Communicators of the food industry: What does the Food Marketing Department do?

Did you know that there is a department in SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP(SSUG) that handles various food-related projects? The branding for “bills”, an all-day dining restaurant from Sydney, Australia, led by restaurateur Bill Granger, is done by them!

In this article, we spoke with members of the Food Marketing Department, who are responsible for the branding of “bills.” Here is the interview with these two individuals who are tackling challenges in a global environment!

【Member Introduction】
Food Marketing Department　Nozomi Hoya / Haruna Hikawa

The projects of the Food Marketing Department

Nozomi：The Food Marketing Department mainly handles the branding, marketing, and PR for “bills.” We also direct the operations of bills Korea and collaborate with the SUNNY SIDE UP PR team to plan events together.

Haruna：The advantage of SSUG Food Marketing Department and SUNNY SIDE UP(SSU) PR team working together between each company is that we can swiftly implement ideas. We can make progress with our initiatives by getting real-time insights into the operations.

For example, we organized “Hanami at bills,” where we decorated each location with cherry blossoms and offered cherry blossom-themed drinks. This event was conceptualized based on the market data analyzed by the PR team, incorporating seasonality and trends. It received a lot of positive feedback from the media and customers.

Nozomi：In addition to tasks related to bills, the Food Marketing Department also provides branding support for other restaurants and food-related clients, including PR assistance.

（※1） Reference article

Introducing the menu loved by foreign customers at bills! “Hanami at bills” is also being held to enjoy the spring season🌸｜Report on the tasting event held for the inbound press
https://blog.ssu.co.jp/eng/blog/26312/

Job Role

Nozomi：We have been providing branding and PR support for food-related clients in the past, but starting from the last fiscal period, we have officially launched our consulting business. Our involvement varies depending on the project, but our achievements currently include proposing and managing concept cafe ideas of clients in cooperation with SSU, and providing support for the global expansion of Japan’s top tier restaurants.

Haruna：I work for the brand position for bills, where I collaborate with the PR team to propose strategies, support the renewal of the website, and assist the operations team with store management. I am involved in branding for the entire bills brand while bridging between Japan, Korea, and the UK. Despite only being with the company for a year, I have had the opportunity to travel to Sydney, London, Korea, Osaka and Fukuoka for coordination, proposals, and adjustments, often communicating in both English and Japanese and providing translation support as needed.

It’s delightful to see many people visiting bills Fukuoka.

Also, at bills Korea, I’m involved in assisting operations by considering things like “how to streamline the operational structure.”

Before joining the Food Marketing Department

Nozomi：I joined SSU as a new graduate and worked in PR for about five years. Given my previous overseas experience, I often handled PR for international luxury brands and hotels.

Later on, I had the opportunity to join the Food Marketing Department at SSUG. I had a desire to work overseas in the future, so I thought that being part of the Food Marketing Department, which frequently interacts with Bills’ home country of Australia, might offer opportunities for career development. This played a significant role in my decision.

Haruna：I joined the company as a new graduate in 2023, after my job search focused on opportunities with international firms or roles that required English proficiency. Interestingly,

I’ve been a big fan of bills since high school. So, the chance to work with a brand I love while using English motivated my decision to join. Now, I’m happy working with bills, enjoying what I do, and achieving my goals in my field.

Memorable Projects

Haruna：There are many, but one project that stands out is the “bills house Sake” project.

While SSU was handling the PR for “Toyo Bijin,” a sake brand produced by Sumikawa Sake Brewery in Yamaguchi Prefecture, they expressed a desire to expand overseas. As a result, the idea of collaborating with our own brand bills emerged, leading to the start of this project.

At bills in Surry Hills, Sydney

Snapshot during the training in London.

bills prioritizes branding heavily, so for “bills house sake,” we worked with an exclusive overseas designer for the package design. We also conducted tasting sessions in Australia, the origin of bills. It was a global project that required approval from both the UK chef and the headquarters team.

The first-ever original house sake from bills, featuring a collaboration with “Toyo Bijin,” had its label designed by a designer from the headquarters.

Starting with all eight locations in Japan, the sake menus began in Australia and Korea from October this year. Seeing the project that started from scratch spread worldwide is truly moving.

Strengths of the Food Marketing Department

Nozomi：The clients we support with branding and marketing often face challenges related to attracting customers and selecting the right locations for their stores. Since we have been responsible for everything from the opening of bills to PR and marketing, we can leverage our expertise to assist clients effectively. I believe that’s one of our strengths.

Haruna：Additionally, with our experience in expanding to places like bills Korea, we have insights not only into PR targeting Japanese media but also for international PR. This diverse expertise and experience add to our appeal.

Nozomi：The bills business uses the advantage of the company’s open office layout, allowing the operations team and PR team to work closely together when needed. This close collaboration provides unique insights into the restaurant’s activities, which I find fascinating.

One of the appealing aspects is being in a position to oversee the entire flow, not just “branding” or “operations”. Also, the enjoyment of tasting delicious food as part of the job is a point that cannot be overlooked and adds to the fun.

From time to time, we ask for ideas internally in our group companies, and there have been occasions where these ideas have been put into action. Having team members with PR expertise who offer various ideas is a unique strength of the SSUG.

Haruna：For bills Korea, I’m also directly involved in operations. It’s enjoyable to apply the branding experience and the relationships built with team members from bills Japan to the operations of bills Korea. Recently, a manager from bills Japan traveled to bills Korea for training.

bills in Korea is operated under the supervision of the Japan office.

Working with many people and teams involved with bills both domestically and internationally, I think it’s a highly recommended environment for those interested in PR as well as food marketing business.

What kind of people are suitable for the Food Marketing Department?

Nozomi：I think those who want to take on challenges regardless of their experience or age are suitable.

Haruna：That’s why self-management is crucial. In a small team where individuals have a lot of freedom to make their own decisions, it’s important to gain trust from team members and take responsibility for one’s own work.

There are plenty of opportunities for those who want to take on challenges, so I would be happy to work with someone who wants to work hard and gain experience.

Future Plans

Nozomi：I want to be involved in communication not only aimed at overseas but also communication from overseas to Japan.

Haruna：Recently, we held the first event at bills Korea since its opening, and it made us realize that there’s more we can do with our Korean team. It was an event where we invited influencers, and we were pleasantly surprised by the unexpected media coverage from Korean media outlets. We were thrilled by the response. Moving forward, we want to focus more on PR for bills Korea.

How was it?
I hope we were able to convey the unique experiences and challenging environment that one can encounter in the Food Marketing Department. Ee look forward to receiving your application!