MONTREAL, April 30, 2024 /CNW/ - ITO EN, Ltd. The producer of the world's No. 1 unsweetened green tea beverage brand Oi Ocha, has signed a global agreement with Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, effective April 30, 2024. Ohtani has been drinking Oi Ocha on various occasions, from his time in Japan to his current life in Los Angeles. In conjunction with the signing of this agreement, we are pleased to publish a letter from our company to Shohei Ohtani, expressing our support to him. As we aim to become a global tea company, we will further enhance the value of Japanese tea around the world by implementing various projects in Japan and abroad with Shohei Ohtani, who is active on the world stage.

To announce this contract, our company is publishing a letter to Ohtani, who is active on the world stage in LA, with a message of support from our company. The letter will be published in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, and Sankei Shimbun, as well as in sports newspapers and regional newspapers throughout Japan, including Iwate and Hokkaido, where Ohtani was active. Outside of Japan, it will appear in newspapers published in countries where baseball is popular, such as the NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, Honolulu Star-Advertiser in the United States, Chosun Ilbo in Korea, The Courier-Mail, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun in Australia, and others. Through the publication of a letter in newspapers read by many people and on the official website, the world will be filled with messages of support for Ohtani as we send our support to him. "Hi, Ohtani-san! No matter the time of day. No matter how far apart we are. We're here for you, Ohtani-san." We will also deliver as many bottles of the contracted products as requested, anytime, anywhere, to the athlete himself and to those around him who support him.

"I am delighted to announce that I have entered into a global partnership with ITO EN's Oi Ocha. Since my time in Japan, I have been a big fan of Oi Ocha, and it has remained an important companion to me even in my life in America. I was thrilled to hear that my love for Oi Ocha and my frequent consumption of it resonated with ITO EN, which led to this opportunity. As a devoted fan of Oi Ocha, I am excited about the prospect of sharing its charm with people all over the world."

-      Shohei Ohtani to ITO EN Oi Ocha

Born in the Iwate Prefecture in 1994. 193 cm tall, 95 kg, throws right-handed and bats left-handed. He was the first overall pick in the NPB 2012 draft, joining the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, where he drew attention for being a two-way player. In 2016, he contributed to the Fighters' Japan championship with both pitching and hitting, and became the Pacific League's MVP. In 2021, he was named the American League's MVP after hitting 46 home runs as a hitter and winning 9 games as a pitcher; in 2023, he had a historic season, becoming the first Japanese player in history to win the American League home run crown in addition to achieving double-digit wins and home runs for the second consecutive year. In 2024, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. We can't wait to see what he can do in the future.

Oi Ocha, our flagship brand and the world's No. 1 unsweetened green tea beverage brand, celebrated its 35t^h anniversary in February 2024 and has sold more than 43 billion bottles since its launch in 1989.

Tea has permeated our lives as a communication tool that connects people to each other, and is a familiar drink that is referred to as an everyday staple. Since its predecessor product, the world's first green tea drink Sencha in a can, was launched in 1985, the Oi Ocha brand has continued to grow based on our technological capabilities to evolve with the changing drinking styles of the times and our ability to procure high-quality raw materials (tea leaves) through initiatives such as the tea production area cultivation business. Overseas, the value of Oi Ocha has been well-received, and the number of customers (fans) who enjoy drinking it is steadily increasing in North America, Southeast Asia, and other regions. As of March 2024, it is sold in more than 40 countries and territories.

Based on the Group's management philosophy of "Customers First", our mission is to help our customers lead healthy and affluent lives and help create a sustainable society. We are committed to providing the best taste and value of Japanese tea to our customers of all ages. In order to realize our long-term vision of becoming a global tea company, we will continue to promote Oi Ocha as a representative Japanese brand around the world, connect with tea culture in various regions around the world, and create a new tea culture and tea market on a global scale through the ITO EN Group's technology and value chain. Through the strong partnerships we have built with everyone associated with our company since its establishment, we will continue to contribute to the healthy and affluent lives of our customers in Japan and worldwide.

SOURCE ITO EN