Shunsetsu Saveur

Shunsetsu Saveur is the food brand identity associated with Air Water Agriculture & Foods Inc. (エア・ウォーターアグリ&フーズ株式会社), a Japanese manufacturer and seller of frozen foods and processed meat products headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Water Inc., the industrial gas group, and forms the core of that group's agriculture and food business. Its product range covers ham and deli items, prepared side dishes (sōzai), frozen vegetables and other frozen foods, developed, imported, sourced, manufactured and sold both for business customers and for households. The brand's roots lie in the food division of Daido Hoxan, a predecessor of Air Water, which was spun off in 1995 as Kabushiki Kaisha Saveur. In 2002 the company took over the Hokkaido plant of the failed Snow Brand Foods and changed its name to Shunsetsu Saveur Co., Ltd. (春雪さぶーる株式会社). The name combines "Shunsetsu" (春雪, literally "spring snow") with "Saveur", the French word for flavour, used for its professional-use brand. Shunsetsu Saveur built a portfolio of brands: Saveur for business use, Shunsetsu for household products, and Sagami Ham and Daisen Ham for regional ham and deli lines. A large majority of sales come from business-use and OEM supply rather than consumer packaged goods, and the company is reported to account for roughly one third of Japan's domestic production of raw ham, making it a leader in that category. On 1 October 2021 Air Water reorganised its agriculture and food operations. The sales functions of Sagami Ham, Daisen Ham and Tomiichi were integrated into Shunsetsu Saveur, while its manufacturing functions were consolidated into Daisen Shunsetsu Saveur (renamed from Daisen Ham Factory on the same date). At the same time Shunsetsu Saveur changed its corporate name to Air Water Agriculture & Foods Inc. The registered head office was moved from Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo to Chuo Ward, Osaka, and the company now lists its main office and Kanto branch in Shinagawa, Tokyo, with branches in Hokkaido and Kansai and sales offices across Japan. As of 1 October 2025 it reported 694 employees including part-time staff, capital of 250 million yen, and 100% ownership by Air Water Inc., with Kenichi Matsumoto as representative director and president.

The business that became Shunsetsu Saveur traces back to the food operations of Daido Hoxan, itself descended from Hokkai Sanso (founded 1929), the industrial gas company that later became Air Water. In 1979 Hoxan began manufacturing and selling commercial frozen foods using liquid nitrogen technology. In 1995 Daido Hoxan spun off its food division as Kabushiki Kaisha Saveur. A decisive step came in 2002, when the company acquired the Hokkaido plant (now the Hayakita plant) of Snow Brand Foods, which had collapsed that year, and entered the ham and deli business. It simultaneously changed its name to Shunsetsu Saveur Co., Ltd. The revival of the Snow Brand Foods Hokkaido plant was featured in the TV Tokyo programme "Gaia no Yoake" in June 2002. Further consolidation followed within the Air Water group. In 2009 Sagami Ham Co., Ltd. (first generation) became a consolidated subsidiary of Air Water; in 2012 Shunsetsu Saveur absorbed Sagami Ham (first generation), and the subsidiary Sagami Ham Hanbai Co., Ltd. was renamed Sagami Ham Co., Ltd. (second generation). In 2016 Daisen Ham Co., Ltd. (first generation) became a consolidated subsidiary of Air Water, and in 2019 Shunsetsu Saveur absorbed Daisen Ham (first generation), establishing Daisen Ham Co., Ltd. (second generation) and Daisen Ham Factory Co., Ltd. On 1 October 2021 Air Water carried out a reorganisation of its agriculture and food businesses. The sales divisions of Sagami Ham, Daisen Ham and Tomiichi were integrated into Shunsetsu Saveur, while Shunsetsu Saveur's manufacturing division was integrated into Daisen Ham Factory, which was renamed Daisen Shunsetsu Saveur Co., Ltd. on the same date. Shunsetsu Saveur itself was renamed Air Water Agriculture & Foods Inc., and its registered head office was moved from Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo to Chuo Ward, Osaka. Today the company operates from a head office and Kanto branch in Shinagawa, Tokyo, with a Hokkaido branch in Chuo Ward, Sapporo and a Kansai branch in Chuo Ward, Osaka, plus sales offices in Asahikawa, Sendai, Nagoya, Nagoya-Nishi, San'in (Yonago), Hiroshima and Fukuoka. Its subsidiary is Daisen Shunsetsu Saveur Co., Ltd. in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture. The company reported 694 employees including part-time staff as of 1 October 2025, capital of 250 million yen, and 100% ownership by Air Water Inc.

• 2025

  Reported 694 employees including part-time staff as of 1 October 2025.

• 2021

  Renamed Air Water Agriculture & Foods Inc.; registered head office moved from Sapporo to Osaka; group agriculture and food businesses reorganised.

• 2019

  Absorbs Daisen Ham (first generation); establishes Daisen Ham Co., Ltd. (second generation) and Daisen Ham Factory Co., Ltd.

• 2016

  Daisen Ham Co., Ltd. (first generation) becomes a consolidated subsidiary of Air Water.

• 2012

  Absorbs Sagami Ham (first generation); Sagami Ham Hanbai renamed Sagami Ham Co., Ltd. (second generation).

• 2009

  Sagami Ham Co., Ltd. (first generation) becomes a consolidated subsidiary of Air Water.

• 2002

  Acquires Snow Brand Foods Hokkaido plant and changes name to Shunsetsu Saveur Co., Ltd.

• 1995

  Food division of Daido Hoxan spun off as Kabushiki Kaisha Saveur.

• 1979

  Hoxan begins manufacturing and selling commercial frozen foods using liquid nitrogen.

• 1929

  Hokkai Sanso Co., Ltd. (predecessor of Air Water) founded.

Business-to-business and OEM-focused food manufacturer and brand portfolio, with a leading share of Japanese raw ham production and a household presence through Shunsetsu, Sagami Ham and Daisen Ham.

• Saveur

  Professional-use brand for ham, deli and frozen food products; 'saveur' means flavour in French.

• Shunsetsu

  Household brand for consumer food products.

• Sagami Ham

  Regional ham and deli brand integrated into the company's sales operations.

• Daisen Ham

  Regional ham and deli brand integrated into the company's sales operations.

1. 1ホーム | エア・ウォーターアグリ＆フーズ株式会社agri-foods.awi.co.jp
2. 2会社情報 | エア・ウォーターアグリ＆フーズ株式会社agri-foods.awi.co.jp
3. 3会社概要 | 会社情報 | エア・ウォーターアグリ＆フーズ株式会社agri-foods.awi.co.jp
4. 4Shunsetsu Saveurwikidata.org
5. 5エア・ウォーターアグリ&フーズja.wikipedia.org