Kaneei’s “spicy hot” series bring out the flavor of the material with a mild hot spice

As part of Kaneei’s popular series, a product was newly added that has a spicy hot taste, in addition to the delectable flavor that comes from fresh materials. The increasing popularity of this series is due to Kaneei’s unique spicy flavoring.

Taste and materials

The delicious taste of Kaneei’s food items has been unchanged since the disaster of March 2011 although they left from Japanese supermarkets located overseas. The company has been keeping Kaneei’s taste of tradition since its foundation.

Taste and materials

Equipment

Although their own equipment and manpower are still not up to normal levels, the company is producing 1,000 packs of processed fish everyday and delivering them to local stores and stores in adjacent prefectures.

Equipment

craftsmanship

“The change-up of spiciness is our winning pitch.”

Kaneei Abe Shouten Co., Ltd.  CEO: Michiyasu Abe

“There are people who will buy. That’s the greatest support for the heart.”

Mr. Michiyasu Abe, CEO of Kaneei Abe Shouten Co., Ltd., is the third-generation successor who inherited the position from his grandfather, the founder, and his father, the second-generation president.

The flagship products, “Sanma Karashi-zuke” and “Saba Chosen-fu Karashi-zuke,” have been preserved since the company’s establishment in 1927. These products, which offer the original deliciousness of fresh fish through sashimi or grilled with salt, have gained popularity in Kesennuma for their flavor enhanced by spiciness, and continue to be popular items.

However, challenges such as equipment in the factory and a shortage of labor persist, preventing full operation as in the past. Mr. Abe mentioned, “The production volume is about half of what it was before the disaster.” Nonetheless, they still ship about 1,000 packs daily. While before the disaster, Kaneei’s products were also sold in supermarkets in Hawaii, New York, Singapore, and Brazil, they now adorn the dining tables of households in the local Kesennuma, Sendai, Iwate, Akita, Fukushima, and nearby prefectures.

Mr. Abe admits that he is always concerned about the customers’ reactions when visiting supermarkets or other stores. He feels relieved when customers stop by the Kaneei products, pick them up, and place them in their shopping carts. He says, “It gives me a sense of encouragement to work harder. I am grateful for this.”

With their products being beloved for a long time, they have strong fans even in distant regions. Mr. Abe smiles as he talks about the brief exchanges with familiar customers who order directly by phone from the Kanto region, saying, “It’s a little moment of relaxation.”

“After broadening my horizons in various lands, I returned to the harbor where I belong.”

Born and raised in Kesennuma, Mr. Abe spent his high school years there before embarking on a journey to Kyoto for further education after graduation. He had always been interested in the Kansai region because of relatives in Osaka, and he had a natural curiosity and a desire to explore the cultures and customs of different places. Even during his university days, he joined a travel study group. Back then, trips to places like Okinawa, especially to islands other than the main island, were still rare. However, he managed to travel from Kagoshima, taking boats to Ishigaki Island and Taketomi Island.

After graduating from university in Kyoto, he found employment in Osaka, working for a company dealing with textile materials such as bag fabrics. Later, due to a job transfer, he began working in Tokyo, and five years had passed since his graduation. At the age of 27, his father, who was the president of the company at the time, called out to him, “Come back home.” Having ventured out and gained various experiences in different places, he was mentally prepared and resolved. “Alright, I’ll do my best in Kesennuma.”

“I want to spread this flavor even more. Throughout Japan,  and to the world.”

Returning to Kesennuma, Mr. Abe has taken on the family business while also serving as the chairman of the Kesennuma Junior Chamber International for 13 years, deepening his connections with the local community. Reflecting on the relationships and interactions he has built in various places over the years, he still considers them to be his greatest assets.

During the disaster, amidst communication breakdowns, he received words of encouragement from friends in Kansai who managed to locate his name through some means. Additionally, friends who were on business trips to Sendai also visited to offer their support.

Even during tough times, recalling the value of these connections helps him get through. Kaneei’s products once graced the shelves of supermarkets overseas. Hoping for such days to return, Mr. Abe says, “I don’t know how far we can go, but for now, I’m just doing my best.”

With dreams of venturing to unfamiliar lands deeply rooted within him since long ago, he wishes to expand those dreams further and deliver Kaneei’s products across Japan and to the world.