Mutual Trading Company imports, manufactures and distributes Japanese foods, beverages, restaurant equipment and supplies. It carries more than 7,000 food products and restaurant equipment and supply items and is involved in the domestic production of rice, sake, soybean paste, rice vinegar, noodles, frozen seafood, beer and other products. The company also operates an export division, PPM, which handles the export of domestic automotive, home improvement and household products to Japan. Mutual Trading Company was established in 1926 by 10 Japanese food storeowners who wanted centralized purchasing of imported Japanese foods for use in their California establishments. Mutual Trading Company has headquarters in Los Angeles.