CASE STUDY

• Dorayaki Machine
• Waffle

HAKUJUJI Co., Ltd.

Hakujuji was founded in 1957 by President Masayoshi Futaki's grandfather, Toraji, in the Omotecho shopping district of Okayama City. He subsequently built it into a company operating approximately 50 directly managed stores.
After graduating from university, President Masayoshi worked at a Western-style confectionery shop before joining the company in 2007 at age 27. With roughly 60 years having passed since its founding, the company returned to its roots. The catalyst was the reformulation of their “Waffle,” previously sold at room temperature outside summer, into an individually wrapped, refrigerated year-round product. Feedback from customers prompted this change, and the milestone became an opportunity to pursue the product's inherent deliciousness. They refined the batter recipe and reverted to copper pot cooking for the custard. Simultaneously, they introduced state-of-the-art cooling equipment to achieve a smoother texture.
After announcing the renewal, we received voices of anticipation, and the moving increase in customers sharing memories of the product became our driving force. In 2025, we are continuing to make further improvements and take on new challenges.
In the spring of 2025, we launched the “Kogen Busse,” a smaller version of our flagship product, the “Kogen Busse.” The resulting dough improvements also led to the creation of a summer version of the “Kogen Busse.” Additionally, we opened a new “Waffle1957” store in the Okayama Station underground mall.
Furthermore, in autumn 2025, the main building in the city center was renovated to launch “HAKUYACOFFEE” and the Baumkuchen brand “Wagashiya Toranjitto”.
The corporate vision, inherited from the previous generation, is “From making sweets to creating culture.” Internally, the company strives to foster an environment that nurtures both people and culture.
Moving forward, while preserving the essence of Hakujuji, we will continue taking on new challenges together with our staff. We look forward to seeing new core elements emerge from these endeavors that will support and be supported by Hakujuji.

• Waffle Baking Machine