Top Page > Corporate Information > History


Corporate Information  History

Aiming to be the Brand of Deliciousness Favored in Japan and Around the World

Yoshinoya Holdings Co., Ltd.

1899 The family-run store YOSHINOYA opens in the fish market in Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
1926 The store is relocated to Tsukiji because the fish market is relocated there after the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923).
1952 The store becomes well-known because it is open 24 hours a day. (This practice is discontinued when YOSHINOYA is established as a limited company.)
1958 Mizuho Matsuda succeeds his father as president and establishes YOSHINOYA Co., Ltd. with capital of ¥1 million in order to pursue the beef bowl restaurant business. (Dec. 27)
1966 The company raises the price of a beef bowl from ¥120 to ¥200.
1967 The menu is limited to beef bowls (regular, large), eggs, and pickles. (Beef bowls served at the Tsukiji Store were ¥250 because Japanese beef was used until around 1973.)
1971 The Sugito Processing and Distribution Center opens in Saitama Prefecture.
Computers (FACOM 230-15) are introduced.
24-hour operation starts at Shinbashi Branch.
1973 YOSHINOYA USA is established in Denver, Colorado, in order to procure beef.
The first franchise restaurant opens in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
1975 The first beef bowl restaurant opens in the U.S., in Denver.
1977 The number of restaurants in Japan reaches one-hundred.
YOSHINOYA WEST INC. is established in the U.S.
1980 YOSHINOYA files for corporate reorganization proceedings.
1983 The reorganization plan is approved. Saison Group invests in YOSHINOYA and YOSHINOYA relaunches its business operations with capital of ¥500 million.
1986 A pickle plant/distribution center opens in Saitama Prefecture in order to centralize production and distribution.
1987 Repayment of reorganization claims amounting to ¥10 billion is completed earlier than the initial plan.
YOSHINOYA Taiwan, a joint venture, is established.
1988 YOSHINOYA merges with D&C Co., Ltd., the operator of Dunkin Donuts Japan, and the corporate name is changed to YOSHINOYA D&C Co., Ltd.
1989 YOSHINOYA D&C upgrades its IT infrastructure, including the POS system, to promote computerization of its operations.
1990 YOSHINOYA D&C stock is approved by the Japan Securities Dealers Association for over-the-counter trading.
1991 The first YOSHINOYA restaurant opens in Hong Kong.
1992 The first YOSHINOYA restaurant opens in China, in Beijing.
"YOSHINOYA College," an international training center, opens in Los Angeles.
1994 A new Tokyo Plant opens in Otonecho, Saitama Prefecture.
1995 West Japan Distribution Center opens, integrating the former distribution centers in Osaka and Nagoya.
1996 The number of YOSHINOYA restaurants in Japan reaches 500.
1997 The first YOSHINOYA restaurant opens in Singapore.
The new dish "beef/salmon set meal" is introduced.
1998 YOSHINOYA D&C withdraws from the Dunkin Donuts business. Planned openings of YOSHINOYA restaurants in Japan are completed.
2000 YOSHINOYA D&C stock is listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
2001 YOSHINOYA D&C gains ISO14001 certification.
Curry store "Pot & Pot" becomes a separate company, Pot & Pot Co., Ltd. (company name changed to "SENKICHI CO., LTD." in 2007).
The price of regular beef bowl is reduced from ¥400 to ¥280 in light of changing market conditions.
The first YOSHINOYA restaurant opens in the Philippines.
The total number of YOSHINOYA restaurants in Japan and overseas reaches 1,000.
2002 YOSHINOYA restaurants open in New York and in Shanghai.
2003 YOSHINOYA AMERICA INC., a holding company, is established to run the U.S. business.
2004 MALAYSIA YOSHINOYA CO., LTD., starts operations. A ban on imports of U.S. beef to Japan causes a temporary suspension of gyudon sales.
The number of YOSHINOYA restaurants in Japan tops 1,000.
YOSHINOYA opens restaurants in Shenzhen, China, and Sydney, Australia.
2005 KYUSHU YOSHINOYA CO., LTD., becomes a consolidated subsidiary.
2006 Hanamaru INC., becomes a consolidated subsidiary.
Gyudon sales are relaunched in Japan upon the resumption of imports of US beef.
2007 Yoshinoya Co., Ltd. is established as an operating company by means of a split-off.
R-1 Co., Ltd. is established to start the ramen business.
Gyushige Dream System Co., Ltd. becomes an equity-method affiliate.
2008 Don Co., Ltd. becomes an equity-method affiliate.



Page Top