Our Mission
Message from a Konnyaku Manufacturer
Message from KKI Inc.
- We want to help people worldwide from the viewpoint of promoting healthy living.
- We want to propose a bright future for the konnyaku industry.
- We want to make our members happy financially and emotionally.
I was born and raised as a child of a family operating a konnyaku shop. Since as far back as I can remember, my parents were always working hard. I grew up feeling that my parents took pride in their work.
Looking back, consumption of konnyaku in Japan had reached its peak just around the time when I took over the family-owned business 30 years ago. The consumption of konnyaku has dropped to one-third of the amount at its peak; more specifically, only one package of konnyaku is purchased by one family per month. The current konnyaku industry is stagnant and its mood is also stagnant.
Meanwhile, konnyaku was introduced to Japan from China in the Nara period (710 – 794) and it is recorded in a document that konnyaku was valued as a food item to be eaten by the nobles in the Heian period (794 – 1185). Moreover, it seems that konnyaku used to be a considerably familiar commodity in the Edo period (1603 – 1868) and onward. So much so that the famous Edo period haiku poet, Matsuo Basho, read a haiku about konnyaku.
In response to the current situation of konnyaku, I started to feel that my mission was to develop this traditional Japanese food into forms that would be appreciated by present-day people. Konnyaku is the only low-calorie, low-carb food that is also rich in fiber. Leveraging those great features, we developed Kanazawa Konnyaku Rice as a product that can be used conveniently. We are proud to introduce this painstakingly developed excellent product which can be used just like regular rice. We sincerely hope that you will give this product a try.
KKI Inc.
Shigeru Ohara