ITOCHU's livestock products strategy is to build a global livestock value chain. With the Asia market, especially Japan and China, positioned as our top priority on account of its massive populations and growth potential, we plan to pursue expansion of production capacity for livestock products originating in North America which is a key supply location.
Within this value chain, we will engage in the domestic import and export and third-country trading of livestock products and the business management of each supply location and processing and sales location, aiming to maximize earnings through the twin pillars of trading and business management.
Prima Meat Packers, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of ITOCHU, is the most important entity in this business. Trusted by consumers, Prima Meat Packers possesses meat product sales and livestock product manufacturing and sales capabilities and is involved in the development of hit products such as Koukun sausage and Salad Chicken. ITOCHU is working with Prima Meat Packers to expand the value chain, with Prima Meat Packers concluding various sub-license agreements with ITOCHU to ensure the stable supply of high quality raw materials, jointly developing a pork brand with HyLife Group Holdings (Hylife), which is an associated company of ITOCHU as well as Canada’s leading pork producer, accounting for the highest sales volume of Canadian chilled pork imported to Japan, and offering HyLife’s unique product varieties and mixing its own feed to expand sales of safe, high quality pork. We are also not focusing solely on trading but are steadily implementing measures to drive Prima Meat Packers' growth and enhancement of its corporate value in the medium and long term, including strengthening business management and overseas business through human resource exchanges.