. In 1963, the company name was changed to the katakana Yoneyama Co., Ltd. following an employee naming contest. A new head office building was completed in 1967. In 1970, Yoneyama Kako Co., Ltd. (now Monowear Co., Ltd.) was established to separate manufacturing from sales, beginning printing, bag-making (Elite Bag, a registered trademark) and Waron production. The advertising match business declined with the rise of disposable lighters. In 1973, a joint venture, PT. Pirok Indonesia, was established in Sumatra, Indonesia, to manufacture chopsticks from pine trees planted by Japan; the venture ended in 1979. A Yokohama branch opened in 1974. Around this time, food packaging shifted from wooden folding boxes to plastic products such as trays, sauce bottles and wrap, and sales methods moved from face-to-face to self-service as supermarkets emerged. Paper bags gave way to plastic shopping bags. Capital was increased to 35 million yen in 1979. Sadazo Yoneyama became the second president in 1984. In 1987, F&T Co., Ltd. was established, initially processing peanuts and later contracting and importing produce from New Zealand. In 1989, the head office moved to Okawa-cho, Kawasaki Ward, and Yoneyama Kako was renamed Apple Co., Ltd. Yasushi Takei joined the company in 1993. In 2000, the company became involved in manufacturing and supplying chopsticks for a major convenience store chain, setting up bases in Tianjin, China and Iruma, Saitama, producing and selling up to 600 million pairs annually. In 2006, it acquired Norsan Co., Ltd., a specialist trading company focused on cardboard. In 2009, the One Dish Aid Association's ceramic recycling business received the Minister of the Environment Award for Excellence in the Container and Packaging 3R Promotion category. In June 2010, second president Sadazo Yoneyama died suddenly of heart failure; in July, Yasushi Takei became representative director and president. In 2015, the company formed a business alliance with the Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association and conducted a joint survey with the Fuman Kaitori Center. In 2016, it received the 2015 Diamond Management Club Excellent Company Award. In 2017, the former head office building was renovated into the mixed-use facility unico, and the owned Hayama Kachi-tei was registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property. In April, group companies Apple (printing) and Norsan (cardboard) merged to form Monowear Co., Ltd. In 2019, the EC site pack+ was launched, benefiting from takeout demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly biodegradable PLA-lined bamboo pulp mold (BPM) containers. The head office moved to unico in Nisshin-cho, Kawasaki Ward. In 2020, the company promoted internal DX (RPA, AI-based fax order processing), obtained a second-hand dealer license and began researching EV conversion. In 2021, the company launched containers made from falcata wood, became a Yokohama Y-SDGs certified company, established logistics company AIR HEART, and was certified as a Kawasaki SDGs Gold Partner and Saitama SDGs Partner. In 2022, a Nagoya branch opened, and the company donated a Japanese painting to the Iida City Museum of Art. In 2023, the EC site pack+ was renamed foodware+, a Fukuoka branch opened, and Hayama Kachi-tei was spun off into Antique Lovers Co., Ltd. In 2024, AI-based order forecasting began, an online salon for business partners opened, and a Sapporo branch opened. In 2025, a Taiwan subsidiary (Yamagata Food Technology Co., Ltd.) and a Thai subsidiary (FOODWARE (THAILAND) CO., LTD.) were established, and a Type B continuous employment support business was created. In 2026, the company celebrated its 80th anniversary.
- 2022
Nagoya branch opened; donated Japanese painting to Iida City Museum of Art.
- 2021
Launched falcata wood containers; established AIR HEART; certified as Yokohama Y-SDGs, Kawasaki SDGs Gold Partner, Saitama SDGs Partner.
- 2020
Promoted internal DX; obtained second-hand dealer license; began EV research.
- 2019
EC site pack+ launched; head office moved to unico.
- 2017
Former head office renovated into unico; Hayama Kachi-tei registered as national tangible cultural property; Apple and Norsan merged into Monowear.
- 2015
Business alliance with Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association; received 2015 Diamond Management Club Excellent Company Award.
- 2010
Sadazo Yoneyama died; Yasushi Takei became president.
- 2009
Received Minister of the Environment Award for Excellence in Container and Packaging 3R Promotion.
- 2006
Acquired Norsan Co., Ltd., a cardboard specialist trading company.
- 2000
Began manufacturing and supplying chopsticks for a major convenience store chain, up to 600 million pairs annually.
Products and positioning
Comprehensive food-packaging trading house offering one-stop, made-to-order solutions across packaging, sales promotion and logistics.
Waron Cell Pack
Patented artificial bamboo sheath product developed in 1958 as a replacement for bamboo sheath and thin wood.
Elite Bag
Registered trademark bag product manufactured by Yoneyama Kako.
Bamboo Pulp Mold (BPM) containers
Biodegradable PLA-lined bamboo pulp mold containers developed for takeout demand.
Falcata wood containers
Containers made from falcata wood, launched in 2021.
foodware+ online store
B2C e-commerce site for commercial takeout disposable containers and supplies.
Marketing campaigns
- Kawasaki Frontale cleanup activity
- Osaka Expo Kura Sushi sponsorship
Sources5 sources
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