Tomonori Ikeda, Director and General Manager of Ham and Sausage Division, Marudai Foods Co., Ltd.

Connections with people are a force that expands your career.

Tomokatsu Ikeda, Director and General Manager of the Ham and Sausage Division, Marudai Foods Co., Ltd.

■ Profile
Born in 1971 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from the School of Human Sciences at Waseda University, he joined Marudai Foods in 1995, where he built his career in sales and purchasing for the meat business. In 2018, he was appointed Executive Officer and General Manager of Raw Materials, and subsequently served as General Manager of the Meat Business Division and Head of the Corporate Strategy Office before becoming Senior Executive Officer and General Manager of the Ham and Sausage Business Division in 2023. He assumed his current position in 2025.

Tomonori Ikeda, Director of Marudai Foods Co., Ltd., says that although he was engrossed in research during his university years, a chance encounter led him into the food industry. After gaining experience in sales, raw material procurement, and business strategy, he now oversees the organization as the head of business operations. We spoke with him about his career, which has been built on valuing human connections, the appeal of his company, his thoughts on his work, and his outlook for the future.

During my time at university, I took a class that had a profound impact on me. It was an "Environmental Studies" class that used the book "The Shifting Global Environment" as its subject matter. I wanted to learn more about the problems of the expanding ozone hole and global warming under the professor who taught that class. I was fortunate enough to be able to join his seminar, but the research lab's policy at the time was "men should seclude themselves in the mountains and study plant ecology," so I spent my days immersed in surveying and researching forests along mountain streams while assisting graduate students. While I was engrossed in my research, I suddenly found myself in the job hunting season. Because I had been so focused on my research, I hadn't made any special preparations. At that time, job hunting was a trial-and-error process, such as requesting company materials by postcard. I applied to various companies, but due to the job-hunting ice age and my lack of preparation, I didn't get any results. When I started interviewing mainly in the food industry, a friend happened to tell me about a company information session at Marudai Foods, and I applied and, luckily, received a job offer.
I was thinking of continuing to apply to other companies, but when I consulted my professor, he encouraged me, saying, "Marudai Foods is a big and good company. Don't be picky and get started on your graduation thesis!" So I decided to take the job. My friend and professor were instrumental in leading me to where I am today at Marudai Foods.

■Career path to current position

After joining the company as a new graduate, I was assigned to the sales department of the meat business. After working in sales for about eight years, I spent a long time at the head office, involved in purchasing raw materials for meat. I had many opportunities to use English in overseas business negotiations, but initially I could hardly speak it. Driven by the desire to communicate directly in my own words and to connect deeply with people from other countries, I relearned English. My interactions with people from various countries had a significant impact on my values ​​afterward.
After that, I served as the head of the Corporate Strategy Office for two years. When the policy of reducing CO2 (greenhouse gases) was announced as part of disclosing our sustainability initiatives, I felt that the logical thinking skills and knowledge of global warming that I cultivated during my university years were put to good use.
Currently, as the head of the ham and sausage business, I oversee four departments—production, sales, marketing, and logistics—and manage them to ensure the entire operation runs smoothly.

■ Company appeal

What I appreciate most about this company, having worked here for 30 years, is that there are many employees with good personalities, hard work is properly recognized, and there is a corporate culture that values ​​its people. In fact, many employees are dedicated to their work and steadily advancing their careers, making it a workplace where you can feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
Furthermore, the company has a system in place that makes it easy for women to work, and it is also easy to take childcare leave. Some employees are even raising five children while continuing to work here.
The greatest appeal of this company is the opportunity to directly bring joy to many customers through our products. It's truly rewarding when someone at an event tells us, "Your sausages are delicious. I always buy them."

■ A catalyst for differentiation and breakthrough

As a comprehensive food manufacturer, our strength lies in the wide range of our product lineup. The Marudai Foods Group as a whole has sales of approximately 2,400 billion yen, and in addition to ham and sausages, we offer a variety of products including processed foods such as retort pouches, meat, beverages, desserts, and pickled plums. You can almost certainly find products made by our group in supermarkets and convenience stores. The food industry is a difficult field to differentiate oneself in, but even within that field, we cherish "Marudai's unique style" and approach product development while keeping our corporate message, "It's okay to be mischievous. We want you to grow up strong," in mind.

There are two main reasons why our company has been able to grow so rapidly.
The first advantage is the existence of long-selling products such as smoked and aged sausages, sundubu (spicy tofu stew), chicken hamburgers, and fish sausage. We release new products in the spring and fall, but it's a tough world where only about 100 products survive, so having long-selling products is a huge strength.
The second is increasing brand awareness. We prioritize getting our customers to know about our products. In the past, we were famous through TV commercials, but recently we've been using social media and other media to promote the appeal of our products. One unique initiative is the "Fishman Brothers," the characters for our fish sausage. They were created 15 years ago, disappeared for a while, but have recently made a comeback and are now appearing on our product packaging. Please try to find them in stores (laughs).

■The ideal candidate profile and important factors for working here

Our company motto, as expressed in our corporate message, is "bright and energetic." Therefore, we want to work with people who have strong communication skills, a positive attitude, and a cheerful disposition. Furthermore, since we work as a team, we believe that cooperative and supportive individuals are also essential.
We are now in the age of AI, and I believe the role of white-collar workers will change. It is said that there will be a demand for "on-site x digital" personnel (so-called light blue-collar workers) who can utilize AI in their work. In such a rapidly changing era, people who have dreams and can take action are attractive. I believe that having the desire to "achieve something" is important for working.

■Future prospects and goals

My future goal is to increase the company's name recognition to the point where people immediately think of our products when they hear our company name. I also want to make our company an even better place for employees to feel that they are glad to work here.
The food industry is a diligent industry that steadily continues to produce goods, but it also retains some aspects of a Showa-era culture. For this reason, in recent years, our company has been working to create a flatter and more free corporate culture, including introducing business casual attire.

■Message to university students

I hope you'll cherish the experiences you can only have as a student. You'll meet many people through school, clubs, and part-time jobs. These encounters will become your network, which will eventually lead to opportunities in the future.
What becomes important once you enter the workforce is, without a doubt, "connections with people." Interacting with others broadens your perspective and can lead to unexpected job opportunities and career paths.
Furthermore, I hope you will try many things without fear of failure. As a student, you will have many opportunities to try new things, and those experiences will definitely contribute to your growth. By taking that first step yourself, you will surely discover new values ​​and possibilities.
I sincerely hope you enjoy your student life to the fullest and have a fulfilling experience!

Interview conducted by Student Newspaper Online on April 14, 2026: Kanna Tsuchiya, 2nd year student at Jissen Women's University

Reina Inomoto, 1st year student at Kyoto University of the Arts / Chiharu Yamada, 2nd year student at the University of Information Management and Innovation / Kanna Tsuchiya, 2nd year student at Jissen Women's University