Draft:Bentō & Co
| Submission declined on 22 July 2025 by Moritoriko (talk). This submission does not appear to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. Entries should be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources. Please rewrite your submission in a more encyclopedic format. Please make sure to avoid peacock terms that promote the subject.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
Comment: Article feels more like a business write up than an encyclopaedia entry. Basically everything from Business Model down could be trimmed in half at least. Moritoriko (talk) 00:23, 22 July 2025 (UTC)
- Comment: It is quite unclear what the sources in cites 13–22 are. They are also throwing a lot of errors. DoubleGrazing (talk) 08:47, 6 July 2025 (UTC)
- Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. TBKy (talk) 08:09, 6 July 2025 (UTC)
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | E-commerce, Retail |
| Founded | November 23, 2008 |
| Founder | Thomas Bertrand |
| Headquarters | Kyoto, Japan |
Area served | 97+ countries worldwide |
| Products | Bentō boxes, Japanese kitchenware, food accessories |
| Website | bentoandco |
Bentō & Co is a Japanese e-commerce company specialising in traditional Japanese bentō lunch boxes and related kitchenware. Founded on November 23, 2008, by French entrepreneur Thomas Bertrand and based in Kyoto, the company has gained international recognition for promoting Japanese food culture through online retail, shipping to over 97 countries worldwide.[1]
History
[edit]Founding
[edit]Bentō & Co was founded on November 23, 2008, by Thomas Bertrand, a French entrepreneur living in Kyoto.[2] Bertrand, who had moved to Japan in 2003 to study at Kyoto University, launched the company with approximately 50,000 yen to purchase the first items for sale on the website, which initially featured 10 different products and was originally in French only. The business idea emerged during a phone conversation with his mother, who mentioned seeing bentō recipes in a French magazine.[3] The online store has operated on the Shopify platform since its launch.
The company's foundation was built on Bertrand's popular blog "La rivière aux canards," which he started in 2005 to document his experiences in Japan. The blog attracted 800-1,000 daily visitors interested in Japanese culture, providing an initial customer base for the new venture.[4] The company received its first order within two hours of launching the website.
Expansion and development
[edit]Bentō & Co was formally incorporated under Japanese law in February 2010 as Bertrand Co. with initial funding capital of 10 million yen.[5]
In April 2016, Bertrand launched Ship & Co, a shipping solution that grew from Bentō & Co's internal logistical needs into a standalone business serving 25+ countries.[6]
Business model
[edit]Bentō & Co operates as an online specialty retailer focusing on bento boxes and Japanese kitchenware, with international shipping to over 97 countries. The company's primary markets include France (approximately 40% of revenue), the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan.[7]
The company's product range includes:
- Traditional Japanese bentō lunch boxes
- Magewappa bent wood boxes crafted using 400-year-old techniques
- Japanese kitchenware and cooking accessories
- Furoshiki wrapping cloths
- Food storage and preparation items
Beyond retail sales, Bentō & Co operates wholesale operations serving retailers, hotels, and restaurants in 25+ countries. The company works with over 40 Japanese manufacturers, many of which don't export independently, serving as a bridge for traditional Japanese craftsmanship to reach international markets.
Cultural impact
[edit]Bentō & Co has contributed to the global recognition of Japanese bentō culture through various initiatives. The company organises an annual international bentō contest that has run for over nine years, with the 2017 edition featuring 172 participants from 28 countries.[8]
The company's mission statement, "Making Japan Closer," reflects its role in cultural export and education.
Strategic partnerships
[edit]Bentō & Co has established notable collaborations including partnerships with French pastry chef Pierre Hermé for exclusive bentō box designs, and officially licensed product lines with Toei Animation featuring Dragon Ball characters. The company also partnered with the popular YouTube channel "Cooking with Dog" for exclusive bentō box designs.[9]
The company maintains direct relationships with traditional Japanese craftsmen, particularly Hakoya (Tatsumiya Shiki) from Kaga, Ishikawa, where skilled artisans create bentō boxes using traditional shiki techniques including lacquerware and silk screen printing. These partnerships support traditional Japanese craftsmanship while making authentic products accessible to international markets.
