The Okayama Workshop
With healthier bread,
Bringing smiles to people around the world
What is LiaisonProject What is LiaisonProject
The Beginning of the Liaison Project HISTORY
Project started at
as a way to "give back."
The Liaison Project was started by Tsunetaka Kawakami, President
of Okayama Kobo, Inc.
who received support from his mentor when he was 22 years old and was able to start his own business.
As a way to "return the favor", he wanted to offer his experience to the next generation.
Kawakami was able to repay in one year the 10 million yen he borrowed from his mentor at the time and
was able to run a thriving bakery .
During the bubble period, many people who wanted to start their own business visited Kawakami,
learning from his skills and management know-how, and
left the nest.
However, when the bubble burst and the economy worsened,
the number of aspirants declined, and Kawakami, who had made it his life's ambition to "return the favor" and support independence,
became distressed.
Gaining a new perspective on
called "From Craftsman Shopkeeper to Manager."
At that time, when
I was invited by my apprentice to visit a bakery in Germany,
I received a culture shock
from the fact that "managers do not make bread".
It was common for the manager to objectively observe the customer's movements,
steer the business, and
basically do no "work" .
This gave Kawakami a new perspective
"from artisan shopkeeper to manager"
.
In German bakeries,
one artisan was not in charge of everything, but rather
there was a "division of labor" for molding, baking, etc.
This allowed Kawakami to "quantify" the senses of the artisans,
create "recipes" for various breads,
open a fully manualized store
"Freshly Baked Bread Square Oyama Kobo Liaison"
and
develop it into a very prosperous store.
When you consulted
about opening a bakery,
offered two conditions
At the same time, when
an Italian restaurant owner who insisted on pesticide-free vegetables
consulted him about opening a bakery,
Kawakami handwrote a bread recipe and
an opening manual on a report form and
offered two conditions.
One was that instead of hiring a baker,
he would always hire an inexperienced baker to staff the bakery,
and the other was that he was busy producing
bakeries overseas,
and that the opening would happen
within one week of Kawakami being in Japan.
The certainty that "you can open a bakery in 5 days"
Since bakers are generally accustomed to dough made with foreign wheat and
additives, we thought
inexperienced bakers could more faithfully reproduce Kawakami's recipe
.
As a result, he was able to go from baking instruction to
opening in five days, creating a thriving restaurant .
This experience convinced Kawakami that even an inexperienced person can
open a bakery in 5 days, and he launched the
"Liaison Project".
Today, 380 bakeries across Japan have opened their doors through
the Liaison Project,
offering safe and secure bread.
Create
"Liaisons (connections)"
through bread
The Liaison Project is a project that paves the way to success for all
who want to open a bakery.
Our goal is to deliver safe and secure bread nationwide and
create "liaisons" (connections)
through bread.
9 Reasons Why Our Customers Choose Us
- 01
Safe and Reliable Real Bread
- 02
Freedom, not franchise
- 03
Can receive training and make a decision before signing a contract.
- 04
Bakery's largest community
- 05
Learn to bake bread in a very short time.
- 06
Opening Achievements
- 07
Managed the No. 1 selling directly managed store.
- 08
Overseas Achievements
- 09
Small scale allows for low initial investment.
01
The bread at "Okayama Kobo" is handmade using Hokkaido and Setouchi wheat and baked daily with no preservatives, yeast food, emulsifiers, or other additives, providing safe and secure bread. Even at our opening support stores, we ensure that our dough is 100% domestic wheat and additive-free, so children can eat our bread with peace of mind.
02
Liaison Project is an opening support business, not a franchise. Owners are free to use their own ideas, concepts, and perspectives in the creation of their stores. Product items, store name, logo, store design, business format, and business hours are all up to the owner.
03
The Liaison Project requires training for owners who are considering opening a business. This training enables them to directly experience the baking process and to form a realistic image of what it will be like after opening a bakery. If, as a result of the training, you feel that your vision of opening a bakery is different from ours, we will not ask you to sign a contract with us by force.
04
The Liaison Project offers a community called the "Thriving Bakery Network in Town. This is a bakery community in which stores that have opened through the Liaison Project participate. Regular study sessions are held to share the results of implementing measures among members, as well as to provide recipes and disclose sales information. This allows members to help each other and walk together toward success as bakers.
05
At Liaison Project, all baking techniques that bakers acquire through years of training by feel are quantified and converted into manuals. Therefore, even those who are new to baking can learn skills ranging from bakery management to bread-making in just five days of training.
