Interview with President Hiroshi Hori of Kouchin Co., Ltd.
We interviewed President Hiroshi Hori of Kouchin Co., Ltd. about the initiatives being undertaken by Kouchin to continue expanding its business for everyone's "delicious!"
Specialty restaurants rooted in Tamashima
Can you tell us about the background of Kouchin's expansion into franchise stores?
Hori (no honorifics)
Kouchin was established by my predecessor, Toshihiro, who wanted to provide the people of Tamashima with delicious Chinese cuisine that was rare at the time and make them happy. Since then, our desire to deliver emotional experiences through food to the local people of Tamashima has not changed.
When Kouchin opened its first franchise store in 1996, there were no national chain restaurants in Tamashima, so the options for dining out were limited. However, Kouchin only offers Chinese cuisine.
We thought that if we could create specialty restaurants, it would broaden the options for dining out, so we expanded our franchise stores.
I heard that all the franchise stores value "local production for local consumption."
Hori
Since we are a restaurant rooted in the community, it seems natural to use local ingredients.
For example, we source vegetables and rice from contracted farmers in Tamashima, soy sauce and miso from Tamashima Miso Soy Sauce, vinegar and sauces from Teshimaya, eggs from Noda Hatsu, and sake from Kikuchi Sake Brewing Co., Ltd..
In the future, we want to continue to play a role in preserving local food as a restaurant.
Employee education that values "verbalization"
With the establishment of franchise stores, the number of employees and menu items has increased, right? What is the secret to continuing to share the founding philosophy?
Hori
The number of employees, including part-time and temporary staff, has approached 100. They range in age from 17 to 76, and we have a wide variety of people working with us.
We have multiple stores, and even though they are in the same Kurashiki City, they are located far apart, so we don't have many opportunities to meet face to face. Therefore, we hold a company-wide meeting called the "Power Up Meeting" three times a year, where all employees gather, and we create opportunities for daily information exchange through "committees" that foster horizontal connections.
The "Power Up Meeting" is held in January, June, and November, and on these days, all stores are closed. In November, I, as the president, announce the policy for the next year, in January, the store managers present their policies for each store, and in June, we share interim reports on how each store is being operated.
Of course, each employee is also asked to set annual goals. Additionally, we compile Kouchin's management philosophy and important points to keep in mind at work into an annual notebook that everyone can refer to at any time.
This is important because we have high school students working part-time, and for them, just serving food and saying "Welcome" is a big job. However, to make customers happy, additional service and creativity are necessary.
Therefore, by having meetings and setting goals, we can verbalize and understand what our colleagues and management are thinking. As they become accustomed to serving food and greeting customers, when they wonder what is needed for the next step, they can open the notebook and find hints.
Wanting to learn from the community and continue to grow
You also participate in community contribution activities with your employees, right?
Hori
Originally, I and the chairman participated individually, but I thought it would be fun to involve employees and customers, so I used our official LINE account to recruit participants, and surprisingly many people joined.
Among the customers, there are those who are in Tamashima for long-term business trips and say, "I thought I could do something for Tamashima on my day off," as well as families who participate with their children.
Because we are a local Tamashima restaurant, we might be able to invite local people with a sense of being "neighbors."
Kouchin values local production for local consumption, so we use many local ingredients from Tamashima. We also want to cherish our relationships with our neighbors, and if there are interesting events, we invite local customers.
I believe this kind of cycle is a strength of local restaurants.
Do you have any memorable episodes from your community contribution activities?
Hori
Kouchin accepts middle school students for workplace experiences and also hosts practical training for special needs schools.
We used the same achievement list that part-time employees at Kouchin use for these students.
The achievement list includes very basic tasks like "remember the table number," "bring water," and "serve with a smile." When they feel they have accomplished something, they mark it, and the instructor checks it and gives them a star.
We had been using this achievement list as a matter of course, but a school teacher who saw it praised us, saying, "This visualizes information, making it very easy to understand for people with special needs."
What is easy for us to use can also be easy for others to use is what they told us, and we were pleased and decided to use it more actively. Currently, we display it in a visible area of the back yard so that it can be utilized in all stores.
Through this, we learned that accepting local people can lead to improvements in our operations.
What kind of company do you want to be in the future?
Hori
As a food establishment, first and foremost, I want to be a company that brings joy to customers by serving delicious food.
To achieve this, it is important that not just my efforts, but the entire staff, including the store managers, can confidently say, "Please enjoy our delicious dishes."
We have accumulated know-how in employee education and organizational development, so we will continue to strive to let more people know about Kouchin's cuisine.
Finally, please give a message to the readers.
Hori
I will continue to work hard to create delicious food for everyone to enjoy.
Please come and enjoy Kouchin's cuisine.
We sincerely look forward to your visit.
Conclusion
When I first visited Kouchin, as I sat down and looked at the menu, a staff member quickly approached and cheerfully asked, "May I explain the menu? This is a seasonal limited menu, and I recommend it."
When I shared this story with Mr. Hori, he looked pleased and explained, "The seasonal limited menu consists of items that we have carefully considered at each store, which we have tasted and approved. The staff also exchange opinions while enjoying the meals during their breaks, so they likely have a strong attachment to what the entire store has created."
Kouchin has seasonal menus at all its locations, and all menu items are created with input from the entire staff.
I look forward to the continued success of Kouchin Co., Ltd. as it continues to take on new challenges and progress.
Data on Kouchin Co., Ltd.
| Organization Name | Kouchin Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food and Beverage |
| Representative Name | Hiroshi Hori |
| Year Established | 1959 |
| Address | 4701-1 Otsushima, Tamashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | Phone: 086-522-5188 |
| Website | Chinese Cuisine Kouchin | For everyone's "delicious!" |
