JR Shikoku - Relationship Fund
J. Marche, established by a fund fully funded by JR Shikoku, aims to solve regional industry challenges and foster growth, particularly in Shikoku's sweets sector, through capital alliances and business succession. It announces partnerships with two long-established sweets companies in Kagawa.
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 16:40
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 08:01
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The establishment of the "JR Shikoku Relationship Fund," fully funded by JR Shikoku and operated by Japan Private Equity Co., Ltd. (JPE), has led to the creation of J. Marche Co., Ltd. (J. Marche). J. Marche aims to lead the formation of alliances focused on co-creation, co-development, and co-prosperity within Shikoku's sweets industry. The initiative will foster loose, equal alliances through investment and business succession for regional industries and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The goal is to jointly solve challenges and achieve growth strategies for each company within the region and industry.
As a manifestation of this alliance concept, capital partnerships have been formed with two representative companies in Shikoku's and Kagawa's sweets industry: Chikiriya Co., Ltd. and Yumekobo Takara Co., Ltd.
■ Chikiriya Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, President: Koichiro Chigiraya)
Founded in 1948, it has a history of 78 years as the region's first Western confectionery store. It has expanded to include new formats such as the long-established bakery "Shunpudo" and Western confectionery store "La Famille," as well as new ventures like "Konpira Purin" and "Dogo Purin."
They deliver Western confectionery utilizing local ingredients to customers.
■ Yumekobo Takara Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Representative: Koji Hamada)
Founded in 1936 as "Takara Manju," it is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop with a history of 90 years. They deliver Japanese confectionery, including their signature product "Ichigo Daifuku," made with carefully selected ingredients and methods, which have been loved and cherished by customers for a long time.
JPE, through capital alliances via J. Marche, aims for the following:
(1) Through alliances (partnerships) based on strong "capital" ties, companies can engage in new challenges and growth strategies that go beyond their current capabilities or existing frameworks. We aim for companies to grow together while respecting their independence and maintaining loose connections.
(2) Each participating company in the alliance will continue to exist as an independent entity, preserving its brand, corporate culture, and employment. Meanwhile, J. Marche will act as a "leader," enabling companies to leverage each other's strengths and management resources, share management challenges and concerns, complement each other, solve problems, and grow together. For instance, J. Marche will serve as a "window" or "coordinator" to realize initiatives that are difficult to undertake alone or have been stalled, such as new store openings, talent acquisition, product development, inbound tourism support, sales channel expansion, and business format development.
(3) J. Marche is envisioned not only to support the growth of participating companies but also to partially undertake their "management" functions to help them transition from owner-centric management to small-scale "organizational management." This includes establishing systems for managing accounting, finance, HR, and labor relations. From a management perspective, J. Marche will enhance corporate value through activities like "formulating and executing management plans," "growth strategies via store openings and M&A," and "building internal systems for organizational management including finance, labor, and HR." From an on-site and practical perspective, J. Marche will support the transition to organizational management by streamlining daily operations and reducing burdens, such as "overall management and supervision of stores and staff," "efficiency and promotion of store operations," "talent recruitment, development, and training," and "customer satisfaction and service improvement."
Through the expansion of capital alliances by J. Marche, JPE aims to support the growth of excellent medium and small enterprises in Shikoku.
As a manifestation of this alliance concept, capital partnerships have been formed with two representative companies in Shikoku's and Kagawa's sweets industry: Chikiriya Co., Ltd. and Yumekobo Takara Co., Ltd.
■ Chikiriya Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, President: Koichiro Chigiraya)
Founded in 1948, it has a history of 78 years as the region's first Western confectionery store. It has expanded to include new formats such as the long-established bakery "Shunpudo" and Western confectionery store "La Famille," as well as new ventures like "Konpira Purin" and "Dogo Purin."
They deliver Western confectionery utilizing local ingredients to customers.
■ Yumekobo Takara Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Representative: Koji Hamada)
Founded in 1936 as "Takara Manju," it is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop with a history of 90 years. They deliver Japanese confectionery, including their signature product "Ichigo Daifuku," made with carefully selected ingredients and methods, which have been loved and cherished by customers for a long time.
JPE, through capital alliances via J. Marche, aims for the following:
(1) Through alliances (partnerships) based on strong "capital" ties, companies can engage in new challenges and growth strategies that go beyond their current capabilities or existing frameworks. We aim for companies to grow together while respecting their independence and maintaining loose connections.
(2) Each participating company in the alliance will continue to exist as an independent entity, preserving its brand, corporate culture, and employment. Meanwhile, J. Marche will act as a "leader," enabling companies to leverage each other's strengths and management resources, share management challenges and concerns, complement each other, solve problems, and grow together. For instance, J. Marche will serve as a "window" or "coordinator" to realize initiatives that are difficult to undertake alone or have been stalled, such as new store openings, talent acquisition, product development, inbound tourism support, sales channel expansion, and business format development.
(3) J. Marche is envisioned not only to support the growth of participating companies but also to partially undertake their "management" functions to help them transition from owner-centric management to small-scale "organizational management." This includes establishing systems for managing accounting, finance, HR, and labor relations. From a management perspective, J. Marche will enhance corporate value through activities like "formulating and executing management plans," "growth strategies via store openings and M&A," and "building internal systems for organizational management including finance, labor, and HR." From an on-site and practical perspective, J. Marche will support the transition to organizational management by streamlining daily operations and reducing burdens, such as "overall management and supervision of stores and staff," "efficiency and promotion of store operations," "talent recruitment, development, and training," and "customer satisfaction and service improvement."
Through the expansion of capital alliances by J. Marche, JPE aims to support the growth of excellent medium and small enterprises in Shikoku.