From a Small Greengrocer in Wakayama to a 100-Billion-Yen Company in 100 Years.

Our company endorses April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is a dream of "Hidacaya Co., Ltd."

Hidacaya Co., Ltd. (Head office: Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture; Representative Director: Shinji Kawabata), which operates supermarkets primarily in Wakayama Prefecture, celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2026. At this milestone, we have drawn up a grand roadmap for our 100th anniversary, 20 years from now.

It is to expand the circle of "deliciousness" and "enjoyment" from Wakayama to Osaka, and then nationwide, evolving into a "food platform" with sales of 100 billion yen. This long-established company, led by a third-generation president who started as an engineer, will realize a future that energizes the region and all of Japan by fusing technology with the passion of artisans. https://hidacaya.co.jp/

1. Our Dream: From the "Aspiration" of 1946 to "100 Billion Yen" in 2046 In 1946, in the black market of Arochi, Wakayama City, shortly after the war, Hidacaya's history began with a single greengrocer. The founder's pure desire to "deliver delicious food to the local people" still flows at our core 80 years later.

Our dream is to further scale up this aspiration. We declare that by our 100th anniversary in 2046, we will achieve sales of 100 billion yen and become Japan's number one community-based company, where people say, "This town is vibrant because Hidacaya is here."

2. Milestones Towards the Dream: The Path Opened by the "Offensive" in Fiscal Year 2025 This dream is by no means a pipe dream. In fiscal year 2025, we took a firm step towards realizing our dream.

"From Wakayama to Osaka": The first opening of the urban mini-supermarket "Hidaca" in Osaka City. This proved that local "connoisseurship" is enthusiastically supported even in urban areas.

"Fusion of Analog and Digital": Establishment of a data management foundation through the integration of POS systems across all stores. We maximized the "freshness" and "deliciousness" of fresh produce through efficiency driven by IT.

3. Excitement at Japanese Dining Tables through DX of "Deliciousness" What we aim for is not merely an expansion of scale.

Culmination of the Hybrid Model: Achieving both "affordability" through efficiency and "specialty store quality deliciousness" backed by 80 years of history.

Food Platform: Through our wholesale and external sales business "Wakayama Bussan," we will become a bridge to deliver Wakayama's rich ingredients nationwide and to the world.

Growth Centered on "People": The 20-billion-yen and then 100-billion-yen system will be supported by the power of "people" who utilize technology while staying close to customers.

4. Message from Representative Director Shinji Kawabata "I studied AI in graduate school and started my career as a system engineer. What I became convinced of after taking over the family business is that 'the value of a supermarket lies in the excitement that only people can create.' IT is a tool for humans to be more human, to serve customers with sincerity. By combining the pride of a long-established company with the latest technology, we will create a 'Hidacaya' that can be proud to the world in 20 years."

About Hidacaya Co., Ltd.

1. Performance Highlights In fiscal year 2025, the company's total sales reached approximately 12.5 billion yen, a 109% increase year-on-year (based on preliminary figures). In particular, the deli and non-fresh food divisions grew significantly by capturing convenience needs, and the three fresh food divisions (produce, meat, and fish) also showed signs of recovery through enhanced freshness and price appeal.

2. Key Initiatives We strengthened our foundation for the next generation through initiatives such as the opening of "Hidaca Kyobashi Coms Garden Store," our first store in Osaka City; the full-scale operation of "Hidacaya PC (Meat Process Center)" to provide high-quality products; and the establishment of a data management foundation through the integration of POS systems across all stores.

3. Hidacaya's Business Introduction "Deliciousness" and "Affordability" Hybrid Model Under the management philosophy of "The company that energizes everyone in the region the most in Japan with 'deliciousness' and 'enjoyment'," Hidacaya develops its unique business model.

Hybrid Supermarket This is a unique model that prioritizes efficiency to offer "affordability" overall, while meticulously pursuing "deliciousness" in certain areas through dedicated effort.

