COMPANY
PROFILE
Making people
happy through
sweets
Craftsmanship passed from
generation to generation in
pursuit of deliciousness
“There is no final destination in the world of flavor.” This is one of the teachings that Edelweiss founder Tsuyoshi Hiyane learned during his training in Europe.
The artisans of Edelweiss carry on the founder’s passion for creating flavors that move people. By continuously refining their skills and sensibilities, they strive to deliver genuine deliciousness that brings happiness and smiles to all.
Creating distinct tastes by
crafting each flavor with heartfelt
care and mastery
Pursuing genuine deliciousness, no matter how much time and effort it takes
Artisans who constantly refine their skills and deepen their knowledge
To pursue true deliciousness, each artisan must not only continue to hone their craft, but also cultivate a fresh sensibility by enaging with global trends and new forms of expression.
Embodying the desire of each and every customer
We make thousands of sweets each day—but for each customer, it’s that one special piece. With each creation, we strive to give customers deliciousness and service that touch their hearts and create a lasting memory.
A heart-to-heart connection with customers
Our products are part of special moments—as gifts to loved ones on birthdays or other occasions, to share over tea, or as simple yet special treats.
We constantly ask ourselves: what inspires customers to choose our products?
In pursuit of the answer, our staff don’t simply follow the manual: they make each sweet a personal connection to each customer. This connection is the root of our desire to serve—and to move and delight.
Message
from the CEO
My father, Tsuyoshi Hiyane, founded Edelweiss in 1966 as a small shop on the edge of a shopping arcade. At a time when Western-style sweets were still relatively unknown in Japan, he was devoted to creating the ‘real thing.’ My father has since passed on, but his spirit—his DNA—continues to live on in our many skilled artisans.
Today, we face numerous challenes, from global cocoa supply issues to rising prices in Japan. Yet our commitment remains unchanged: to pursue genuine deliciousness and bring happiness to as many people as possible.
Representative Director and President, CEO Yoshiyuki Hiyane
History
Edelweiss began in 1966 as a small, approximately 23 m² shop in the Tachibana shopping arcade of Amagasaki.
Business was difficult in the early days; hardly any customers came. But through trial and error, the shop gradually took shape. In 1978, the Anténor brand was born, followed by Le bihan in 1982. In 1983, Edelweiss expanded into Tokyo. In 1990, we formed a business partnership with Wittamer, a long-established Belgian patisserie and chocolatier, and began expanding its stores nationwide.
This spirit of adventure has never ceased. Noix de beurre was launched in 2011 and Bicuiterie bretonne in 2012. Hibika, the final brand created under founder Tsuyoshi Hiyane, opened in 2017. While Edelweiss originally developed under the concept of ‘bringing authentic European confectionery to Japan,’ Hibika represents a new vision: a Japanese patisserie that stands proudly alongside Europe’s finest—making Western-style sweets that are uniquely Japanese.
CORPORATE
DATA
| Name | EDELWEISS Co.,Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Main office | 2-5-1 Sannomiyacho, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, 650-0021 |
| Establishment | March 1966 |
| Representative | Representative Director and President CEO Yoshiyuki Hiyane |
| Sales | Annual sales of 20.1 billion yen (fiscal year ending March 2025) |
| Numbers of shops | 79 stores |
| Number of employees | 2,324 employees (575 full-time employees) |
*As of June 1, 2025
SUSTAINABILITY
Museum
The Edelweiss Museum—
preserving the
history and
tradition of Western
confectioneries
Since our founding, we have collected around 3,000 valuable items—such as sweets-making tools and books—from Europe and around the world that tell the story of Western confectionery culture. These are exhibited and open to the public at the Edelweiss Museum.
Through sweets, we strive to enage with local communities, promote cultural exchange, and contribute to the preservation and development of food culture.
Cacao and
the environment
Promoting responsible sourcing
and supporting cacao producers
Creating our cakes is not just about taste but also about the journey that each ingredient takes to reach us.
For example, Noix de beurre cakes use fair-trade-certified Balangon bananas and muscovado sugar. Anténor cakes are made with chocolate certified under Cacao-Trace, a program created by Puratos that supports quality cacao cultivation, helps improve the livelihoods of cacao farmers around the world, and contributes to making the ultimate chocolate.
BRAND
ANTÉNOR
Founded in 1978 in Kobe’s Kitano district, Anténor was born from the passion of a single patissier who dreamed of creating the finest Western-style confectionery in Japan. Carefully selecting seasonal ingredients from Japan and around the world, we deliver freshly made cakes and baked sweets—crafted as much as possible right in our shop kitchens.
WITTAMER
Wittamer’s long, proud heritage goes back to its founding in 1910 in Brussels, Belgium. Its 1990 store opening in Osaka marked the company’s first overseas venture.
Wittamer continues to bring customers the same authentic deliciousness that has been cherished for over a century.
LE BIHAN
Le bihan began in 1913 as a traditional boulangerie in Saint-Brieuc, a town blessed with a mild climate and bountiful nature on the Atlantic coast of Brittany, northwestern France.
We offer a wide-ranging lineup, from traditional Breton breads made with carefully selected ingredients such as flour and yeast, to new breads created to complement Japan’s diverse food culture.
noix de beurre
Our patissiers want customers to know what ‘delicious’ really means. Driven by our desire to stay true to the origins of flavor, each confection is meticulously hand-crafted and baked fresh every day.
Biscuiterie
Bretonne
A specialty confectionery inspired by traditional baked sweets from Brittany, France. From galettes bretonnes and gâteaux nantais to kouign-amann, local Breton pastries fill customers with delight, the blissful aroma of rich butter in every bite.
HIBIKA
Offering Western-style confections that reflect the beauty and sensibility of Japan. Enjoy Hibika’s seasonal sweets crafted to capture the essence of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Murir
’Milk chocolate for grown-ups’ is the concept behind this original milk chocolate brand. Blending delicate, yet full-flavored free-range Meadow milk with Ecuadorian cacao beans renowned for their floral aroma, each bite delivers a moment of calm and comfort.