India, which is undergoing a hygiene transformation, is spreading products with Japanese quality.

India now has a population of over 1.3 billion people. It is said to overtake China within the next few years to become the world's largest. This is very attractive as a market, so KAI established “kai manufacturing India pvt. ltd. ” in 2012. After that, the division began developing new business opportunities. First, they created products that clearly meet the needs of India, while also introducing Japanese culture and quality.

Make in India,
sell in India and overseas

KAI established “kai manufacturing India pvt. ltd.” in 2012. With offices in Gurugram and plants in Neemrana, both are found in the Delhi metropolitan area. Rajesh U Pandya has been appointed as Managing Director. And the division now has three products: “KAI Hocho (knife)”, “KAI Tsumekiri (nail clipper)” and “KAI Kamisori (razor)”. Each product keeps its original Japanese name. “In India, even if the names were written in Japanese, it is indistinguishable from Chinese”, Managing Director Pandya explained. “Therefore, the names were written with English characters. But I would still like to sell Japanese culture by keeping the Japanese name as it is. And I want to infiltrate these words as general nouns into India. In particular, I see strong potential in “KAI Tsumekiri”. Because the culture includes a lot of finger food, the nails must be kept clean. I want to advocate a “one for each” lifestyle by promoting nail clippers same as toothbrushes and bath towels. This idea spreads the concept of health and beauty”.
To start out, KAI India is making and selling three products in India, developing into a market of 1.3 billion people. The company wants to contribute to the social improvement of India by creating jobs and promoting a society where women can be active. Furthermore, the possibilities for the future are still expanding, including sales channels in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Rajesh U Pandya MD／After working for over 30 years at companies like “Carrefour”, “KidZania” and “Gakken”, he became the Managing Director of “KAI Manufacturing India Pvt. Ltd.” in 2016. He likes design, art, and manufacturing.

The office, where about 30 employees are working, is on the top floor with a good view. In addition to this main floor, employees can use meeting rooms and a dining room.

Japanese corporate tradition
Carried out in India

(Above) Kai holds a meeting every morning, where all of the employees read the corporate credo in Japanese. (Lower right) Each conference room is named after a Japanese factory, such as “Tawara” and “Oyana”. The employee cafeteria is called “Shokudo”. (Left middle) Photos of Saijiro Endo I and Saijiro Endo II are displayed next to Managing Director Pandya’s desk. (Lower left) On the wall, the corporate credo, company song, and the KAI Group slogan (Obey / Break / Separate) are also posted.

If you gain knowledge of ingredients and study techniques,
Recipes will come naturally

“It’s important to know what effect the ingredients will have on your body. The chef must be responsible for it, in addition to making delicious food. As you deepen your knowledge, you will come to understand “locality”, meaning that good foods are grown according to the local climate. Similarly, seasonal foods help you get into good shape. These are the two most important factors for cooking and eating.”

“The knife is the most important. You can't borrow it. KAI knives are easy to use, because of their good balance of weight, not to mention sharpness,” says Manjit, who usually uses KAI knives.

Manjit Gill／Manjit Gill is the President of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations and the head chef of the luxury Hotels chain, “ITC Hotels” in India. He promotes traditional Indian cuisine. In recent years, efforts have been made to nurture the next generation and raise the level of Indian cuisine. Look for the trademark red turban.