Two brothers helped turn the family business that was struggling into the world's most recognized company

Young children, Kuni and Tomo Hijikata knew that their family's business was one worth fighting for. The company was established through the Hijikata family from Nagoya, Japan back in 1936. The Hijikata family's casting iron was famous for its precision. The company was founded at the dawn of years of the aughts, it was uncertain about its future. Being the heirs to the business that had been in operation for a long time, Kuni and Tomo knew they were accountable to ensure that their cast iron casting skills.

In the early days when the brothers were working at Toyota the Toyota Tsusho factory in Japan. Toyota Tsusho but they were in a position to design and manufacture cast iron cookware that could be passed down through generations. So, the brothers quit working full time to be completely focused on the preservation of their family-owned business. They were trained in the lowest levels of the foundry as artisans , and by the time they reached the year 2010, Vermicular began to take shape. Their first iron cast was put into the marketplace, and it sold so fast that they had to create an additional fifteen months of backorders fueled mostly by enthusiastic word of mouth.

10 years on, Vermicular is now a decade years old. Vermicular team is aiming for expanding globally, and is currently selling their items to U.S., China, as well as further. To make it easier to communicate the benefits of their equipment for cooking to countries outside that of the U.S. which are not currently accessible, Vermicular has invested heavily into creating video to promote their products. "Without the videos we'd be difficult time expanding our services," says Mark Hayashi, Vermicular's Head of the U.S. Office. We spoke with Kuni, Tomo, and Mark to get a better knowledge of the Vermicular's strategy for expanding internationally via video. Check out their video as well as read the entire interview here.

"We frequently think of that the videos we create are being part of the product's brand or image. Videos have always proven to be more effective when compared to writing. This is particularly true for cooking." Mark Hayashi, Vermicular's Head of U.S. Office

HTML0 What inspired you to come up with this concept?

Tomo: "I thought that we could make use of our knowledge in casting iron to make enameled cast iron pots which include lids precisely sized. However, there was no precedent for this type of method in Japan. We knew we'd have to develop it independently.

In order to learn all that was possible, Kuni and I took some time to sit on the ground at the bottom of the casting facility. Kuni was an experienced craftsman in casting and I was an exact machine operator. It took us three years and 10,000 times , before we could come up with an idea that was able to meet our objectives."

Did you follow the steps to establish the brand you own and identity in Japan?

Mark: "Brand storytelling has always been at the core of our communication and marketing strategies. Stories about our unique heritage and commitment to excellence was an instant hit for our customers and helped us to connect with the public at a higher degree.

We started by brainstorming ideas for videos based on the purpose of our company. If we write a narrative on our brand's video or instructional videos, we make sure that the content reflects who we are. In the beginning, we did not focus too much on the sale in the short term, but rather, we focused on increasing the client's satisfaction in the long-term."

What's been your biggest challenge in the development of the Vermicular brand beyond Japan?

Mark: "Our biggest challenge was the communication barriers. When we started Vermicular in 2010 we've encountered a number of issues. The Vermicular brand was launched in 2010. The brand has developed an established name throughout Japan but none of it was transferable to other countries outside of Japan. What we managed to begin was to create the Vermicular brand by hand. This was quite a challenge and demanded lengthy preparatory work."

What was the very first location you made an investment to create your international brand?

     The content you've written for your business is stunning. What was the procedure that has led to this level of quality?

Mark: "We collaborated with an branding agency for the brand's video, and we were able devote a substantial period of time discussing the style and feel of the lighting , as in addition to the casting fashion and styling of food. Additionally, we took long periods of time working together to make video storyboards. They played a crucial role in the development of the project including the shooting days.

There are so many individuals that are involved in filming and there can be unexpected setbacks that lead to delay when the shoot begins. Making a well-constructed storyboard complete with clear shoot strategies can help set expectations, and guide everyone who are involved in the production to take the same route. Our storyboards not only provide an overview of the shooting but also helped us avoid problems with post-production. This is vital for small-scale companies with limited resources."

 What are you doing with the money you earn so you can continue to expand?

Mark: "Our hypothesis was the creation of a product-related video with a series of instructional videos that would allow our customers to take advantage of all the benefits of an induction cooker. As part of our mission, our aim doesn't stop when our customers make an order for the cooking appliances we sell.

Our goal is to ensure that the customers who purchase our cookware enjoy using Vermicular cookware to the fullest extent possible. Vermicular cookware to its maximum possible extent. It's clear that there is a benefit to these instructional videos since they help in the instruction of cookware users and assist shoppers have a better understanding of the capabilities of the cookware."

 Did video aid in naming Vermicular around the globe?

Mark: "Definitely! There's lots. Videos can be a part of our branding along with our products. Although we may not be the biggest spenders, however, we have plenty of time to determine the tone and style of the videos that can be most effective in telling our narrative. Visuals always work better over the written word which is especially true when it comes to cooking."

HTML0 What's the motivation why we place and upload your video?

Mark: "We prefer for many reasons, with the most important one being the ability to customize for videos to be included. An uncluttered and free of ads experience ensures seamless user experiences across the website and protects the brand's "touch and feel" image.

We can also share drafts to our teams in Japan as well as the U.S. and Japan, so it's easy to get feedback even though we're located 5,000 miles from each other."

What's next ? What's going to be next to Vermicular?

Kuni: "More interesting products are currently being created and we'll shortly be expanding the range of services we offer across each of and across the U.S. and across various Asian countries."

Mark: "We are currently creating our strategy for video content that ranges from branded videos featuring various chefs and producers as well as explainer and instructional videos that will evolve into important assets for us over the next few years."

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