About
True Wagyu Corporation
Our Team
We started an embryo company in 2015
We are headquartered in Sapporo City, Hokkaido, and our company is led by founder Taiki Otsuka together with a team of Japanese and Laotian staff.
Our core business focuses on producing Wagyu in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryos from the ovaries of slaughtered female Yamagata Beef cows—a renowned Wagyu brand from Yamagata Prefecture—and implanting them into dairy cows. In addition, we are engaged in wholesale milk distribution, dairy farming, and the operation of butcher shops and yakiniku restaurants.
What sets us apart is our commitment to applying the latest academic discoveries from university laboratories to practical, real-world applications. Many of our team members have a background in bacteriology, enabling us to develop and sell probiotics for cattle as well as to specialize in dry-aging Wagyu beef for enhanced flavor and quality.
Our Story
From butcher to embryologist
In 2010, Taiki Otsuka began working at The Meat Hook, a whole-animal butcher shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. There, he noticed subtle but significant differences in quality and weight among individual animals. His employer and boss at the time, Tom Mylan—a highly knowledgeable butcher—suggested that using embryos could help eliminate this variability.
Motivated by this idea, Taiki returned to Japan and began studying embryo science. In 2015, he established the Katsu Embryo Laboratory, where he pioneered the transplantation of Wagyu embryos into Holstein dairy cows. This approach proved highly efficient, allowing Holsteins to produce Wagyu calves and bringing substantial profits to dairy farmers.
Building on these achievements, Taiki continued to expand his ventures. In 2023, he opened his first butcher shop. In 2024, he founded True Wagyu, an American corporation, and in 2025, he launched his first yakiniku restaurant.
Looking ahead, Taiki’s vision is to share his knowledge and technology with the world—bridging science, agriculture, and gastronomy to deliver the finest Wagyu beef globally.
