SY Food Co., Ltd. Representative Director Kumi Yamamoto

Together we will continue to protect Yamachan's growth and unique culture

Kumi Yamamoto, Representative Director, SY Food Co., Ltd.

■ Profile
1980: Enrolled in Moriyama Junior High School, Nagoya
　　　　He was a member of the basketball club and won the national championship for three years.
1986: Entered Aichi University of Education
1990: Became an elementary school teacher in Nagoya
　　　　As a coach of an elementary school boys' club team (mini-basketball), he won the national championship three times.
2000: Retired after getting married
　　　　Joined SY Food Co., Ltd. and became an executive officer
In August 2016, following the sudden death of her husband, former chairman Shigeo Yamamoto, she became the CEO of SY Foods Co., Ltd., a position she continues to hold to this day.

Kumi Yamamoto is the CEO of SY Foods, Inc., famous for "Sekai no Yamachan." Following the sudden death of her husband, the company's founder, Yamamoto suddenly went from being a full-time housewife to becoming a business owner. We spoke to her about her experiences as a student and elementary school teacher, as well as the appeal and transformation of Yamachan, which continues to grow even today.

Looking back on my school days, I attended a famous basketball powerhouse school in Nagoya in my junior high school days, and I decided to become a teacher because I admired my teacher. When I was troubled, my teacher would not force his adult ideas on me, but would listen to me until the end and then give me advice. I was so impressed by his attitude that I wanted to become a teacher like him.
I feel that my university life thereafter was not limited to studying, but also offered a wide range of experiences. As a student of the Department of Physical Education at the University of Education, I spent fulfilling days participating in club activities and working part-time. My team was in the first division league, and while I worked hard at practice, I also had the opportunity to interact with many people through part-time work at restaurants and as a private tutor. All of my experiences in different occupations were enjoyable, and I was able to find joy and learn something in each job.
After graduating from university, I decided to become an elementary school teacher. I believe that my experience as a school teacher helped me develop the ability to see people. While working as a teacher, I also taught basketball at a club team, where I felt the joy of discovering the individuality of each child. Each child has their own strengths, and bringing them out and bringing them together as a team was very rewarding for me, and I feel that this experience is useful in my current company management.
Modern society is full of stress, and even adults often suffer emotionally. If we can notice something unusual early, it will be easier to resolve. Although the subject is now adults, the focus is the same on observing people, and I feel that my experience as a teacher and in a club team is being put to good use.

■ Inheriting "Destiny"

After spending 16 years as a full-time housewife, I took over the company following my husband's sudden death. As he was the company's founder, he ran the business in a top-down style. After he passed away, the organization moved towards a vertical structure. I read many books, but I often felt a gap between what I read and the reality, so I ultimately decided to follow my husband's methods. At that time, I was desperately trying to overcome the crisis every day.
There was talk of M&A and other things, but what made me decide to take over was the newsletter "Tebasa-ki," which I had been running since my marriage. As I continued to write "Tebasa-ki," I was reminded of my gratitude to the company and its customers, and I felt it was my destiny to take over. I wasn't confident, but I resolved to grow together with the employees and protect the company.
In the few years since my husband passed away, the culture of helping each other has become even stronger. Previously, the Kanto and Nagoya areas were divided, and people in Kanto would often say things like, "Down with Nagoya!" But now, we speak directly at monthly general meetings, and we strive to foster a sense of "one team." As a result, the expressions on the employees' faces have changed, and I feel like there's a greater sense of unity within the company.

■Yama-chan continues to evolve

We are focusing on the "Yama" brand, which is based on the concept of a premium Yamachan. "Yama" was born from the desire to have customers enjoy Yamachan's signature product, the "Magical Chicken Wings," in a relaxing atmosphere.
When I proposed selling the secret chicken wings, which had previously been kept secret, as an external product, my husband still held his own, and there were many twists and turns along the way. He believed that the best way to enjoy the wings was freshly fried in the restaurant, and wanted customers to enjoy them at their most delicious, so he was reluctant to sell them frozen. However, I felt that the customers who buy frozen wings at the supermarket were different from the customers who visit our store. So we lifted the ban on the secret chicken wings and began selling microwaveable frozen versions of the secret chicken wings, as well as collaborating with Komeda's to sell chicken wings supervised by the chef. I also thought that selling them in supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide would help people who weren't familiar with Yama-chan learn about them and motivate them to visit our stores. Of course, there was opposition, but the COVID-19 pandemic spurred us to embark on this new challenge.
Before I took over the management, the store exteriors had a "red lantern" style, but now they are changing to a more casual style. The Shibuya Center Street store and Tennoji Mio store are particularly new challenges, using neon lights inside the store and continuing to make changes to attract young people and families to become Yama-chan fans.
In addition, we are creating our stores with the intention of being "ultimate independent stores" with different personalities for each store. We are working to create original menus and devise ways to make each store more enjoyable for our customers. Yamachan is also committed to the idea that "no matter what you eat, you can't go wrong." This is because we believe that no matter how delicious the chicken wings are, if there is even one thing that is not tasty, it will leave a bad impression.
Our future goals are to have 100 stores and to expand external sales. We are also considering opening new stores overseas and expanding external sales.

■Unchanging culture

While we are making numerous changes, we want to cherish the culture of Yamachan Worldwide. I had always thought of the "general meetings" where employees gather as being very formal, so at first I felt uncomfortable with the fact that laughter is always generated at Yamachan's general meetings. However, I now believe that this culture is something that we should cherish and protect. I also want to preserve a culture that embraces diversity. People tend to think that a restaurant is all about the manager, but there are people who are good at customer service and cooking, and there are also people who are less visible but quietly do the jobs that everyone else dislikes. A restaurant exists because of the many different people involved. Therefore, it is important to recognize that each person has an important role to play and to respect each other.
Also, our company has a theme of "Be a great eccentric," and we want to be cheerful, energetic, and try new things to keep changing.

■Message to university students

There are many crossroads in life, but I hope you will choose the difficult path rather than the easy one. I believe that the difficult path leads to self-growth and ultimately becomes a shortcut. From my own experience, I feel that the sayings of our ancestors, such as "The Lion's Cub" and "Let your beloved child travel," are truly true. I hope that you will continue to take on difficult challenges and grow while you are young and full of energy.

Student Newspaper Online, June 17, 2024, Interview by Mei Higashi, 3rd year student at Sophia University