Koyo Foods
Teruha Kagemori was born in 1927 in Tottori, Japan. Daughter of a medical doctor, she obtained a nursing diploma in 1947. She then abandoned the practice of this career to undertake the study of dietitian, and she obtained a diploma of nutrition in 1952 which has permitted her to practice in different hospitals and public organizations for 15 years. In 1967 she immigrated to Canada. Diagnosed with breast cancer, she found her cure through the macrobiotic lifestyle under the direction and guidance of Lima Oshawa, Michio Kushi and Keichi Morishita. The courses she followed gave her the opportunity to deepen her personal growth and she obtained a certificate in nutrition. In 1974, she began giving natural cooking courses in Quebec. In 1976, she founded KOYO Foods, a Japanese foods distributor. Her main mission was the promotion and teaching of the macrobiotic lifestyle. In 1979, her stay in Japan has enabled her to obtain a masters degree in the following four meditation techniques: Rei-ho (by the only mental effort), Kokyou-ho (by means of respiratory techniques), Youki (curative meditation by hand imposition) and Katsouguen-oundo (meditation by natural movements).
In 1981, after a year spent in Japan on a scholarship, Tosh Kagemori decided he would follow in his mother's footsteps and join the family business. Eager and full of ambition Tosh took the position of CEO at KOYO and swore he would make the business grow and prosper. His first goal was to successfully manufacture and distribute natural, organic and macrobiotic rice cakes. His Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, which he obtained in 1977 at McGill University in Montreal, has given him the technical knowledge to design a state-of-the-art rice cake producing machine. Soon after, he began researching and importing other natural foods, other than Japanese macrobiotic products, from the US and Canada, such as Eden Foods and Imagine Foods. KOYO prides itself in having been a pioneer in the introduction of the famous Edensoy and Rice Dream beverage in Quebec. Today, KOYO Foods distributes over 2000 brand name foods, personal care, and supplement items in Eastern Canada.