[April Dream] A 78-Year-Old Established Company Challenges to Make Japanese Dashi a 'Global Health Infrastructure'. Aiming for 40 Billion Yen in Sales by 2035 with a 'Food OS' Update, Starting from Imperial Hotel, Backed by Osaka Top Runner Certification.

## Our company endorses April Dream, a project to make April 1st a day for companies to announce their dreams. This press release is Hamaya Katsuo Bushi's dream.

To Whom It May Concern,

April 1, 2026

Hamaya Katsuo Bushi Co., Ltd.

[April Dream] Japanese dashi to become a global health infrastructure. A 78-year-old traditional bonito flake company challenges to update its 'Food OS' to protect 'deliciousness until the end of life'.

Hamaya Katsuo Bushi Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Representative Director: Tadashi Kimura) endorses 'April Dream', a project that makes April 1st a day for companies to announce their dreams instead of telling lies, and declares its dream to protect the 'ability to eat' of seniors worldwide through Japanese dashi culture.

### ■ Our Dream: From 'Delicious' Dashi to 'World-Saving Technology'

The 'dashi culture' that Japanese people have inherited for hundreds of years is not just a seasoning; it is a 'compass for life' that regulates our mind and body. We will evolve this traditional dashi into a 'global health infrastructure' that solves the 'loss of joy in eating' faced by seniors around the world.

### ■ Background: The Preciousness of 'Ability to Eat' Seen Through Over 1000 Food Education Activities

Since inheriting the family business of bonito flakes, Representative Director Tadashi Kimura has conducted over 1000 'food education activities' across the country. Children's eyes sparkle at the aroma of freshly shaved bonito flakes, and seniors' expressions soften after a sip of dashi. Through these interactions, he keenly felt the truth that 'the ability to eat is life itself'.

However, in today's super-aging society, many people worldwide are losing the 'joy of eating' just before the onset of dysphagia. Based on the belief that 'dreams make someone smile', we are challenging the following three innovations:

## 1. 'Dashi is a Drinkable Technology': Scientifically Proving Saliva Secretion

Through joint research with university professors, we will build evidence that the aroma of 100% plant-based MAGIDASHI promotes saliva secretion and improves appetite. We propose a new concept of care that contributes to improving dry mouth and preventing dementia worldwide.

## 2. World's First Intervention in 'Pre-Swallowing Care'

Instead of dealing with disabilities after they occur, we intervene at the pre-stage to protect the ability to eat independently. We will elevate the 'original experience of deliciousness' cultivated through 1000 food education sessions into 'maintenance of eating ability' based on medical evidence.

## 3. 'Dashi of Peace': One Table, One World, One Planet

Utilizing the latest food tech, our '100% plant-based' dashi transcends the barriers of religion, culture, and import restrictions. We aim for a future where vegans and halal consumers alike can smile together at the same table.

## ■ What is MAGIDASHI: Updating Tradition to a 'Food OS'

'MAGIDASHI' is an innovative product that reproduces the 'golden ratio of blended dashi' held by a 78-year-old established company, using the latest plant-based technology.

- Satisfaction exceeding the real thing: Achieves the 'rich umami' and 'fragrant aroma' characteristic of real bonito flakes without using any animal ingredients. It has already been adopted by over 80 companies, including first-class hotels and famous restaurants.
- Future-oriented fabless network: Without owning its own factories, the company rapidly deploys intellectual property (recipes) and core ingredients globally. This model, where bottling is done by local partner infrastructure, will enable simultaneous global rollout starting in 2026.

## ■ 'Strongest Lineup' and 'Solid Steps' Backing the Realization

This dream is no longer a pipe dream. It is already moving forward as the budding of a national-scale project.

- Osaka Top Runner Certification: On March 25, 2026, it was officially adopted in Osaka City's 'Osaka Top Runner Incubation Project'. With social trust and strong backing, we will accelerate our global challenge.
- Declaration at Imperial Hotel: On March 27, 2026, at the 'Noare Kitchen Alliance' held at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, we declared our unity with top leaders from various industries. We have initiated a 'food transformation' through co-creation.

### ■ Message from Representative Director Tadashi Kimura

'Great things happen easily.' Through over 1000 food education activities, I have personally felt the power of dashi. Our narrative, having sincerely faced dashi for about 80 years since our founding, has now been updated to an adventure to save the world. To protect tradition is to continue to change. We are earnestly creating a future where Japanese dashi saves the future of seniors worldwide and envelops dining tables around the globe with its warm aroma.

### [About Hamaya Katsuo Bushi Co., Ltd.]

Founded in 1948. Based in Osaka, it manufactures traditional katsuobushi (bonito flakes), dashi katsuobushi, dashi packs, etc. Currently, through the 'MAGIDASHI' project, the company aims to build a 'Food OS' platform with 1% global market share and 40 billion yen in sales by 2035. We are confident that our challenge will one day be featured in programs like 'Jounetsu Tairiku', 'Professional Shigoto no Ryuugi', or 'Gaia no Yoake' as a story of Japanese tradition saving the world. With that conviction, we continue to install dashi into the world, one step at a time, today.

URL: https://magidashi.com/

'April Dream' is a PR TIMES project where companies announce their genuine dreams they wish to achieve on April 1st, instead of simply telling lies.