An egg shop that keeps evolving is located in Mizushima, Kurashiki City.
Sakamoto Keiran Co., Ltd. was founded in 1966 as a wholesaler delivering eggs to local shops.
It supplies ingredients for industrial catering to companies in the Mizushima Industrial Complex, supporting one of Japan’s leading industrial regions through eggs.
In recent years, amid falling egg prices and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company shifted its core business from sales to companies to selling eggs and prepared foods to the general public.
At Sakamoto Keiran’s direct-sales shop, local residents can be seen lining up from the morning.
Sakamoto Keiran is an egg shop that has grown with the changing times, from the Showa and Heisei eras through the Reiwa era.
We spoke with Akiyoshi Sakamoto, president and representative director of Sakamoto Keiran, about the company’s business to date.
Let’s take a look behind the scenes at Sakamoto Keiran, which has successfully launched a wide range of businesses.
The information presented was current when this article was published in June 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Sakamoto Keiran Co., Ltd.
Here we introduce the businesses run by Sakamoto Keiran, a popular local egg shop.
Let’s look back at Sakamoto Keiran’s history and explore what makes it distinctive as an egg shop.
Overview of Sakamoto Keiran
Sakamoto Keiran Co., Ltd. is an egg wholesaler located in the Mizushima area of Kurashiki City.
Founded in September 1966, it has sold eggs sourced from poultry farms to local shops.
In addition to egg wholesaling, the company supplies processed egg products such as dashimaki tamago to companies in the Mizushima Industrial Complex as part of their industrial catering menus.
It is a long-established company that has supported Mizushima, home to one of Japan’s leading industrial complexes, through eggs.
In November 2011, the company opened a poultry farm in Bisei Town, Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture, so it could produce its own eggs.
It developed its own feed and continues to produce high-quality eggs.
In 2019, Sakamoto Keiran revamped its brand image.
It began selling processed egg products previously made for companies to general consumers as well.
With direct-sales shops in Mizushima, where its headquarters are located, and Bisei Town, where its poultry farm is located, it is thriving as a local favorite egg shop.
An all-rounder in eggs
Sakamoto Keiran’s distinguishing feature is that it focuses on every aspect of the egg business, including egg production, processing, and direct sales.
In its production process, the company aims to improve egg quality by developing its own feed for its poultry.
In processing, it develops prepared foods such as egg sandwiches, creating popular products.
Sakamoto Keiran has its own distinctive approach to every step, from producing eggs to making and selling products.
With strengths in every aspect of the egg business, Sakamoto Keiran is thriving as an all-round player in eggs.
Sakamoto Keiran’s direct-sales shop
At its direct-sales shops, Sakamoto Keiran sells freshly laid eggs and freshly made products.
The shops are located in Minamiune, Kurashiki City, where the headquarters are, and Hoshida, Bisei Town, Ibara City, where the poultry farm is.
The shops carry products including “Hoshi no Sato eggs,” produced at the poultry farm in Bisei Town, and tamagoyaki, chawanmushi, and egg sandwiches made at Sakamoto Keiran’s processing facility.
They also offer products developed in collaboration with businesses in Okayama Prefecture.
Sakamoto Keiran’s signature egg sandwiches are so popular that they sell out, and apparently some people line up before the shop opens.
Bisei direct-sales shop
The writer visited the Bisei direct-sales shop, which opened in 2021.
The Bisei direct-sales shop carries not only Sakamoto Keiran products, but also production equipment used to prepare eggs for shipment.
Some of the equipment from the factory was installed so customers could enjoy seeing the process eggs go through before they reach the shop.
There were equipment for washing eggs and equipment for sorting them by weight.
▼ Eggs being lifted and placed on a conveyor tray by a lifting device.
Ten rubber suction cups are attached to the end of what looks like a vacuum cleaner, and they lift the eggs by suction.
The eggs are handled gently to prevent them from cracking on impact.
▼ The eggs roll along the conveyor and are carried to the next piece of equipment.
At the end of the conveyor is a washing machine.
▼ The egg-washing machine.
Two rods fitted with brushes spin at high speed, scrubbing dirt off the eggshells.
Although they appeared to be spinning quite vigorously, the eggs gained momentum from contact with the brushes and were carried to the next machine.
▼ Next is the sorting machine, which separates eggs by weight.
The eggs are sorted by weight and roll out onto the table.
Watching the eggs roll along the conveyor and emerge one after another never gets old.
The company shares the appeal of eggs not only through eating them, but also by letting people see them.
Sakamoto Keiran Co., Ltd. details
| Organization name | Sakamoto Keiran Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Egg wholesaling, manufacture and sale of processed egg products, and poultry farming |
| Representative | Akiyoshi Sakamoto |
| Established | April 1981 (founded September 1966) |
| Address | 3-13-31 Minamiune, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-455-7370 |
| Website | Sakamoto Keiran |
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