Interview with female employees "Iwai no Kohmayu Co., Ltd."

In 1857, he founded the oiling business of rapeseed, peanuts, and sesame in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture. In 1893, an oil refinery was established in Gonomachi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama. After several changes in the company name, in 1970, it became Iwai's Gohyu Co., Ltd. In 2005, the company moved its headquarters and factory to Hashihonmachi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama. Our basic philosophy is to contribute to the improvement of food culture by providing "food safety and security" and "healthy, delicious, and high-quality products" through sesame and sesame oil. In 2009, it was certified as a Yokohama-style regional contribution company. In 2014, he won the Mond Selection Gold Award for the third consecutive year. In 2016, ISO 22000 certification (design, development, manufacture and delivery of sesame oil, blended oil, and lar oil).

After graduating from university, he worked in sales at an apparel manufacturer. Three years later, he left the company aiming for hair and makeup. After obtaining a beauty license, he became independent after working as an assistant for bridal hair and makeup, and worked free. In 2010, he joined the family business "Iwai's Goma Oil" as a publicity spokesman. Current position since 2018.
We asked Mr. Iwai, who works vigorously, such as developing new products while balancing childcare, to enthusiasm for work.

When I got a job at an apparel manufacturer as a new graduate, I still didn't have a definite vision for the future. After working for three years, when I imagined myself in the future, the desire to get a job in my hand grew up, and I became a hair-making artist. I became independent and realized that it was a hard job for 10 years. I felt that it was not unusual for me to continue free in the future.
At that time, my father, the president, asked me to serve as a successor because a general affairs woman who worked for our company for 40 years quit. Deskwork was inexperienced and started from scratch, but I decided to join the company because I thought I could do my best in the family business.

The president was responsible for public relations and publicity activities. However, with the aim of encouraging women who are the target groups of household sesame oil to sympathize more than ever before, I decided to take charge of it. First of all, I went to department stores and supermarkets nationwide and started tasting sales to get many people to know the products.

Tasting is a chicken soup with sesame oil that enhances the "fragrance and richness" characteristic of our sesame oil. After enjoying the taste, we appealed the discerning method of making without using additives. Furthermore, in order to respond to the consumer's voice that sesame oil and lar oil cannot be used to the end, he wrote illustrations of dishes using sesame oil, lar oil, and serene sesame, and created a leaflet with recipes. It was distributed to customers. Not only housewives, but also young people and men, were well-received that the range of dishes was expanded by knowing a variety of ways to eat.

I was asked by the International Culture and Tourism Bureau in Kanagawa Prefecture to participate in a project to support the development of new products that utilize crowdsourcing. The advantage of this business is that it is possible to create products while incorporating the opinions of consumers by using a co-creation platform that connects more than 10,000 consumers and companies. In preparation for the 2020 Olympics, we started development with the aim of creating sightseeing souvenirs for visitors to Yokohama from Japan and abroad to buy.
The product is a collaboration with a long-established store in Yokohama, Minoya Arare Manufacturing Honpo. Kentaro Komori, president of the company, actively engaged in locally grown and consumed activities to develop local products. Since 2011, there has been a history of commercializing "Yokohama Sesame Oil Ogaki" and "Yokohama Sesame Carrier". This time, I thought that I could do something like President Komori with various ideas, so I asked for cooperation.

It was my first time to develop a product, so it was a series of difficult things. Incorporating the member's opinion, "What can be eaten easily and become a snack for children," I came up with the idea of making it a small ochazuke hail that can enjoy the taste of sesame oil, but even if you make a prototype, only failure . Therefore, we consulted with President Komori of Minoya Arare and added sesame seeds to sesame oil and made soy sauce taste, so that delicious hail with a firm flavor was made.
It's also hard to decide on a can to put the bub hail. Since it becomes expensive when made from a mold, I searched for the best one with an existing one. In a limited time, we have completed a product that is perfect for souvenirs that can be easily eaten in various situations, from children to the elderly, collecting information, narrowing down ideas, and making it easy to eat in various situations.

For me, this development is part of public relations and publicity activities. I would be glad if more people could learn about the deliciousness of our sesame oil after "Yokohama Bubarare".
In addition, the advice I received from the person in charge of the company that operates the crowdsourcing in the development left an impression that "making products with the image of bringing sesame oil in the kitchen to the tabletop." Listening to that, I thought that making products that the whole family picked up instead of seasonings used for cooking would expand the possibilities of our sesame oil. In that sense, I believe that the development of this product has opened a new path.

We took maternity leave from November, 2015 and gave birth in December. Before childbirth, except for refraining from heavy work such as delivery, he performed the same tasks as usual. After giving birth, I took maternity leave and childcare leave and returned in October 2016. I have been working shortly since I returned to work until now.

Focus on childcare and work. In order to make effective use of limited time and physical strength, I try not to do extra things, do not greedy, or do my best. By routineizing life, the daily burden has been greatly reduced. It is important for you to moderate housework and work and raise children in a healthy state.

I would like to use our sesame oil to make local gourmet dishes that make use of the goodness of Yokohama. I hope that everyone can say, "This is what Yokohama is like."
Currently, we are holding events with restaurants and producers using ingredients from Yokohama, but we value the network we have cultivated there and run through to realize our dreams.

Our best spot is the rooftop of a factory that overlooks the tourist spots of Minato Mirai. It is near the site of Kanagawa Daiba, where the shipyard used to be. Now it has become a luxury residential area with high-rise apartments. It is a favorite place where you can see the sights of Yokohama such as Minato Mirai, Yokohama Bay Bridge, Yokohama Marine Tower, and Aka Renga Soko.

Company name: Iwai's Kohma Oil Co., Ltd.
Location 2-1-26, Hashimotocho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi
URL： https://www.iwainogomaabura.co.jp/ (external site)
Established: 1947 (founded in 1857)
Capital: 35 million yen (authorized capital: 100 million yen)
Number of employees: 31 people
Industry: Production and processing of plant oils and fats and by-products (edible sesame oil, oil cake, health supplements)
Female Support System: Maternity leave/childcare leave/short-time work system