[TEALABO channel_41] "Ei for technology, Chiran for tradition, Kawanabe for management." Matsuzaki Seicha's survival strategy to protect employment - Mr. Masahiro Shimonomon, Matsuzaki Seicha -
"Tealabo Channel" is a project that visits the producers of "Chiran Tea," a brand of Kagoshima tea, to deliver their hidden thoughts to young people.
Japanese tea is produced in various regions across the country, and each region has different climates, varieties, and cultivation methods. It is because of these differences that "Chiran Tea" exists. We share the stories of the producers of Chiran Tea, which is characterized by its deep green color and sweetness brought about by its warm climate throughout the year.
For the 41st installment, we interviewed Mr. Masahiro Shimonomon of Matsuzaki Seicha.
Introduction
Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima Prefecture, is known as the number one tea-producing region in Japan. Did you know that the Chiran tea production area has three areas with different faces?
The "Ei area," known for its overwhelming technology and scale; the "Chiran area," which boasts a long history and brand power; and the "Kawanabe area," which pursues organic cultivation and efficient systems.
We are not just aiming to be tea farmers. We are constantly thinking about how to survive as a 'company' in this production area.
That is what Mr. Masahiro Shimonomon, Representative Director of Matsuzaki Seicha in the Kawanabe district, says calmly but powerfully. We approached his strategy and thoughts as he tries to rewrite the 'common sense of agriculture' by employing over 10 full-time staff and diversifying into vegetable cultivation.
From police officer to manager. A shift to 'business' viewed from a flat perspective
Mr. Shimonomon's journey began after he left his hometown once. He went from the local Kawanabe High School to the Faculty of Economics at Kagoshima International University, and the path he chose after graduation was, unexpectedly, life as a police officer in Kyoto.
Mr. Shimonomon was in a world completely unrelated to tea, but that experience was by no means a detour. The background to his decision to return to Kagoshima after a while was his own conviction that "If I am going to take over the family business, it is better to do it sooner rather than later," and above all, his gratitude to his grandparents who had believed in him and raised him with deep love since he was a child.
It has been about 15 years since he joined the family business. Mr. Shimonomon, who has worked hard on the front lines and built up trust step by step, took over the baton of Representative Director from his father about a year ago.
What Mr. Shimonomon has valued in taking the helm of management is "looking at things flatly" from a slightly detached position. The economic knowledge he learned at university and the objective perspective cultivated by learning various things from seniors in different industries became an important trigger for re-evaluating the family business as a single 'business'.
Also, his experience in Kendo, which he devoted himself to from elementary school to high school, is his backbone. The spirit of patience, etiquette, and mindset cultivated through rigorous training is loosely connected to his current attitude toward tea making, such as keeping the place clean before starting work.
Ei for technology, Chiran for tradition, and now 'Kawanabe for management'
Even within Minamikyushu City, the Kawanabe district is a 'late-harvest' area. By the time Kawanabe tea hits the market, when early-harvest regions are excited about the initial prices of new tea, the price has already settled down.
Mr. Shimonomon developed a unique strategy to break through this situation. In the first half of April, before his own tea could be picked, he utilized his company's factory, which was not yet in operation, to purchase raw leaves from tea farmers in early-harvest regions such as Ei and Chiran and began contract processing.
This move to increase factory utilization and compensate for the 'lateness' of the production area is a rare initiative even in Kawanabe.
If you think you can't win by fighting on the same playing field, you have to go somewhere else.
Mr. Shimonomon expressed the individuality of the production areas as 'Ei's technology,' 'Chiran's tradition,' and 'Kawanabe's management.' Because it is a late-harvest production area, he aims to build a structure that can be steadily passed on to the next generation without being swayed by market waves by thoroughly pursuing systemization and management efficiency.
'Without management, technology cannot be maintained.'Based on this strong belief inherited from his father, he supports the stability of the entire production area from Kawanabe. This is the survival strategy he has derived as 'Kawanabe for management'.
'Diversified agriculture' to protect employees' livelihoods. A form of year-round employment realized through vegetable cultivation.
What surprises visitors to the Matsuzaki Tea site is the large number of staff and their energy. While it is common in the tea industry to hire people only during busy seasons, Matsuzaki Tea employs over 10 full-time staff members year-round.
The biggest challenge was how to create work during the off-season when there is no tea. So, we took on the large-scale combination of rice cultivation and the growing of vegetables such as onions, broccoli, and cabbage.
This is not just a side business, but a form of responsibility as a manager to create a 'place where over 10 employees can work with peace of mind throughout the year'.
By effectively utilizing the fields in winter to create work, staff can lead stable lives throughout the year without the anxiety of having to take time off due to a lack of work.
It is my job as a manager to ensure that employees can work with peace of mind.
Mr. Shimonomon's desire is to welcome his colleagues not just as 'farm helpers,' but as professionals who support local agriculture.
The rich scenery where tea and vegetables grow together speaks more eloquently than anything else of the 'people-first agriculture' he has built.
On-site strength and management steering. The future of Chiran tea as envisioned by the 'happiness' of everyone involved.
Regarding his relationship with his father (the chairman), who still supports tea production on the front lines, Mr. Shimonomon speaks with deep respect.
I truly realize from the bottom of my heart that I will never be able to beat or match my father in terms of his skills as a craftsman and the experience he has accumulated.
He deeply respects his father, who possesses outstanding skills, and trusts him to handle the on-site work. Meanwhile, he focuses on steering the organization as a manager to determine where it should head. It is because of this division of roles that Matsuzaki Tea continues to evolve as an unshakable team.
There is one indicator that Mr. Shimonomon values most as a management professional. It is not just numbers, but the 'happiness' of the people involved.
My ultimate goal is to create a relationship where everyone involved with Matsuzaki Tea—the employees who work here, the producers who deliver the raw leaves, the families who support us, and the customers who pick up our tea—feels 'happy'.
Ei for technology, Chiran for tradition, and Kawanabe for management. By recognizing and complementing each other's strengths, the three production areas that support Chiran tea should make the future of the entire region even brighter.
As a leader and as a person carrying the future of the region, what Mr. Masahiro Shimonomon envisions is a future where the lives of everyone involved circulate and flourish through the single ray of light that is tea. A strong and warm organization that the next generation will naturally aspire to work for.
The new agricultural story woven by Matsuzaki Tea Factory will continue into the future, protecting the smiles of many people along the way.
☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
To purchase tea from Matsuzaki Tea FactoryClick here
[Profile]
Masahiro Shimonokado
Representative Director, Matsuzaki Tea Factory Co., Ltd.
Born in Kawanabe Town in 1987. After graduating from Kawanabe High School, he went on to Kagoshima International University. After graduation, he served in the Kyoto Prefectural Police before entering the farming industry. In recent years, he has been actively participating in the sales of company products and local event activities.
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