Taichiro Morinaga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taichiro Morinaga
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| Born |
Taichiro Morinaga
1865 |
| Died | 1937 Japan
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| Nationality | Japanese |
| Education | no formal education |
| Known for | Founder, Morinaga and Co., philanthropist |
Taichiro Morinaga (1865–1937) was a Japanese businessman who loved helping people. He started a candy company called Morinaga & Co in 1899. This was Japan's first modern candy company. They were also the first to make lots of chocolate in Japan. Today, Morinaga & Co is famous for candies like Hi-Chew. But one of their very first products was the soft, fluffy marshmallow!
Contents
Early Life and Big Dreams
Taichiro Morinaga was born in 1865 on Kyushu island in Japan. He did not go to school formally. When he was young, his father passed away. He also grew apart from his mother's family.
A New Start in America
Later, Morinaga worked as a potter's helper. He then managed a store branch in Yokohama. But the store lost money because he was too kind to customers. Employees were responsible for such losses. So, Morinaga needed to find a way to pay back his boss.
At age 23, he moved to the United States. He opened a hardware store in San Francisco. Business was hard because of unfair treatment towards Asians. During this time, he also became a Christian.
Becoming Japan's Candy King
While in the United States, Morinaga tried candy for the first time. He found it delicious and exciting! He returned to Japan, but then went back to the U.S. again. He wanted to learn how to make candy.
Learning the Sweet Secrets
No one would hire him as a candy apprentice because of his race. So, he took a job as a janitor in a candy factory. This way, he could still learn about making sweets. Morinaga studied candy making in the U.S. for eleven years.
In 1899, he came back to Japan. He opened a candy shop in Tokyo. He called it "Morinaga Mill of Western-style Sweets." This shop later became Morinaga & Co.
Marshmallows and More
Japanese people in the U.S. told Morinaga they loved marshmallows. But marshmallows were not available in Japan. So, his very first product was marshmallows! He called them "angel food" because they were white and linked to his Christian faith.
He first sold fresh sweets from a cart. Then he started selling sweets that lasted longer. These were sold to other stores. At first, his candies were popular with wives of foreign officials. In 1905, he hired his friend Hanzaburo Matsuzaki to help sell the candies.
Growing the Candy Business
By 1909, the company started making candies in large amounts. They used a factory steam engine. Morinaga first thought Japanese people might not like milk and butter flavors. But his 10-cen milk caramels became very popular in 1914. These caramels were less buttery. They also did not melt as easily in Japan's hot weather.
Chocolate was known for being bitter in Japan. So, Morinaga sold milk chocolate. Ads said it was "On behalf of modern Japanese tastes." In 1918, his company was the first to make chocolate in large amounts in Japan. Besides caramels and chocolate, Morinaga also made biscuits and other milk products. He made many different products because Western-style sweets were still new in Japan.
Smart Ways to Sell Candy
Morinaga was very good at selling his products. In the 1920s, he changed how his candies were sold. He worked closely with stores to help them sell his products.
Special Stores and Clubs
Morinaga opened his own Western-style stores. These stores had display windows and soda fountains. Before World War II, he had 4,000 special stores. These stores sold only Morinaga products. They also sold them at set prices.
Morinaga also created a group for candy sellers. He showed them how to make modern display windows. He wanted to help the whole candy industry grow.
Fun Marketing Ideas
Morinaga had many creative ways to sell candy:
- He offered a special product only on the 1st and 15th of each month.
- He held a national art festival using candy wrappers.
- He had "special days" for stores in certain areas.
- He hired "Sweet Girls" to show off candies at events.
- He started the MB Club. Members paid a fee and got candy twice a month. They also got invited to special events. This was one of Japan's first club marketing programs!
These ideas helped Morinaga sell a lot of candy. After World War Two, he started "Morinaga Angel Stores" in 1949. These were stores that sold only Morinaga products.
Morinaga's Lasting Impact
Taichiro Morinaga was known for helping others. After the Great Kantō earthquake, he led rescue efforts. He gave sweets and milk products to people who lost their homes. He also donated money to buy rice for disaster victims.
In 1944, Morinaga's company worked with the Army Medical School of Japan. They were the first to make penicillin in Japan. Penicillin is an important medicine that fights infections.
