The first head of the family, Genbe, was a vegetable vendor; the second head, Gennosuke, was engaged in water-wheel rice milling; and the third head, Genzaburo，started off as a government contractor for the 16th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army, after which he became a carrier and then made his way into the sake brewing industry.
源兵衛（初代）は、野菜商、源之助（2代）は水車精米業、源三郎（３代）は大日本帝国陸軍第16師団の御用商、陸運業を皮切りに酒造業に進出した。