RansomHouse Attack Freezes Nichirei’s Frozen Food Supply Across Restaurants, Supermarkets & School Lunches

A company built to keep food frozen found its own operations put on ice.

Nichirei is restoring services after a ransomware-linked cyberattack disrupted cold storage and deliveries across Japan, affecting thousands of customers, including Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises.
 

TL;DR

• System failures began on July 13, disrupting warehousing and frozen-food shipments.
• RansomHouse reportedly claimed responsibility and posted allegedly stolen Nichirei data on the Dark Web.
• Nichirei expects all affected locations to return to normal operations this week.
• The disruption affected about 5,000 customers and exposed the fragility of Japan’s just-in-time food supply chain.

Nichirei Cyberattack Disrupts Frozen-Food Logistics Across Japan

Tokyo-based Nichirei said the cyberattack caused system failures that affected cold storage, warehousing, and frozen-food shipping. The disruption curtailed deliveries and prompted Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in Japan to warn that some locations could face shortages or reduced hours.

Nichirei operates about 7,000 refrigerated vehicles and 141 logistics centers and warehouses. That scale meant one cybersecurity incident quickly spread beyond the company’s internal systems into a tightly connected national food distribution network.
 

RansomHouse Claims Nichirei Breach As Data Exposure Is Investigated

Security firm S&J said RansomHouse claimed responsibility and posted a Dark Web statement alleging it had stolen internal data. The group is known for ransomware attacks and reportedly claimed an October attack on Japanese online retailer Askul that caused system disruptions.

Nichirei acknowledged that some affected servers stored personal information and said separate notices were sent to impacted individuals. However, it is withholding technical details while working with police, relevant agencies, and an external security specialist.

“We are continuing our investigation with the cooperation of an external security specialist company,” Nichirei said. “We are also working in cooperation with the police and other relevant agencies to address the situation.”
 

Nichirei Expects Full Recovery As Ransomware Risks Grow In Japan

Nichirei said it has implemented safety measures and is restoring operations, with all locations scheduled to return to normal this week.

“We are working with an external security specialist company to implement safety measures and are proceeding with the restoration of our operations,” the company said.

The incident reflects two major cyber risks facing Japanese businesses: ransomware and attacks that ripple through supply chains and subcontractors. A JIPDEC survey found that 46% of Japanese companies had suffered a ransomware attack, while Japan’s National Police Agency recorded 226 damaging ransomware incidents in 2025.

For companies operating lean, just-in-time logistics networks, the Nichirei attack shows that ransomware recovery is not only an IT issue. It can become a nationwide availability problem when warehouses, vehicles, retailers, and restaurants depend on the same connected systems.