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The philosophy of S&B Foods Inc.
S&B Foods Inc. (initiated in 1923 and established in 1940) was established
based upon its predecessor "Higashiya", a corporation in Asakusa
Shichiken town in Tokyo founded on April 5, 1923, to sell the first 100%
Japan-made curry powder which was successfully developed and produced
by Minejiro Yamazaki, founder of the corporation.
S&B Foods has contributed to promote Japanese food culture by disseminating
spices such as peppers and garlic and introducing the nation's first instant
curry sauce through consistent creativity and development work grounded
on an uncompromising stance in accordance with the company's motto "The
Quest for Good Taste" represented by the stamp mill.
As consumers' needs evolved with the times, we provided food products
that embodied enchantment and the bounty of spices. We have led the market
with a strategy focusing on the texture of freshness by introducing a
variety of items including sterile cooked rice, developed with our advanced
microorganism control technology, high-quality pasta sauce and a series
of Chinese cooking aids.
Origin of the corporation's name and its history
On April 5, 1923, Minejiro Yamazaki, the founder of the corporation, established
"Higashiya", the predecessor of S&B, in Asakusa Shichiken
town in Tokyo when he successfully developed and produced the nation's
first domestically-made curry powder. The name of the company Higashiya
represents "Be grateful for the blessings of every day and willingly
dedicate yourself to your duties".
In 1930, Hidori (the sun and a bird) became the trademark. The trademark
embracing the sun and a bird symbolized the corporate wish that our fortune
rise like the sun and the products reach every corner of the country like
a bird flying freely in the sky. The initials of Sun and Bird "S&B"
were incorporated into the trademark in the following year and the design
of the trademark was completed. This was the origin of the S&B trademark.
It is said that the design implied steady growth of the corporation and
was based on increasing public familiarity with English and the nature
of the products with global universality.
Then, as one of business modernization projects after World War II, Higashiya
was renamed in 1949 to "S&B Foods Inc." as the S&B trademark,
matching the trend of the times, had spread among the public by then.
Minejiro Yamazaki - founder of S&B Foods
 Minejiro
Yamazaki was the founder of S&B Foods Inc. (pictured
on the left). He succeeded in developing and manufacturing the
first 100% Japanese-made curry powder and opened "Higashiya",
the predecessor of S&B Foods, on April 5, 1923. He was born on June
11, 1903 in Kanasugi village in Saitama prefecture and moved up to Tokyo
and started working for a sauce manufacturer when he was 17 years old.
When he ate curry and rice for the first time, it had a tremendous impact
on him. His encounter with curry drove him to start devoting himself to
making curry powder, a main ingredient of curry. After much frustration
in making a food that no one ever had tried, he finally succeeded in making
pure Japanese curry powder.
When he eventually made the curry, he established "Higashiya".
Driven by his inexhaustible aspiration for spices, he made remarkable
contributions to spread curry spices all over the country by introducing
many types of spices.
Minejiro also publicly dedicated himself to developing the Japanese spice
industry, before, during and after the war. His public contribution began
with serving as the chairman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Association of
Curry & Sauce Manufacturers in March 1963 and then he established
the Japan Pepper and Milling Industry Association in June 1941 in the
midst of the war to help the industry grow. After the war, when food and
materials were extremely scarce, he created the Japan Curry Association
and negotiated with the US Forces stationed in Japan to sell surplus commodities
to help the curry and spice industry revive. He always led the industry
and held many important roles in relevant organizations including Chairman
of the Japan Curry Industry Association in May 1994 and Executive Director
of the Japan Curry Cooperative Association in February 1954. In April
1958, he was granted the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon for his social contributions.
Many other medals were also awarded to Minejiro including: the Medal with
Blue Ribbon for his contribution to the curry industry in May 1960, the
Medal with Purple Ribbon for developing spices especially garlic powder,
the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon for his untiring
pursuit of research on spices for over 50 years which made a significant
contribution to promote science and industry in Japan and national welfare.
He passed away on November 4, 1974 at the age of 71. Very few other people
in the food industry had won all the medals and decorations that he received,
reflecting Minejiro's incomparable passion, pioneering spirit and creativity
toward the industry. His precepts for entrepreneurs are kept and the Yamazaki
Spice Foundation and Spice Exhibition Hall in the S&B Spice Center
(Itabashi ward, Tokyo) were established in line with the wishes of the
founder, Minejiro Yamazaki, and the proprietor, Harue Yamazaki, to encourage
awareness about, and the use of, spices.
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