Stafes

About Stafes

Star Festival Inc., established on July 7, 2009, operates as a pivotal entity in Japan's food delivery sector, providing a comprehensive support system for restaurants and food manufacturers entering the ready-to-eat meal market. The company's name is a nod to the Tanabata festival, reflecting its mission to fulfill wishes, which it launched to coincide with the festival date.

The company was founded by Yusuke Kishida, who serves as CEO. His entrepreneurial journey began in college, running a business from a rented karaoke bar. Later, while working at a trading company, he discovered the potential of the internet by selling discarded packing materials online. This led him to join Rakuten, Inc. in 2002, where he launched the "Rakuten Delivery" service. His experience broadened when he became a founding member of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles baseball team, contributing to its first-year profitability. In April 2009, he started his own venture, an online-only bento shop, which evolved into Star Festival Inc. a few months later.

Star Festival's business model is centered on managing the entire food service value chain except for the actual food preparation. This includes product development, sales promotion, order processing, delivery, and payment collection. The firm primarily serves corporate clients through its flagship platforms. One key service is "Gochikuru," an extensive online mall for bento and catering, offering a wide array of choices from budget-friendly meals to high-end cuisine from renowned restaurants. It is designed for various business occasions like meetings, training sessions, and events. Another major service is "Shashokuru," a delivery-based corporate cafeteria service that provides daily, varied lunch options to employees directly in their offices. This service addresses the needs of workers in busy office districts and can be used as a low-cost employee welfare benefit. The company has recently consolidated Shashokuru into a newer service called "GochikuruNow."

Revenue is generated through the sale of meals on its platforms. Star Festival also operates "Gochi-ad," an advertising business that leverages its delivery network for product sampling and promotions for food and beverage manufacturers. Furthermore, the company engages in regional revitalization projects by developing and promoting products that use local specialty goods. The company has achieved significant milestones, including nationwide service coverage across all 47 prefectures and numerous funding rounds from prominent investors like Kikkoman, JR East, and Mizuho Financial Group.