Winners / Selection Rationale

2020 20th Porter Prize Winner

TORIDOLL Holdings Corporation

TORIDOLL Holdings’ Marugame Seimen Business Unit operates the Marugame Seimen restaurant chain, which specializes in freshly kneaded and boiled Sanuki udon noodles, served with tempura and other toppings. The company operates 862 outlets in Japan and 228 outlets overseas(*1)(as of October 2020, according to the company’s website). This self-service, cafeteria-style restaurant chain has created a new value proposition by combining:(1)an affordable price;(2)an authentic taste; and(3)speedy service.

Milbon Co., Ltd.

Milbon manufactures and sells salon-exclusive, professional-use haircare products, whose main value proposition is to assist salons in increasing revenue and profits. To help salons produce the top-notch service that their clientele has come to expect, Milbon features cutting-edge techniques employed only by top hair designers in its products and in its technology manuals. It also extends business support to hair salons, which includes holding technical demonstrations for hairstylists to teach advanced hair care techniques.

YOHO Brewing Company

YOHO Brewing, craft beer maker specializing in pale ales, does not sell lager beers, which is the most widespread beer product in the Japanese beer market. YOHO Brewing has successfully established itself as the sixth-largest beer company in Japan. Aiming to draw a strong emotional response from its customers, YOHO Brewing has developed a lineup of products with “personality.”

Rakuten Bank, Ltd.

Rakuten Bank is an online bank. This internet bank does not have any branches for face-to-face meetings or its own dedicated ATM network. As of March 31, 2020, Rakuten Bank’s total accounts came to 8.68 million, making it the largest online bank in Japan. The bank offers an extensive lineup of financial services, which include ordinary deposits, time deposits, foreign currency deposits, bank deposit transfers, withdrawals, transfers using instant messaging, home loans, credit card loans, and asset management tools. Rakuten Bank also provides a wide variety of other services.
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