CASE STUDY

• Oven
• Dacquoise

KUNIMISEIKA Co., Ltd.

Kunimiseika, based in Kunimi-machi, Fukushima Prefecture, has been producing and wholesaling souvenir sweets for two generations, primarily on a contract basis.
The company was founded in 1978, when current president Hidekatsu Hikosaka’s father, then 34, left a confectionery manufacturer in his hometown of Tokai to establish his own factory.
Kunimiseika’s first product was Yubeshi, a traditional confectionery beloved in Fukushima. Over time, the company expanded into Western-style sweets, developed original products, and supplied both private-label and in-house creations to souvenir shops across Fukushima and neighboring prefectures.
President Hikosaka joined the family business in 1992 after honing his skills at a confectionery manufacturer in Kanagawa.
When he returned, production was already running at full tilt. Later, faced with the challenges of the Great East Japan Earthquake and an ongoing labor shortage, the company launched a major reform of its production system, focusing on efficiency and productivity.
A key turning point came in 2024, when Kunimiseika completed its long-awaited dacquoise production line. This fully automated system handles every step from depositing batter to individual packaging, streamlining work that once required a team of 12.
The new oven, wider than before, has also enabled faster, larger-scale production.
Today, dacquoise accounts for about 80% of output, with the remaining 20% concentrated on just three other products. Looking ahead, the company aims to establish a second core product line, continue refining its product mix, and address long-term goals such as workforce development.

• Tunnel oven