NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. (President: Satoshi Horikiri), has acquired a stake in SECAI MARCHE Inc. (President: Shusaku Hayakawa, Ami Sugiyama), which has developed an e-commerce (EC) platform business for fresh produce directly shipped from production sites in the ASEAN region, as an investment for the NX Global Innovation Fund, and concluded a capital and business alliance agreement on October 8.
■ Profile of SECAI MARCHE
SECAI MARCHE Inc., founded in Japan in 2018, operates SECAI MARCHE, a fresh produce e-commerce platform for hotels, restaurants, cafes, and other businesses in the ASEAN region that directly connects producers and consumers. The company utilizes its own cold-chain logistics network to ensure a stable supply of high-quality fresh produce produced in Japan and locally. Intent on building supply chains that enable sustainable growth for both producers and users, the company's mission is "Growth for Everyone - By connecting farmers & consumers, we're creating a more vibrant society for everyone in the world".
■ Investment background and objectives
Economic growth in the ASEAN region has expanded demand for high-quality fresh foodstuffs, especially in urban areas. In responding to these changes in the market environment, it is essential to maintain freshness and develop efficient logistics systems, and SECAI MARCHE has established a system that benefits both producers and restaurants by building integrated cold chains from production sites to consumption sites and significantly reducing food waste rates.
The Japanese government has also set a goal of increasing exports of agricultural, forestry, and marine products as well as foodstuffs to five trillion yen by 2030, so higher demand for Japanese products in overseas markets is anticipated.
The NX Group is working to enhance its corporate value and resolve social issues to realize its long-term vision of becoming "a logistics company with a strong presence in the global market". This investment will enable the NX Group to boost its presence in the fast-growing ASEAN fresh produce distribution market through collaboration with SECAI MARCHE. Going forward, the NX Group aims to create new value by integrating new knowledge and human networks to expand its service lineup.
■ Initiatives
1. Strengthening End-to-End cold chains
The NX Group will enhance the End-to-End cold chain network directly linking production sites and consumption sites that constitutes one of SECAI MARCHE's strengths, and work with SECAI MARCHE to create new value that benefits both producers and consumers by leveraging its global expertise in transport efficiency, including trunk line transport from production areas in the Malaysian highlands to distribution centers in Kuala Lumpur, Milk run* pickups in Kuala Lumpur, and cross-border transport from inside and outside the ASEAN region.
2. Accelerating the flow of Japanese products into the ASEAN market
Linking the NX Group's fresh produce logistics network with SECAI MARCHE's sales platform will strengthen the system for delivering Japanese products to hotels and restaurants in the ASEAN region. By developing new transport materials based on the knowledge cultivated in Japan's in-market logistics and fresh produce exports, and by bringing greater quality and efficiency to the export of Japanese products, the NX Group will help expand overseas sales channels for Japanese producers while contributing to SECAI MARCHE's business growth.
The NX Group will continue resolving social issues through business co-creation with startups in Japan and overseas, addressing food security in Japan, and working toward sustainable societies where all people can lead affluent and fulfilling lives.
■ Profile of investee company
| Company name | SECAI MARCHE Inc. |
| Location | 1F-3F, Spaces Otemachi Building, Otemachi 1-6-1 Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo |
| Established | July 2018 |
| Representative | Shusaku Hayakawa, Ami Sugiyama |
| Employees | 70 |
| Business outline | ・Developing the "SECAI MARCHE" EC platform for hotels and restaurants in Southeast Asia ・Providing its own fulfillment logistics platform for fresh produce originating from overseas and within ASEAN |
| Website | https://secai-marche.co.jp/ |
Milk run: an approach to procurement logistics in which a logistics provider travels to multiple parts manufacturers to collect parts
