A trip across the state of California will reveal the diversity of its agricultural products, with its being fruits, grains and nuts. In 1985, Japan-based ShoEi Foods Corporation established an American subsidiary in Oregon, ShoEi Foods USA Inc., to source American food ingredients.
Then, in 1990, it purchased a 1,000-acre prune processing facility and ranch near Olivehurst in the Sacramento Valley, which was converted into a walnut processing facility in 2009 when ShoEi Foods USA and Sunsweet Growers began a partnership to grow and process prunes in Yuba City.
Over the past 10 years, ShoEi Foods USA’s walnut business has grown large enough to meet rising demand from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the USA. Adopting high Japanese-quality standards, ShoEi’s walnuts have gained recognition as among the best in the world.
As the first company to bring many of California’s agriculture products into Japan, ShoEi Foods is the only true farm-to-table food importer in the Japanese market.
“Our global customers benefit from our efforts to exceed the standards for imported produce to Japan, which famously demand perfection. As a top-tier packer, we have tasked ourselves with producing the best quality. We hold ourselves responsible for the brand image of the entire walnut industry both locally and internationally, especially in Japan,” ShoEi Foods USA President and CEO Brian Dunning said.
“We also want to highlight walnuts as a great source for omega-3 fatty acids and encourage the public to look at walnuts as a healthy snack option. We can only do that if we use the best technology and techniques in our commitment to excellence,” Dunning added.