06
The Liaison Project has helped open more than 380 bakeries worldwide. Our support extends not only domestically but also internationally. A wide variety of bakeries have been created through the Liaison Project, from individual operators to corporations.
07
Freshly Baked Bread Plaza Liaison is a directly managed store operated by Okayama Kobo, which has held the No. 1 sales position in Okayama for many years. There are many bakery consultants, but few have actual store management experience. Because we have a track record of running directly operated stores, we can offer concrete and realistic advice.
08
Liaison Project has supported and produced a total of 22 bakery openings around the world, including Southeast Asia, China, the United States, and Canada. In addition, there are two directly operated stores in the U.S., which have received high acclaim for their Japanese bakery style. Thus, one of Liaison Project's strengths is its support for opening bakeries overseas.
09
Liaison Project can meet a wide variety of needs, but is particularly strong in assisting small bakeries in opening their own bakery. For mini-bakeries, Liaison Project provides manuals with small-scale bakery equipment, thereby reducing the initial investment.
Liaison Project Services
Services 01
5-day training project
Can open a business in as little as 5 days
In a typical bakery store, more than 5 to 10 years of experience and proficiency are required to learn the techniques physically. On the other hand, in the Liaison Project, each process is learned from theory (logic) and manuals, not from sensory craftsmanship, so even inexperienced bakers can master the method of baking additive-free dough after 5 days of training. This enables even inexperienced bakers to master the process of baking additive-free dough after only five days of training.
Learn more
Services 02
Support for opening a business
Creating a store that makes your dreams come true
LIAISON PROJECT'S DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE OFFERS YOU FULL SUPPORT IN BRINGING YOUR VISION TO LIFE. WE ARE NOT A FRANCHISE, AND AS SUCH, WE RESPECT YOUR VISION FOR THE ENTIRE STORE, FROM THE SIZE OF THE STORE TO THE TARGET CUSTOMERS, DESIGN, AND POP. OUR SUPPORT IS NOT JUST ABOUT PASSING ON SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. WE WILL SUPPORT YOU THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS, FROM THE SPECIFICS OF THE STORE TO ITS OPERATION, WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.
Services 03
Peace of mind after opening! Follow-up Services
Connect with the bakery community at
"Thriving Bakery Network in Town"町の繁盛パン屋ネットワーク リエゾンプロジェクトでは、「町の繁盛パン屋ネットワーク」と称するコミュニティを提供しています。これは、リエゾンプロジェクトを通じて開業した店舗が参加するベーカリーコミュニティで、定期的な勉強会を開催し、会員間で施策の実践結果を共有するだけでなく、レシピの提供や売上情報の開示も行っています。これにより、会員同士が互いに助け合いながら、パン屋としての成功へと一緒に歩んでいくことができます。
Flow of Opening a Business
1 Free Information Session
First, please check out an overview of the Liaison Project at a free information session. These are held in Tokyo, Osaka, Okayama, and other locations throughout Japan. Tours of our training centers are also available.
(*currently being held online)2 5-day training
In our authentic bread baking training with 100% domestic barley and additive-free dough, our unique manual will enable anyone to bake delicious, authentic bread. After attending the training course, we will confirm your intention to open a business before signing a contract. There is no obligation to sign a contract.
3 Preparation for opening of business
物件探しをサポートし、弊社が立地調査を行った後、物件契約が完了したらリエゾンプロジェクトとの契約に進みます。契約後は、専任の開業支援トレーナーが担当し、店舗の図面確認や販売するパンの種類についての打ち合わせなど、開業に必要な準備をサポートします。
4 Support for opening a business
店舗が完成した後、開業支援トレーナーが店舗に訪れ、2日間の事前研修を実施します。オープン日を含めて3日間、仕込みから製造、売り場の運営に至るまでのフォローを行います。
5 Post-opening services
IF YOU JOIN THE MHPN, YOU WILL RECEIVE PRIORITY SUPPORT FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MANAGEMENT CLASSES, NEW RECIPES, AND THE SHARING OF PRACTICAL EXAMPLES.
-
Free Briefing Session Join us for a Free Briefing Session
- I want to open a bakery, but is the baking industry going to be okay?
- How much is the initial investment? How many square meters do I need to open a business?
- What is the difference between bread made with domestic wheat and additive-free dough and other breads?
- What will I learn in the baking training?
- Do bakeries actually make money?
まずはリエゾンプロジェクトの概要を、無料説明会でご確認ください。オンライン説明会が主体ですが、月に1回程度、東京で弊社代表の河上が直接説明会を実施しています。