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Building the foundation
for the modernization of the
confectionery industry

1899
Founding Morinaga Western
Confectionery Shop

The company's founder learned confectionery skills for 11 years in the United States and, after returning home, founded Morinaga Western Confectionery Shop with an eye to offering delicious and highly nutritious confectioneries to people in Japan. Aiming for the modernization of Japan's confectionery industry, he introduced machines for mass production, and boosted sales through sales network establishment and advertisements, thereby building the foundation for the Japanese confectionery industry and popularizing Western confectioneries among Japanese people.

Unshakable commitment
to quality

1905
Angel mark registered as trademark

In order to help customers to discern Morinaga's products from those that looked alike but were of low quality, Morinaga created the angel logomark, getting the idea from the fact that marshmallows, which was a major Morinaga's product at that time, were called "angel food." In 1905, the company had the logomark registered as its trademark by combining the mark with the company name. As a precondition to putting smiles on the faces of customers, Morinaga made it a rule not to use containers with a raised bottom, even if they would make the products look more attractive, while adopting individual packaging for quality assurance. These rules have been continuously followed since the foundation of the company to the present day.

Popularizing caramels across
Japan by releasing Milk Caramel
in a pocket-sized container

1914
Releasing Milk Caramel in a pocked-sized container

In order to popularize highly nutritious and delicious caramels among Japanese people, Morinaga worked to improve the taste. At the same time, the company undertook a process of trial and error to develop a container that was portable and suited to the Japanese climate at a reasonable cost, and finally developed the one currently used for its Milk Caramel.

Starting the first integrated
production of milk chocolates
in Japan

1918
Starting the integrated production of chocolates

In response to an increase in the public's interest in chocolates and with a desire to deliver authentic taste to more people, Morinaga took on the challenge of becoming the first integrated manufacturer of chocolates in Japan, for which the company made vast capital investments and introduced advanced technologies. Subsequently, Morinaga overcame various difficulties and succeeded in further popularizing chocolates.

Conducting initiatives for the
benefit of employees,
including the introduction of the
eight-hour workday

1919
Introducing the eight-hour workday

Introducing the eight-hour workday
Placing importance on coexistence and shared prosperity, Morinaga introduced the eight-hour workday in 1919, ahead of other companies in the industry, and established a health insurance association for its employees in 1926. The company has thus long been giving due consideration to the mental and physical health of its employees. This managerial approach has been passed down over the generations and Morinaga has recently been named a "Certified Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization."

Reason why Morinaga's biscuits
have long been supported

1923
Making a biscuit product "MARIE" for the domestic market

In 1923, Morinaga made a high-quality biscuit product named "MARIE" for the domestic market. A century after the birth of this product, it has established a solid market position, with its name registered as a trademark in Japan. Moreover, we have expanded the lineup of our biscuit products, which now include CHOICE and MOONLIGHT. We have also adopted individual wrapping and the simplification of product packages in response to changes in society, including changes in people's lifestyles. Due to these efforts, Morinaga's products have long been supported by consumers.

Establishing sales stores
based on the coexistence
and shared prosperity policy

1928
Launching the "Morinaga Belt-Line Store" system

Morinaga aims for coexistence and shared prosperity with stakeholders and in 1928 launched the "Morinaga Belt-Line Store" system as the first such initiative implemented in the industry to directly manage sales stores, inviting retailers to participate. Morinaga dispatched promotional models to each of the stores as part of its advertising efforts. Such activities conducted based on cooperation between manufacturing and sales staff have been continued to the present day.

Attracting customers through
innovative advertisements
and promotional campaigns

1931
"Aviation Promorion" for the sales promotion of caramels

In order to encourage more people to try Morinaga's products and enjoy their delicious taste, the company increased sales through attractive advertisements as well as by conducting promotional activities, such as the "Aviation Promotion" conducted in 1931. Morinaga also proactively promoted the sales of its chocolate products for Mother's Day and St. Valentine's Day, which were subsequently established as special event days across Japan. Moreover, the sales campaign for CHOCO BALL conducted by using "Toy Can " as a special gift has been continued since 1967.

