Delivering Japanese food to Singapore for over 43 years.—Kozaki Hidekazu（MEIDI-YA SINGAPORE CO(PTE) LTD, Managing Director）

The Beginning in Singapore

Q：What was the greatest challenge or turning point that your organization faced while walking alongside Singapore’s development?

Established in 1980, our company was originally engaged in food wholesale in addition to our foundational ship chandling business. However, in the late 1990s, the collapse of Japan’s bubble economy led many Japanese retail and distribution companies to withdraw from Singapore. With our wholesale clients gone, we also faced the crisis of having to withdraw. At that time, we took over the sales floor of a department store we had been supplying and transitioned into the retail business. This was in 2003. Entering the 2010s, with Singapore’s strong economic growth, Japanese food integrated into daily life and expanded significantly.

Core Strengths

Q：What core values and philosophies have been passed down through the generations as part of your organization’s unchanging “DNA”?

When our company was founded, many Japanese-registered ships carried Japanese crew members, but today, many of these ships no longer have them on board. Even so, we still receive unchanging orders for Japanese food ingredients from those same ships. We hear that daily cooking has been passed down continuously on these ships, creating a unique food culture, which is why we still receive orders today. Every place around the world has its own distinct food culture. I believe Japanese food can be one of the elements that help enrich people’s daily meals there, even if just a little. We will continue to strive to deliver Japanese food culture to the people of Singapore.

The Road Ahead

Q：What kind of footprint or legacy do you aim to leave over the next 10 to 20 years?

Thanks to the hard work of our predecessors, Japanese food has become a common part of life in Singapore. Today, many Singaporeans visit Japan and enjoy various Japanese foods in different places. Going forward, I feel that Japanese food in Singapore will be expected to be even better than the original. As a supermarket that sells a wide range of Japanese ingredients, we will work hard to be a presence that stays close to the daily diets of people living in Singapore. If possible, we hope to become a store that Japanese residents living in Singapore can be proud of.

What I Love About Singapore!

Q： What elements of Singapore’s culture or urban lifestyle do you find truly wonderful and inspiring?

I feel that many Singaporeans do not build walls around themselves. They accept things first, and then judge for themselves whether it is good or bad. That might be why they like limited-time offers and limited-quantity sales. I will also be careful not to dislike things before trying them.

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Interviewee Profile

■NexGen Pay Singapore

◉Operation of premium supermarket retail businesses and established ship chandling (ship supply and delivery) services. 🏡Address：9 Raffles Boulevard #02-26 to 36 Millenia Walk, S039596 🕚Opening Hours：10:30 – 21:00 (Mon–Thu), 10:30 – 21:30 (Fri), 10:00 – 21:30 (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays) 📅Closed Days：None (Open daily, except for 2 days during the Chinese New Year period) 🔶Great World City 🏡Address：1 Kim Seng Promenade, #B2-111 to 121 Great World, S237994 🕚Opening Hours：9:30 – 22:00 (Mon–Fri), 9:00 – 22:00 (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays) 📅Closed Days：None (Open daily, except for 2 days during the Chinese New Year period) 📞電話番号：6771 1111 📩E-mail：web@meidiya.com.sg 🌐Website

　

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