HOB Co.,Ltd.
1382・Standard Market・Fishery, Agriculture & Forestry
Strawberry & Produce Business
HOVE's core segment providing year-round stable supply of domestically grown strawberries for commercial use
| Period | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net sales (9M FY2026, ending March 2026) | ¥1,772 million | ¥1,826 million (9M FY2025, ended June 2025) | ↓ |
| Operating profit (9M FY2026, ending March 2026) | ¥113 million | ¥152 million (9M FY2025, ended June 2025) | ↓ |
| Operating margin (9M FY2026, ending March 2026) | 6.4% | 8.3% (9M FY2025, ended June 2025) | ↓ |
| Net sales (full year FY2025, ended June 2025) | ¥2,154 million | — | — |
| Operating profit (full year FY2025, ended June 2025) | ¥158 million | — | — |
Business Details
The company sells its proprietary everbearing strawberry varieties "Natsumizuki" (Petika Honoka) and "Coa" (Petika Ever) during the summer-autumn season, and domestic forced-cultivation strawberries (Tochiotome, Beni-Hoppe, etc.) during the winter-spring season, supplying domestically grown strawberries for commercial use to confectionery makers and others on a 365-day basis. The segment also handles wholesale of imported strawberries and other fruits and vegetables. Major customers are Chateraise (18.1% of segment sales), the Mitsui & Co. distribution group (12.2%), and Towa Bussan (11.0%). This core business accounts for approximately 89% of consolidated group net sales.
Recent Overview
Extreme heat, supply shortages, and reduced purchase volumes from customers led to significant declines in both sales and profit year on year
In the nine months ended March 2026 (July 2025 to March 2026), record high temperatures in Hokkaido caused a sharp surge followed by a sharp decline in shipments of proprietary varieties along with quality deterioration; lingering summer heat and cloudy weather in Honshu delayed planting of forced-cultivation strawberries and caused nationwide shortages of commercial sizes; and from the new year onward, major customers reduced purchase volumes amid rising raw material costs and increased consumer thrift. As a result, net sales came to ¥1,772 million (down 3.0% year on year) and operating profit came to ¥113 million (down 25.5% year on year).
Key Products
Growth Drivers
- A year-round stable supply system for commercial-use domestic summer-autumn strawberries leveraging the superior flavor of the proprietary "Natsumizuki" variety
- Increased order volumes from existing customers (major confectionery makers such as Chateraise)
- Securing profits through planned procurement and supply during periods of market price surges
- High-quality long-distance distribution enabled by proprietary transport technologies such as single-layer tray soft packs and cool containers
- Improved profit margins through purchasing cost management
Risks
- Declining cultivation area for proprietary varieties due to aging producers (an ongoing issue in the main Hokkaido production area)
- Risk of sharp shipment surges followed by sharp declines and quality deterioration due to extreme heat and abnormal weather (materialized in 9M FY2026, ending March 2026)
- Risk of market price fluctuations for forced-cultivation strawberries (a factor squeezing profits for customers under fixed-price contracts)
- Reduction in strawberry purchase volumes by major customers amid rising raw material costs and increased consumer thrift
- Shrinking produce sales due to declining fruit usage among customers such as convenience stores
- Foreign exchange and rising import cost risk for imported strawberries (from the U.S.)
Last updated: September 24, 2025