Contribution to society through
the first mass production
of penicillin in Japan

1944
Succeeding in the first mass production of penicillin in Japan

During the war, Morinaga succeeded in the first mass production of penicillin in Japan, which the company conducted in response to a request from the national government, despite being in a state of existential crisis at the time. The penicillin helped save the lives of many people. For its efforts, the company received MIRAI Technology Heritage certification from the Science and Technology Agency in fiscal 2019 in recognition of an achievement made more than 70 years ago.

Enhancing communication
with customers

1971
Establishing a department devoted to responding to customers

Morinaga established a department devoted to responding to customers ahead of others in the industry and has incorporated the opinions of customers in the development of its products and the management of its business. We have also introduced a toll-free number to our Customer Service Center and are making use of online tools in order to improve our customer service quality, in order to improve our customer service quality and communication with customers.

Creating a new food culture
to meet the needs of the times

1994
Releasing "in-Jelly" to the market

The "in-Jelly" product, released in 1994, was developed to support health promotion. The pouched jelly drink was an unprecedentedly new product and contributed to the creation of a new food culture and market. We are continuing to make progress to meet contemporary needs for simplified eating and health maintenance.

Provision of food with
a sense of safety and reliability

1995
Introducing the "Morinaga HACCP" system

In 1995, based on the HACCP scientific management method, Morinaga introduced its own even stricter "Morinaga HACCP" system. As early as 1904, Morinaga began to use uniforms to make workers in its factories more aware of the importance of hygiene ahead of others in the industry. Morinaga was also quick to establish a quality assurance department. We have thereby been providing customers with a sense of safety and reliablity throughout our long history.

Environmental initiatives

1998
Becoming the first ISO 14001-certified company in the Japanese confectionery industry

Morinaga has long been proactively conducting activities based on the concept of sustainability. In 1998, we became the first ISO 14001-certified company in the Japanese confectionery industry. (ISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management systems.) Also, we are conducting a range of activities for the environment, including using environment-friendly packages, reducing the generation of waste and promoting recycling.

Introducing the new concept
of "freshness" to ice cream

2001
Introducing "freshness" as a new marketing concept

Morinaga is committed to providing high-quality products and we therefore focus on freshness, even for ice cream. Specifically, we are making efforts to deliver Choco Monaka Jumbo to customers without compromising the crispness of the product. Due to a concerted effort made by the R&D, manufacturing, distribution and sales teams, Choco Monaka Jumbo has become a core pillar product of Morinaga.

Global marketing of HI-CHEW

2008
Establishing Morinaga America, Inc.

The caramel manufacturing technology learned by the company's founder in the United States provided the basis for the development of HI-CHEW. In order to distribute this innovative product around the world, Morinaga proactively promoted the globalization of its business. The manufacture and sale of the product in the United States proceeded as hoped and sales of HI-CHEW have been expanded beyond national borders.

Putting smiles on the faces of both chocolate-lovers
and producers

2008
Launching the "One Chocolate for One Smile" campaign

Since 2008, we have been supporting children in cacao-producing countries through the "One Chocolate for One Smile" campaign, aiming to help such children receive more enhanced and adequate education and thereby put smiles on the faces of all people, not just those in chocolate-consuming countries.

Empowerment of women
and of all employees

2012
Appointing a diversity facilitator

Morinaga began to foster women's empowerment initiatives in 2001 and further advanced them by having a diversity team in place in 2012. In 2020, the Diversity Promotion Office was also launched as an organization under the direct control of the president. Based on the idea that "it is people who drive the company," Morinaga is aiming to nurture a corporate culture that enables all employees to demonstrate their abilities based on the right-person-in-the-right place principle.

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