February 1972
Introduction of high speed automatic wrapping equipment developed by Industrial Gesellshaft of Switzerland. Development of vacuum pack technology to preserve the freshness of green tea leaves.

August 1979
Signed a contract with the China National Native Produce and Animal By-Products Import and Export Corporation, a Chinese company, to become the first company to import oolong tea into Japan. Oolong tea sales also commenced.

September 1981
Commenced sales of black tea directly imported from Sri Lanka.

September 1982
Developed new green tea cultivation technology based on organic fertilizer. Became first company to display "best by" dates on packaged tea.

February 1985
Became first company to successfully develop canned green tea.

February 1986
Green tea product is awarded as the "Outstanding Product of the Year" by the Nihon Keizai Shinbun.

February 1988
Established presence in Hawaii, to play a key role in overseas expansion.

March 1988
Received an award from the China Tea Import and Export Corporation for increasing the market for oolong tea in Japan.

December 1989
Awarded the Henmi Prize by the Canners' Association of Japan for the development of technology which removes the retort odor from canned green tea.

April 1994
Awarded the "Director General's Prize" from the Director General of the Science and Technology Agency (Japan) for the successful development of canned green tea.

September 1994
Established presence in Australia. Joint venture established with the Ningbo Shunyi Tea Products Co., Ltd. in China.

April 1996
Established a green tea packaging plant in Fukushima Prefecture and Opened the first Natural Station store in Shinjuku, offering freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices and freshly brewed coffee.

July 1996
Received patent for technology used in the production of PET bottle green tea, known as the Natural Clear production method.

November 1996
Awarded the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize for developing the green tea beverage market.

September 1997
U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to cooperate in clinical tests on green teas health effects related to cancer carried out by the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas.

May 2001
Established presence in North America.