Urban Mini-Supermarket "Hidaca" Specializing in urban locations, it offers everything from fresh produce to deli items in highly efficient sales areas. We are focusing on this as a model case for multi-store expansion in the Osaka area.

Commitment to Fresh Produce and Deli Items We are promoting the development of high-value-added "meat deli items" that leverage our strengths as meat professionals, utilizing our process center.

4. Future Activity Policy Building the Foundation for a 20-Billion-Yen System Fiscal year 2026 is positioned as the year for building a strong foundation towards achieving our mid-term goal of "20 billion yen in sales."

Accelerating the Osaka Strategy Starting with "Hidaca," we aim to establish a network of 10 stores in the Osaka area by 2030.

Business Diversification In addition to store sales, we will fully launch the wholesale and external sales business through "Wakayama Bussan" from 2026, redesigning it as a pillar of revenue.

Proactive Investment in Human Resources We will strengthen the recruitment of executive and young talent to support the 20-billion-yen system and build an education system where individual growth directly contributes to company growth.

Hidacaya will continue to be an indispensable store rooted in the community, constantly providing value that exceeds customer expectations.

Contact for this matter: Hidacaya Co., Ltd. Public Relations Department 073-475-2231

Company Profile

80 years since its founding, innovating "deliciousness" and "enjoyment" from Wakayama. Hidacaya, which started as a greengrocer "Hidaka-ya" in Arochi, Wakayama City, shortly after the end of the war in 1946, celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2026. Under the management philosophy of "The company that energizes everyone in the region the most in Japan with 'deliciousness' and 'enjoyment'," it operates community-based supermarkets with a dominant presence primarily in Wakayama Prefecture.

Unique "Hybrid Model" Business Model It has built a unique hybrid model that thoroughly pursues efficiency to offer "affordability" while dedicating professional expertise and effort to fresh produce and deli departments to provide "surprising deliciousness." In 2025, it opened the urban mini-supermarket "Hidaca" in Osaka City, challenging the establishment of a new retail format that goes beyond the conventional regional supermarket framework.

Evolution into a Food Platform Beyond its retail business, it is accelerating its evolution into a "food platform" that integrates upstream to downstream, including the operation of its own meat processing center (process center) and the development, wholesale, and external sales of local products through "Wakayama Bussan Co., Ltd.," established in 2023.

Company Overview Company Name: Hidacaya Co., Ltd. Head Office Location: 127-5 Kuroda, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture Founded: 1946 (Showa 21) Established: 1965 (Showa 40) Representative: Shinji Kawabata, Representative Director and President Business Activities: Operation of supermarkets "Hidacaya" specializing in fresh food, urban mini-supermarkets "Hidaca," business supermarkets, and external sales/product development business.

Profile of Shinji Kawabata, Representative Director and President Shinji Kawabata Representative Director and President, Hidacaya Co., Ltd.

Born in Wakayama Prefecture in 1978. Graduated from Ritsumeikan University Graduate School. Majored in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in graduate school, and after graduation, worked as a system engineer at a system company in Tokyo. Engaged in financial-related systems, cultivating logical thinking and know-how in efficiency utilizing IT.

In 2007, at the age of 29, driven by the desire to "contribute to the region where I was born and raised," he returned home and joined Hidacaya Co., Ltd., founded by his grandfather and expanded by his father. He started as a fresh produce 담당 (person in charge), then became a buyer, senior managing director, and was appointed Representative Director and President in 2016.

Leveraging his experience as an engineer, he promotes operational efficiency and data management through IT introduction. At the same time, based on the belief that "the essence of a supermarket lies in deliciousness, reasonable prices, and excitement," he focuses on inheriting artisan skills and human resource development. From fiscal year 2025, he is leading the second founding of this traditional long-established company towards the vision of "100 billion yen in sales" by its 100th anniversary in 2046, including expansion into Osaka and the establishment of new centers.