Mizkan: The Japanese Owner of Ragu, Bertolli, and Branston

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Millions of Americans pour Ragú on their pasta and millions of Britons spread Branston pickle on their sandwiches — with no idea that both brands are owned by a 220-year-old Japanese vinegar maker. Mizkan is the quiet Japanese giant that bought its way onto Western dinner tables.

From Edo-era vinegar to global condiments

Mizkan was founded in 1804 in Handa, near Nagoya, making rice vinegar — and its vinegar helped popularise sushi in the Edo period. Today it is a global condiments group (the privately held Mizkan Holdings), still a leader in Japanese vinegar, natto, and sauces. But facing a shrinking domestic market, Mizkan made a bold strategic choice: grow overseas, fast, by buying established Western brands.

Buying the Western pantry

Mizkan’s acquisition spree reshaped the company. In the UK it bought Branston pickle, Sarson’s vinegar, and Haywards. In 2014 it paid Unilever US$2.15 billion for the North American pasta-sauce brands Ragú and Bertolli, businesses with over $600m in annual sales. The effect was dramatic: Mizkan’s overseas share of sales jumped from around 30% to roughly 50%. Rather than slowly building Japanese brands abroad, Mizkan simply acquired the brands already in Western kitchens.

Why it matters for global partners and investors

• For producers, Mizkan is the case study in M&A-led globalization — buying distribution and shelf space instead of building it from scratch.
• For investors, it shows how a traditional Japanese maker can transform its growth profile by owning Western consumer brands.
• The watch item is integration and brand management across very different food cultures — vinegar in Japan, pasta sauce in America, pickle in Britain.

Frequently asked questions

What does Mizkan make?
Mizkan is a Japanese condiments company, originally a rice-vinegar maker founded in 1804. It produces vinegar, natto, and sauces in Japan, and owns Western brands including Ragú, Bertolli, Branston, and Sarson’s.

Does Mizkan really own Ragú?
Yes. Mizkan acquired the Ragú and Bertolli pasta-sauce brands in North America from Unilever for about $2.15 billion in 2014, along with UK brands like Branston and Sarson’s.

Why did Mizkan buy Western brands?
To grow overseas and offset a soft domestic market. Acquiring established Western brands gave Mizkan instant distribution and shelf space, lifting overseas sales to around half the total.

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