Segment Overview

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, net sales increased 16.5% year on year to ¥350,665 million gross profit increased 5.6% year on year to ¥119,941 million, and Operating income decreased 12.5% year on year to ¥37,945 million. 

Takara Shuzo gave the highest priority to supplying safe and secure products as a food manufacturer and focused on improving the product mix by developing new products with differentiation points that are supported by consumers and by nurturing high-profit products. In response to soaring raw material and energy prices, Takara Shuzo has committed to thorough cost reductions and efficiency improvement, as well as maintaining and improving profit margins by revising product prices.

The segment’s sales and other information are as shown below.
 

In shochu, sales decreased due to a decline in sales of large-volume products of ko-type shochu. In sake, although sales of Sho Chiku Bai Gokai and Sho Chiku Bai Subaru increased, sales of such products as Sho Chiku Bai Ten decreased, resulting in a decline in overall sales. In light-alcohol refreshers, sales grew as sales of Takara Shochu Highball, which is positioned as a key brand, continued to increase, and Takara Dry Zero Ball also increased. In seasonings, sales increased due to an increase in sales of alcohol-based seasonings, including Hon Mirin, and an increase in sales of food seasonings. In raw alcohol, etc., sales also increased. 

As a result, net sales for Takara Shuzo increased 0.7% year on year to ¥123,786 million. Cost of sales decreased 1.7% year on year ¥92,057 million, and gross profit increased 8.4% year on year to ¥31,728 million. As SG&A expenses increased 7.5% year on year to ¥26,225 million due to an increase in strategically used advertising expenses, operating income increased 12.5% year on year to ¥5,503 million.
 

The Takara Shuzo International Group engages in the Overseas Alcoholic Beverages Business, which entails exports from Japan and the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in overseas locations, and the Japanese Food Wholesale Business in overseas markets, through which it sells Japanese food ingredients to Japanese food restaurants, retailers, etc. outside Japan. 

The segment’s sales and other information are as follows:

Overseas Alcoholic Beverages BusinessThe Overseas Alcoholic Beverages Business engaged in expanding exports mainly by launching sales of TaKaRa Chu-Hi and sparkling sake Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura Mio NIGORI and CRISP exclusively for the U.S. in cooperation with Takara Shuzo. These Can Chu-Hi products are exclusively for overseas markets and capture local needs. Regarding whiskey, sales of Blanton’s, the premium single-barrel bourbon, remained brisk. Sales of Overseas Alcoholic Beverages Business grew as sales of sake and other Japanese alcohol also increased.

Japanese Food Wholesale Business in overseas markets The Japanese Food Wholesale Business in overseas markets engaged in diversification of sales channels and expansion of the range of products handled, focusing on expanding business bases in the U.S. Sales in the Japanese Food Wholesale Business in overseas markets also grew as a result mainly of excellent performance by a company welcomed to the Group and efforts to develop a supply system.

As a result, net sales for the Takara Shuzo International Group increased 16.7% year on year to ¥160,427 million. Cost of sales increased 14.3% year on year to ¥108,711 million, and gross profit increased 22.0% year on year to ¥51,715 million. As SG&A expenses increased 24.9% year on year to ¥39,423 million due to an increase in personnel expenses and warehouse rent expenses, operating income increased 13.6% year on year to ¥12,291 million.

The Takara Bio Group is developing reagents/instruments that support research and development activities using biotechnology and providing them to biotech researchers around the world as such activities become increasingly widespread. Furthermore, we are developing CDMO business to support the development and manufacture of regenerative and cellular medicine and gene therapy, which have been actively developed by pharmaceutical companies in recent years. CDMO refers to the business of contracting out the processes of pharmaceuticals from formulation development to manufacturing, and the Takara Bio Group is focusing on the field of gene therapy drugs, etc. In addition, in the gene therapy business, the Takara Bio Group is working to maximize the value of our proprietary platform technology for biologics discovery by manufacturing and selling manufacturing aids for gene therapy products, creating new modalities (therapeutic means), and advancing new clinical development projects. 

Net sales in this segment decreased as sales of testing-related products declined due to changes in the legal categorization of COVID-19 and there was a slump in the life sciences research market.
 

As a result, net sales for the Takara Bio Group decreased 44.3% year on year to \43,505 million. Cost of sales decreased 50.3% year on year to ¥16,597 million, and gross profit decreased 39.9% year on year to ¥26,908 million. SG&A expenses were down 1.3% year on year to ¥23,905 million primarily due to decreases in R&D expenses. Operating income decreased 85.4% year on year to ¥3,003 million.