Corporate History

From 1962 to 1999

April 1962	Our predecessor company, Kotobuki Foods Ltd. founded
July 1969	Restructured from a private limited company to a joint-stock company, Kotobuki Foods Co., Ltd.
July 1970	First "Skylark" restaurant (Kunitachi store) opened in Fuchu-shi, Tokyo
November 1974	Trade name changed from Kotobuki Foods Co., Ltd. to Skylark Co., Ltd.
December 1977	Central Kitchen Higashimatsuyama Factory (currently Higashimatsuyama Merchandising Center) established in Higashimatsuyama-shi, Saitama
July 1978	Registered as over-the-counter issues with Japan Securities Dealers Association
August 1979	First "Tomato and Onion" restaurant opened
December 1979	Kansai Distribution Center in Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo opened
April 1980	First "Jonathan" restaurant (Nerima Takamatsu store) opened
January 1982	First Taiwan FC opened as franchise (currently Taiwan Skylark Co., Ltd.)
August 1982	Listed in the second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
November 1983	First "Aiya" restaurant (Yono Bypass store) opened
June 1984	Designated to the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
October 1985	Subsidiary Japan Cargo Co., Ltd. founded
April 1986	First "Bamiyan" restaurant (Tsurukawa store) opens
March 1987	Kansai Factory (currently Nishinomiya Merchandising Center) established in Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo Prefecture
October 1987	Subsidiary company managing French cuisine restaurants, FLO Japon Co., Ltd. founded
December 1987	NILAX Inc. under joint venture with Shin-Nittetsu Group established
April 1988	Aiya Akishima Fresh Center (currently Akishima Merchandising Center) established in Akishima-shi, Tokyo
May 1988	Maebashi factory established in Maebashi-shi, Gunma Prefecture
May 1991	Bamiyan Fujioka factory (currently Fujioka Merchandising Center) established in Fujioka-shi, Gunma Prefecture
March 1992	First "Gusto" restaurant (Kodaira store) opens
May 1992	Shisuii factory (currently Shisui Merchandising Center) established in Inbagun, Chiba Prefecture
January 1994	First "Yumean" restaurant (Shinyurigaoka store) opens
March 1994	Kanagawa factory (currently Sagamihara Merchandising Center) established in Sagamiharashi, Kanagawa Prefecture
April 1998	Subsidiary company that manages store maintenance, Japan C&C Co., Ltd. (currently Skylark D&M Co., Ltd.) founded
June 1998	"Delivery Service" testing started in Gusto Kodaira Megurita restaurant
December 1998	First "Jyu-Jyu Karubi" restaurant (Itami Horiike store) openeds
June 1999	First "Totoyamichi" (Nerima Kasugacho store) opens

From 2000 to 2019

January 2001	First "S Gusto"(Akasaka store) opens
March 2001	First "Grazie Gardens"(Omiya Owada store) opens
May 2001	Gifu factory (currently Gifu Merchandising Center) established in Kanigun, Gifu Prefecture
November 2001	Kitakyushu factory (currently Kitakyushu Merchandising Center) established in Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture
December 2001	First "Gusto" restaurant opens in Okinawa (Gusto Naha Shintoshin store). The group succeeded in opening restaurants in all 47 prefectures in Japan
April 2003	NILAX Inc. made into wholly owned subsidiary
May 2003	Sendai factory (currently Sendai Merchandising Center) established in Kurokawagun, Miyagi Prefecture
November 2003	"Gusto" restaurant opens its 1,000th store in Teramachi, Hachioji, Tokyo
March 2006	Tomato and Associates Co., Ltd. became a subsidiary
June 2006	Takeover bid (MBO) for Skylark Co., Ltd. announced
September 2006	Skylark delisted from the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
May 2007	First "Syabu-Yo"(Yokohama store) opens
August 2008	Makoto Tani appointed President & Chief Executive Officer
October 2009	"Skylark" brand restaurants completely closed (Last restaurant to close: Kawaguchi Shingo store)
March 2010	First "Steak Gusto"(Yamato store) opens
October 2014	Skylark listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
March 2015	First "Musashino Mori Coffee"(Mutsukawa store) opens
April 2015	First "Miwami"restaurant (LaLaPort Fujimi store) opens
April 2015	First "chawan" restaurant opens in LaLaPort Tokyo Bay
May 2015	First "Syabu-Yo" restaurant opens in Taiwan
September 2015	First "Yumean Shokudo" restaurant (Chofu store) opens
January 2016	Shifted to Holding Company system
June 2016	First "Tonkaratei" restaurant (Souka Yanagishima store) opens
August 2016	First "Katsukyu" restaurant (Yamato Tsuruma store) opens
June 2017	First "La Ohana" restaurant (Yokohama Honmoku store) opens
October 2017	First "Karayoshi" restaurant (Saitama Saido store) opens
July 2018	Company name changed from Skylark Co., Ltd. to SKYLARK HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
July 2019	Stopped providing disposable plastic straws at all group restaurants
September 2019	All group restaurant premises became non-smoking

From 2020 to 2022

February 2020	Materials for take-out and delivery cutlery changed from petroleum-based plastic to biomass plastic
March 2020	Installation of digital menu books starts
July 2020	24-hour store operations at all stores ended as a part of Work Style Reform
August 2020	First shabu-shabu restaurant "SHABU-YO” opens in Malaysia.
November 2020	EC business (Rakuten and Amazon) starts
December 2020	Group Sustainability Committee established
June 2021	Raised approximately 43 billion yen through a public offering of new shares
September 2021	First shabu-shabu buffet restaurant "SHABU-YOU” opens in the U.S.
October 2021	Floor service robots installed in more than 1,000 "Gusto" and "Syabu-Yo" restaurants
January 2022	Materials for take-out and delivery cutlery changed from biomass plastic to wood Biomass plastic straws replaced with paper straws
April 2022	Moved from the First Section to the Prime Market due to the revision of the market classification of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
December 2022	Completed installation of 3,000 floor service robots in approximately 2,100 stores
January 2023	First "Hachiro Soba" restaurant (Shiraoka store) opens
February 2023	First "Tohsai", a dim sum specialty restaurant (Tsurukawa store) opens
March 2023	Transitioned to a new management structure to further strengthen and enhance management strategy and execution (Chairman: Tani, President: Kanaya)