The Development of Dried Bonito-Related Industries and New Movements

Abstract

Responding to the trend of overall simplification in cooking, a leading food manufacturer develops nature soup stock-related products which include many, highly processed foods such as seasoned soy sauces. Dried bonito is extensively used as a source of these. The need for dried bonito as a raw material is changing. Firstly, this study aims to clarify the corporate behavior of dried bonito manufacturers responding to the increased need for dried bonito. 4 representative dried bonito manufactures in Makurazaki are examined. Secondly, the future perspective of Makurazaki as a production site of dried bonito is discussed.

It was found, as a result, that each of the 4 companies make dried bonito using a different approach and every company has a role in supplying the raw materials for user-manufactured end products. They make dried bonito which responds to the market and they improve their production technology to meet the demand for raw materials of highly processed food and reduce costs for the users, while making use of all available management resources. These new movements of leading companies will become important and mainstream on production sites. In order for Makurazaki to continue growing as a production site of dried bonito, it needs to achieve both how to make dried bonito in a sincere effort to respond to the needs of their consumers as well as to preserve the traditional technology of Hongare-bushi.