Media coverage
[edit]Bentō & Co has been featured in numerous international publications and media outlets across multiple languages. The company was profiled in The New York Times in 2009,[10] and has been covered by The Japan Times in their "20 Questions" series,[11] and Nippon.com.[12]
Television coverage
[edit]Bertrand and Bentō & Co have appeared on major Japanese television programs, including NHK's popular lunch-themed program "サラメシ" (Sala-Meshi) in July 2012, which significantly boosted the company's profile among Japanese audiences. The company was featured on Fuji TV's "27時間テレビ" (27-Hour Television) in September 2018, and on NHK World's "Japanology Plus: Bentō" in January 2019.
Additional coverage includes BS Asahi's "Fresh Faces – アタラシイヒト" in November 2019,[13] , and TV Tokyo's documentary program "ワタシが日本に住む理由" ("Why I Live in Japan") in May 2025.[14]
International print coverage
[edit]The company has been featured in French business publications including Le Journal des Entreprises in 2019,[15] and Le Petit Journal in 2023.[16] Japanese business media coverage includes Karasuma Keizai Shimbun reporting on the company's physical store opening in 2012,[17] NewsPicks featuring the company's business model in 2018,[18] and Sankei Shimbun profiling Bertrand in 2021.[19]
The company has also been featured in lifestyle publications including Elle magazine's coverage of Bentō & Co's role in spreading bentō culture globally,[20] and Forbes' coverage of Kyoto startups.[21]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "About Bentō & Co - From Kyoto, Japan". Bento&co. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ O'Donoghue, J.J. (2016-05-28). "Thomas Bertrand: 'My passion for food makes me very curious'". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Thinking Out of the Box: French Retailer Selling "Bentō" Goods to Global Fans". Nippon.com. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Thinking Out of the Box: French Retailer Selling "Bentō" Goods to Global Fans". Nippon.com. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Thinking Out of the Box: French Retailer Selling "Bentō" Goods to Global Fans". Nippon.com. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Kyoto's Ship&co raises $920K to help more e-retailers easily ship and export goods". The Bridge. 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Thinking Out of the Box: French Retailer Selling "Bentō" Goods to Global Fans". Nippon.com. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ Storey, Samantha (2009-09-08). "Bento Boxes Win Lunch Fans". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ O'Donoghue, J.J. (2016-05-28). "Thomas Bertrand: 'My passion for food makes me very curious'". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ Storey, Samantha (2009-09-08). "Bento Boxes Win Lunch Fans". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ O'Donoghue, J.J. (2016-05-28). "Thomas Bertrand: 'My passion for food makes me very curious'". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Thinking Out of the Box: French Retailer Selling "Bentō" Goods to Global Fans". Nippon.com. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Fresh Faces – アタラシイヒト Episode #239". BS Asahi. 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "ワタシが日本に住む理由【『お弁当箱専門店』が大人気？フランス流！京都ビジネス】". TV Tokyo. 2025-05-10. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Un Stéphanois empereur de la boîte à bento au Japon". Le Journal des Entreprises – Auvergne Rhône-Alpes. 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ IngMAN, Steen (2023-06-03). "Bento&co, Ship&co : entreprendre à Kyoto". Le Petit Journal. Tokyo. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "京都・寺町六角に『弁当箱』専門店－フランス人オーナーが出店". Karasuma Keizai Shimbun. 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "弁当箱で2億円を稼ぐ。京都発『ベントーイノベーション』". NewsPicks Japan. 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Ｂｅｎｔｏに魅せられて ベルトラン・トマ ＢＥＲＴＲＡＮＤ（ベルトラン）代表". Sankei Shimbun. 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ ""BENTO"文化を京都から世界へ". Elle Japan. 2014-02-04. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ "Successful Startups Prove Traditional Kyoto Culture Can Power Innovation". Forbes. 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
External links
[edit]```