A Business Born from Economic Crisis: Now a Mexican Snack Staple
Starting a business amidst sociopolitical challenges is difficult, but it also presents an opportunity for entrepreneurship and learning to make tough decisions to achieve success. This mindset gave birth to the Japanese peanuts, a famous Mexican snack.
Having a leadership and organization plan to adapt to changes is crucial to avoid falling behind, but according to the study “Leadership in Times of Crisis in Mexican Organizations” by Orduña Talent Services, 42% of companies lack such planning.
The Origin of Japanese Peanuts
The story of Japanese peanuts begins with Yoshigei Nakatani, a Japanese immigrant who arrived in Mexico at 22 years old, seeking better opportunities and promising his mother he would return when he succeeded. According to Discover Nikkei, this was his first job at a Japanese entrepreneur’s warehouse.
Most of the immigrants working there, including Yoshigei, began living in La Merced neighborhood in Mexico City. It was there that he met Emma Ávila, whom he fell in love with and married in 1935.
However, Japan’s attack on the United States in 1941 led to the closure of the warehouse where Yoshigei worked. Faced with this situation, he sought income sources to support his wife and five children, recalling his experience making candies from his home country.
This led to the project he created with his wife. They made muégano, which was successful, and they then tried frying a wheat-based snack with a touch of salt, also gaining popularity in the area. Despite their success, they attempted to create another snack: a peanut coated with rice and soy flour, common in Japan. However, lacking these ingredients in Mexico, they substituted with wheat flour.
As a result, the product gained much popularity in dulcerías in La Merced market. The name “Japanese peanuts” comes from people associating the snack with the family, often hearing phrases like “the Japanese peanuts,” so they decided to market it under this name.
3 Lessons from the Origin of Japanese Peanuts
The Japanese peanuts business was a huge success, and the Nakatani family had to expand their workspace and implement machines to increase production due to growing demand. Here are three lessons from the Japanese peanuts origin that you can apply when facing needs and crises:
- Act with Immediacy: Yoshigei Nakatani sought new opportunities despite his country’s situation and the warehouse closure. He utilized his candy-making experience to generate income.
- Don’t Fear Trying New Things: If things don’t go as planned, what should you do? In Yoshigei’s case, not finding original ingredients like wheat or soy flour, he searched and experimented with available ingredients.
- Learn to Delegate: A key factor in the Nakatani family’s success was each member contributing to growth. For example, the eldest son helped his father, the second daughter supported household chores and cared for younger siblings while parents produced and sold the product.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Yoshigei Nakatani? Yoshigei Nakatani was a Japanese immigrant who started the Japanese peanuts business in Mexico after his country’s situation and warehouse closure.
- Why are they called “Japanese peanuts”? The name comes from people associating the snack with the family, often hearing phrases like “the Japanese peanuts.”
- What lessons can be learned from this story? Act with immediacy, don’t fear trying new things, and learn to delegate for success in challenging times.
