In a move that bridges traditional Japanese craftsmanship with futuristic food technology, MISUMI Group Inc. and Jersey City-based Oishii Farm Corporation officially entered into a strategic business agreement on March 16. The partnership is designed to accelerate the use of AI, robotics, and digital manufacturing within the rapidly expanding global agritech sector.
The investment highlights MISUMI’s growing footprint in the U.S. market following its June 2025 acquisition of the digital manufacturing platform Fictiv, Inc.
The collaboration pairs MISUMI, a global leader in mechanical components and e-commerce procurement, with Oishii, the New Jersey-based vertical farming pioneer famous for its premium Tesla-berry strawberries. By applying the Japanese philosophy of monozukuri (the art of making things), the companies aim to stabilize and scale the complex machinery required for indoor farming.
Oishii’s “Ametalas Farm” in the United States already utilizes MISUMI components—supplied via Fictiv—to maintain precision control over temperature, humidity, and automated harvesting.
“This agreement marks MISUMI’s significant investment in Oishii… the two companies will jointly conduct research and development of components for agricultural automation,” the companies stated in a joint release.
The partnership arrives as the global food market faces mounting pressure from extreme weather, geopolitical shifts and labor shortages. To combat these risks, the two companies will focus on:
-
Supply Chain Resilience: Ensuring a stable supply of mechanical parts to keep vertical farms running 24/7.
-
Joint R&D: Developing specialized components specifically for agricultural robots and automated pollination systems.
-
Scalability: Leveraging MISUMI’s digital manufacturing capabilities to help Oishii expand its footprint in both the U.S. and Japan.
MISUMI continues to pivot toward “Digital Manufacturing,” using AI to provide instant quotations and one-stop procurement for over 30 million components. By partnering with Oishii, MISUMI moves beyond traditional factory automation and into the “Climate Tech” space, where precision engineering is vital for food security.
Founded in 2017 by CEO Hiroki Koga, Oishii has become a darling of the agritech world by successfully replicating the flavor of high-end Japanese produce in a controlled, indoor environment. With MISUMI’s industrial backing, the company is poised to move from a premium boutique producer to a global leader in next-generation farming.
