Sales products:
Soy sauce, miso, dressings, sauces,
vinegars, raw soy sauce and miso bases,
kabosu citrus vinegar, meat sauces, noodle
sauces, yuzu citrus pepper paste, etc.
September, 1861: | Company founded in what is now Usuki City in Oita Prefecture as a manufacturer and seller of soy sauce and miso The company's first president was Kotegawa Kinjiro |
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June, 1931: | Company reorganized as Kotegawa Mercantile Store |
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May, 1939: | Company name changed to the registered trademark, "Fundokin" |
June, 1952: | Company reorganized as "Kotegawa Soy Sauce Company" with approximately 100 employees |
September, 1961: | 100-year anniversary of founding (30-year anniversary of establishment) |
January, 1967: | Company name changed to Fundokin Shoyu Co., Ltd. |
January, 1977: | The new factory of the Oita Soy Sauce Cooperative Company opens |
September, 1981: | 120-year anniversary of founding (50-year anniversary of establishment) |
July, 1986: | The new factory of the Oita Miso Cooperative Company opens |
September, 1991: | 130-year anniversary of founding (60-year anniversary of establishment) |
June, 1999: | New dressing factory opens |
March, 2000: | Actor Jean Reno appears in a Fundokin television commercial |
2001: | Fundokin is awarded an ACC gold medal at the 2000 ACC CM Festival (With an appearance by Jean Reno) |
September, 2001: | 140-year anniversary of founding (70-year anniversary of establishment) |
September, 2006: | 145-year anniversary of founding (75-year anniversary of establishment) |
April, 2007: | A wooden soy sauce barrel of Fundokin's is certified by Guinness as the world's largest |
May, 2010: | The Fundokin Ladies Cup women's golf tournament is held |
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September 2011: | 150-year anniversary of founding (80-year anniversary of establishment) |
October, 2013: | The Fundokin Ladies Step Up Tour of golf is held |
March 2015: | The "Fundokin FUN" commercial is featured at ADFEST (Asia Pacific Advertising Festival) Winner of Silver Medal in the Foods and Condiments Division |
June, 2015: | Winner of the 68th Dentsu Ad Awards Special Prize in the Corporate/Public Television division |
October, 2015: | Regional award winner at the 2015 ACC CM Festival |
2016: | 155-year anniversary of founding |
In Japanese, the word "fundo" refers to a lead or copper weight used with scales for weighing products. The company's first president, Kotegawa Kinjiro, added the "Kin" part of his name (which can be read as "metal" or "gold" in Japanese) to this to create the name "Fundokin". The mark is symmetrical, which symbolizes the company's attention to detail and the purity of their products, and embodies the management ethos of Kinjiro.
This trademark and the product name Fundokin were registered in May, 1939. In June, 1961, the logo was re-designed by the company's art director, Kawasaki Minsho, and this logo is still used to this day.