About Us

Mission Statement:

To be the customer’s solution for premium, ready to eat food options based on excellence and trust.

 

 

 

Our Vision:

To become the leading multi-national food service provider.

 

Values

Own It: By being accountable, continuously improving, and confidently taking initiative, we ensure our premium food solutions are always trusted by our customers.

Care About It: Acting with integrity and respecting our community and environment upholds the excellence and trust that are the foundation of our mission.

 

Make It Exceptional: We build relationships, spread positivity, and go the extra mile to ensure every customer experience is exceptional, aligning with our commitment to quality and trust.

The Win Together: Through open-mindedness, clear communication, and a supportive environment we foster a team spirit that enhances our mission to deliver premium, reliable food options.

 

Bento History

Bento got its start in 1996 in downtown Toronto as a small takeout shop offering sushi, bento boxes and ready-to-eat foods. Since then, we have grown to become Canada’s largest sushi company, with an increasing presence in the United States, and are now positioned as one of the world’s largest sushi companies outside of Japan.  What remains the same, despite our growth, is our commitment in providing an environment where our team knows we care about their personal and professional development.

Bento’s Background:

Bento was founded by Ken Valvur in 1996, and quickly established its presence with the opening of its first quick-service restaurant and commissary. By the late 1990s, we began delivering sushi to supermarkets and cafes, marking the start of its rapid expansion. In the early 2000s, Bento expanded to Montreal and Ottawa and acquired Makisushi and Les Aliments Kamikaze. Additionally, the acquisition of Kama Sushi in 2003 further solidified our growth.

By 2004, Bento had expanded to Western Canada, becoming Canada’s first coast-to-coast sushi provider by 2005. Our expansion continued with the acquisition of Sushi Mari Toyoda in Quebec in 2006 and entering the New York market by acquiring three street-front bars from Dai Kichi. In 2012, Bento partnered with the Marine Stewardship Council, achieving MSC certification for sustainable seafood, making it the largest restaurant chain in North America to do so.

As we continued to grow, we opened our first US on-site grocery sushi bar location in 2013 and acquiring Suki Sushi in Rhode Island in 2015, rebranding it as Bento-Sushi to strategically expand into the Northeastern U.S market. By 2016, Bento was producing over 20 million sushi packs annually. The acquisition by Mayfair/Yo! Sushi in 2017 and further expansion into over 15 states in the US by 2018 highlighted our growing influence. In 2019, Bento surpassed the production of 24 million sushi packs per year.

In 2023, Bento Sushi became part of Wonderfield Group after being purchased by Zensho, further enhancing its position in the global market.

What We Do:

Business to Business:

We operate globally across a variety of business channels providing “made fresh, on site daily” products prepared and packaged for grab & go meal solutions, and we are looking for partners to grow with.

• Supermarkets
• University & college campuses
• Hospital food courts
• Airports
• Private label solutions
• Quick service restaurants in shopping malls and food courts

Business to Customer:

Customers can find our brands at grocery stores, universities, colleges, hospital food courts, airports, and quick-service restaurants in shopping malls and food courts. Our widespread presence ensures that high-quality, fresh sushi and grab and go foods are conveniently available wherever you are.

With our brands of Bento Sushi, Bento at Home, Bento Express, SnowFox, Dash and Raku; you can find something under the Bento brand for everyone. Our products hold the following values to our customers.

• Convenience: Easily accessible locations for grab-and-go meals.
• Freshness: Products are made fresh or prepared with an extended shelf life.
• Quality: High quality ingredients and consistent standards ensure a great dining experience.
• Variety: A wide range of products from Sushi to Hot Food to Grab-and-Go Sandwiches, the brands under Bento cater to different tastes and needs.
• Sustainability: We commit to sustainable sourcing practices for a healthier planet.