Harksley Holdings builds integrated food value chain via M&A

Harksley Holdings, the parent company of the Japanese takeout bento chain Hokka Hokka Tei, is focusing on building a comprehensive food value chain through active M&A and vertical integration. Chairman and President Tatsuya Aoki emphasizes the company's strength in being able to “grasp raw materials internally,” a strategy developed to ensure stability following past rice shortages.

The group operates across three main sectors: the medium-term food business (Hokka Hokka Tei), logistics and food processing (including Inaba Peanuts and J-Leaf), and store asset solutions. By integrating plant factories like J-Leaf, which produces pesticide-free leafy greens, the company aims to stabilize supply and quality regardless of weather conditions.

For the fiscal year ending March 2026, the company reported record-high annual sales of 52.4 billion yen, an EBITDA of 5.1 billion yen, and operating/ordinary profits of 3 billion yen. The company utilizes EBITDA as a key performance indicator to demonstrate its actual earning power to investors.