Portuguese tomatoes are at the heart of Kagome Foods Portugal’s connection with Japan, bringing the juices and flavors of Portuguese-grown tomatoes to consumers thousands of miles away.
The company combines the expertise of the Kagome Group with local agricultural knowledge and the growing conditions of Portugal to produce tomatoes prized for their sweetness and color, processing them into pastes, purees and sauces for juice, ketchup and pizza sauce. Kagome first became involved in Portuguese operations in 2007 and now fully owns two production facilities established in 1957 and 1965.
Kagome’s Portugal-based Agri-Research Center connects customer requirements with Portuguese agriculture, where tomato varieties must perform under local conditions and deliver consistent quality. Established in 2015, the center evaluates varieties and farming practices, complementing research in California and across the wider Kagome Group.
“The best tomato varieties have been selected after several years of trials under different weather and growing conditions; this is because the same tomato seeds don’t reach the same quality and quantity everywhere.”
Kagome Foods Portugal CEO Shugo Yuasa
“The best tomato varieties have been selected after several years of trials under different weather and growing conditions; this is because the same tomato seeds don’t reach the same quality and quantity everywhere,” CEO Shugo Yuasa said.
Productivity and disease resistance guide development alongside flavor and color. “We need at least three or four years before commercializing new seeds,” he said.
The research is supported by longstanding relationships with agricultural associations and 141 selected growers. Close cooperation with growers also helps optimize irrigation and fertilizer use. “Adding more fertilizer or more water doesn’t always improve yields. The necessary quantity at the right time is more important,” Yuasa said.
Kagome Foods Portugal’s vertical integration model manages the journey from seed to finished product and maintains high standards across production, quality, food safety, sustainability and research and development.
Close relationships with growers allow Kagome to combine local knowledge with its global experience, because the best products can only be made from the best raw materials.
