Using the power of design
to convey the appeal of a product

Why did you join Tomizawa Shouten ?

I decided to change jobs because I wanted to work in design in a field related to "food."

I was drawn to Tomizawa Shouten because I was interested in the fact that the products I was involved with would be sold both in physical stores and online, reaching customers, and I was also attracted to the fact that I could be involved in everything from design to "how to sell" the products. That's why I decided to join the company

The work I am currently doing

Currently, I mainly oversee the design of product packaging, and I am also in charge of planning in-store promotions and creating point-of-purchase (POP) displays

When I first joined the company, I was in charge of packaging in the product department, but later I became involved in store promotions, and now I belong to the store operations department and handle both store and product-related tasks

I'm involved from the planning stage of new products, designing everything from the packaging to how they're displayed in stores and promotional strategies. I
work closely with multiple departments, including the product development, retail, and systems departments, to ensure that the products' appeal is conveyed to customers to the fullest extent.

The interesting aspects of this job

The rewarding aspect of this job is being able to convey the appeal of a product through packaging, point-of-sale displays, and store layouts, and seeing that reflected in sales and customer reactions.
I feel great joy when I see a product that I've carefully designed, from concept development to design and sales strategy, on store shelves and being picked up by customers.

One of the initiatives that left a lasting impression on me was a project to revamp the way we sold our mixed flour.
By changing the packaging, which was similar to that of regular wheat flour, to a box with a photograph, we improved its visibility on the sales floor and it led to increased sales.

I find the most interesting aspect of this job to be that it involves not only designing the products but also considering how they will be displayed in the store

I think about it right up until the moment it hits the shelves

The power to bring things to fruition while involving stakeholders

My first assignment after joining the company was to review the labeling procedures for all our products

In the absence of a predecessor, I had to proceed by trial and error, from scheduling to coordination. This
project required decisions that went beyond simple design work, including not only visibility and information architecture, but also establishing rules for English notation and considering operational flows.

Through collaborating with many stakeholders, including the product department, retail department, and systems department, I realized that "good design cannot be created by one person alone."

Through this experience, I learned the importance of being able to involve stakeholders and move projects forward.
Even now, I approach my work by considering not only the design but also the sales floor and promotional strategies.

Things that feel typical of Tomizawa Shouten

The workplace has a calm atmosphere and an environment where communication is flat and open.
There are many female employees and part-time staff, and there is a gentle and cooperative culture.

Another characteristic is the close proximity to management and the speed of decision-making.
Working on the same floor provides many opportunities to be exposed to the management team's way of thinking.

Things I want to try in the future

Going forward, we aim to be a company that can convey the appeal of our products through both package design and sales promotion.
We want to create products that are loved by many people for a long time by pursuing designs that are more effective in communicating with customers, while also considering how they will be sold in stores