COMPANY HISTORY

Shonosuke Ogura establishes Ogura Pharmaceutical Factory in Toyosaki, Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka City. The company begins manufacturing various industrial chemicals and reagents.

Begins production of dessicated tartar for the first time in Japan. At the same time, various tin compounds are manufactured, including tin chloride.

Successful industrial production of tartaric acid.

Spun off tartaric acid and tartaric acid manufacturing division. Showa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is established in Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, as a joint venture with Miki Shoten Co.

Ogura Pharmaceutical Factory and Toyosaki Factory moved to Juhachi-cho, Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka (former Mikuni Factory). Meanwhile, Showa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. begins production of citric acid.

Begins production of lactic acid at Showa Pharmaceutical Co.

Ogura Seiyakujo, an unlimited partnership, reorganized as Ogura Pharmaceutical Co.

Ogura Seiyaku merges with Showa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and changes its name to Showa Kako Co.

Eiko Dyestuffs Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is established to produce synthetic dyes and tar intermediates.

Merged with Eiko Dye Manufacturing Co.

Ltd. (now Satsuma Kako Co., Ltd.) for the production of citric acid by a new fermentation method.

Kyushu Kako Co., Ltd. is established to expand the citric acid business.

Showa Hakko Co., Ltd. is established (now S.K. Bio Co., Ltd.) to expand citric acid production.

Started production of naphthol primers.

Constructed a multi-purpose experimental plant, now the 1st Multi Plant, at the Suita Plant to accommodate new product development.

JV, Amika Factory, is established in Shanghai, China.
Began production of various intermediates.

Established ASIA CITRIXCITRIX (ACXACX), a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation, in Thailand to produce citric acid. (Sales ended in 2008)

Showa Enterprises becomes a holding company and absorbs each group company under its umbrella.

The first multi-purpose plant is constructed at the Mikuni Factory.
Participates in industry, government, and academia, with a focus on Osaka Prefecture University, as a deputy representative.

The database, "SME Attractiveness Discovery Report," is a database created by the National Federation of Small Business Associations and the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan, to introduce Japan's powerful small and medium-sized enterprises.
A new departure as the Showa Kako Group (Showa Enterprise, Showa Kako, Kyushu Kako, Satsuma Kako, Eskay Bio and Sanwa Yuko).

An application for approval of a business advancement plan through the promotion of corporate location, etc., was submitted, and the plan was found to be in conformity with the basic plan for the formation of industrial clusters in northern Osaka, which had been agreed upon by the government.

Group company Sanwa Yuko is merged into Showa Kako and its division is liquidated.
Merged Eskay Bio into Kyushu Kako and continued as a shiitake mushroom division.

Established a local subsidiary in New Delhi, India.
Focusing on food safety, the company obtained ISO 22000 certification.

Established a local subsidiary in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Ikaruga Dairy, a long-established dairy company in Osaka, becomes a subsidiary of the Company.

Established Samurai Dairy Products Pvt Ltd. in India. Established the company.
Established a local subsidiary in Maputo, Mozambique (to be closed in March 2020).
Obtained Halal certification. Acquired the Privacy Mark.

Acquires 100% of the shares of Ikaruga Dairy.
Merged with Ogra Sangyo (real estate business).

Murakami Shokusoku joins our company.

Wine Studio Aizu joins our company.
Kyushu Kako Co., Ltd. completes conversion of Satsuma Kako Co., Ltd. into a wholly owned subsidiary.

Completed a high-purity liquid plant to handle increased production of semiconductor-related products.
Completion of new Tokyo branch office building.

All group companies under the Showa Kako umbrella were merged to form a new company, Showa Kako Co.

Established to produce citric acid from sweet potato starch lees using a solid culture fermentation method developed by the Kagoshima Prefectural Industrial Research Institute.

Full-scale production of citric acid begins.

Production of sodium citrate started

Production of monosodium citrate begins.

Started shochu waste liquid treatment business

Started full-scale plant business

Built new plant for fermented acidulant solution

New departure as Showa Group (Showa Enterprise, Showa Kako, Kyushu Kako, Satsuma Kako, Eskay Bio, Sanwa Yuko)

Built new liquid fermentation plant

On April 1, 2025, Showa Kako merged with its parent company, Showa Kako Co.

Kahei Uemura, who had immigrated to Canada at that time and was running a lumber business and wishing to develop industry in his hometown, established Uemura Chemical Corporation in Kaseda Uchiyamada (now Kaseda Uchiyamada, Minamisatsuma City) to commercialize the citric acid production method developed at the Kagoshima Prefectural Industrial Research Institute (now the Industrial Technology Center).

Technical and capital tie-up with Showa Kako Co., Ltd. and trade name changed to Shin Uemura Chemical Co.

Built a new fermentation and refining plant in Kawabata, Kaseda.

Obtained manufacturing approval for citric acid hydrate and sodium citrate hydrate (manufacturing only) from the Japanese Pharmacopoeia

The trade name is changed to Satsuma Kako Co.

Obtained a manufacturing license for anhydrous citric acid (for manufacturing only) from the Japanese Pharmacopoeia

Kawabata Plant changed to Head Office

Obtained a manufacturing license for potassium citrate (manufacturing only) outside the Japanese Pharmacopoeia

New start as Showa Group (Showa Enterprise, Showa Kako, Kyushu Kako (now Kanoya Plant), Satsuma Kako (now Minami-Satsuma Plant), S.K. Bio and Sanwa Yuko)

Ltd. will be merged into Showa Kako Co., Ltd. on April 1, 2025, with Showa Kako as the surviving company.

Takeshi Honda establishes Honda Winery Ltd. in Inawashiro-cho, Fukushima Prefecture. The company is renamed Wine Studio Aizu and begins operations as the second winery in the prefecture.

Studied basic brewing techniques in Canada (Vancouver).

Obtained a license to produce fruit wine.

Began brewing in glass barrels, a rarity in Japan, using imported concentrated fruit juice. Begins sales under the name "Aizu Brewing Wine.

Brewery is expanded, equipment and other facilities are installed, and full-scale brewing begins. Shifted to brewing with fruit grown in the prefecture. Begins outsourced brewing.

Conducted by the National Tax Administration, "Quality Examination of Alcoholic Beverages Produced by Licensees with Expiration Dates". Aiming to produce wines of stable quality in the following years and beyond.

Company name changed from Honda Winery Ltd. to Wine Studio Aizu Ltd.

The facility will serve as a research facility. (Experiments on techniques for extracting polyphenols and anthocyanins from lees and unrefined sake, etc.)

Showa Kako merges with Wine Kobo Aizu, Ltd. and becomes the Fruit Tree Research Institute, Sales Division, Sales Department, Showa Kako, Ltd. from April 2025.

Established as Mika Food Service in Takaida, Higashiosaka City.

Company name changed to Murakami Food Service Co.

Construction and operation of head office and plant begins at Shichikenya, Higashiosaka City.

Kawamata Plant established in Kawamata, Higashiosaka City.

New head office and plant established in Inadashinmachi, Higashiosaka City

Nara Plant established in Minami-Rokujo-cho, Tenri City

Started a new business, outsourced food service management.

Nara Plant was abolished and consolidated into the Head Office Plant.

(Suita City, Osaka Prefecture), a new start as a wholly owned subsidiary of Showa Kako Co.

Showa Kako Co., Ltd. absorbs Murakami Food Service Co.
In April 2025, became the Appetite Research Laboratory, Sales Division, Sales Department, Showa Kako Co.