UHA Mikakuto

What UHA Mikakuto does

UHA Mikakuto Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese confectionery and health food manufacturer founded in 1949 by Yamada Yugao, headquartered in Osaka, Japan. The company operates across three product pillars: (1) core confectionery including flagship brands Puccho (soft candy with popping bits), Tokunou Milk 8.2 (premium Hokkaido milk candy with 35+ year history), Cororo (premium fruit gummies), Shigekix (hard sour gummies co-developed with breakdancer Shigekix), Ninja Meshi, Kogumi, e-ma and Mikakuto throat lozenges, Rainbow Ramune (co-developed with Ikoma Seika), and Osatsudoki sweet potato snacks (40-year-old brand); (2) balance nutrition foods including the Manpuku Bar series (exceeded 13 million servings), SIXPACK protein bars, and vegan cacao bars; and (3) health supplements including UHA Gummy Supplement (gummy-format vitamins and NMN), UHA Shunkan Instant Supplements, the Autophagy Habit Platinum series (developed with AutoPhagyGO and Osaka University), and oral care products under the proprietary DOMAC ingredient.

The company sells through traditional retail (supermarkets, 7-Eleven/FamilyMart convenience stores, drug stores), specialty retail (Hankyu Umeda Main Store cororo shop, UHA PARK&CAFE, Cagi de rêves chocolate boutique), and direct-to-consumer e-commerce (uha-shop.jp) with a subscription model for the Autophagy Platinum line priced at ¥11,000/month with 89% repeat purchase rate. Manufacturing is distributed across four domestic facilities (Osaka, Nara with the world's fastest 1,000-unit/minute Tokunou Milk 8.2 wrapping line, Kobe, Fukushima) plus a Shanghai factory and PT.UHA MIKAKUTO INDONESIA. UHA Mikakuto actively drives consumer demand through TVCM campaigns with top Japanese celebrity endorsers (King & Prince, ME:I, THE RAMPAGE, Aぇ! group, Matsuda Genta, Kocchi Kent) and IP collaborations (Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Yakuza, Street Fighter 6). In April 2024 the company fully acquired COMP Co., Ltd. to strengthen its complete nutrition food position.

The business model combines mass-market everyday gifting/snacking confectionery (one-time purchase) with a growing recurring revenue stream from premium supplements, balanced nutrition bars, and online-exclusive limited editions. Consolidated net sales of ¥33 billion and 408 employees place UHA Mikakuto as a mid-sized Japanese consumer company executing a strategic pivot from traditional candy into health/longevity and balanced nutrition categories, leveraging its 76-year brand equity, proprietary formulation IP (DOMAC, autophagy complexes), university research partnerships (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara Medical), and celebrity-driven consumer demand generation.

Name

UHA Mikakuto

Legal name

UHA Mikakuto Co., Ltd.

Website

https://uha-mikakuto.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

UHA Mikakuto is a 76-year-old Japanese confectionery manufacturer selling flagship brands like Puccho and Tokunou Milk 8.2 alongside gummy supplements and balance nutrition foods, distributed through mass retail, e-commerce, and specialty stores across Japan, China, and Indonesia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Confectionery Products: Sale of branded gummy, candy, throat lozenges, and snack products through retail stores and e-commerce. Major brands include ぷっちょ, コロロ, 特濃ミルク8.2, 忍者めし, シゲキックス, のど飴 series
2. Health Supplements: Sale of gummy supplements, instant supplements, and autophagy-related supplements through online store and retail. Includes subscription-based regular delivery service for オートファジー習慣プラチナム and other supplements
3. Balance Nutrition Foods: Sale of complete nutrition food products including 満腹バー series (もち麦満腹バー, もち玄米満腹バー), SIXPACK protein bars, and vegan cacao bars

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

UHA Mikakuto manufactures and sells confectionery products (gummies, soft candies, hard candies, throat lozenges, and snacks) along with health-oriented offerings including gummy supplements, instant supplements, and autophagy-support supplements, plus balance nutrition foods such as rice bars and protein bars. The company also runs brand-driven specialty retail (UHA PARK & CAFE) and operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel.

Product overview

UHA Mikakuto is a Japanese confectionery and food company with a diversified portfolio organized across multiple product categories: (1) Core Confectionery — including Puccho soft candy, Tokunou Milk 8.2 milk candy, Rainbow Ramune and Rainbow Ramune Mini ramune candies, Shigekix hard sour gummies, Cororo premium gummies, Ninja Meshi gummies, Kogumi bite-size gummies, and Mikakuto/e-ma throat candies; (2) Snacks — primarily Osatsudoki sweet potato chips; (3) Health & Wellness Supplements — UHA Gummy Supplement (water-free gummy vitamins), UHA Shunkan Instant Supplement (dissolvable tablets), and Autophagy Habit Platinum (anti-aging supplement with urolithin A/resveratrol); (4) Balance Nutrition Foods — Manpuku Bar series portable rice bars, SIXPACK protein bars, and Vegan Cacao Bars; (5) Acquired Brand — COMP Complete Gummy from acquired COMP Co., Ltd.; (6) Retail & Experience — UHA PARK&CAFE physical store with AI-powered ninja meshi print service, Cagi de rêves premium chocolate boutique, and Cororo specialty gummy shop. The company operates on the principle 'Deliciousness is Gentleness' (おいしさはやさしさ) and has expanded into longevity/healthspan science including autophagy research, NMN supplements, and XPRIZE Healthspan competition participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ぷっちょ (Puccho): Soft candy with popping gummy pieces; one of the company's flagship brands
• 特濃ミルク8.2 (Tokuno Milk 8.2)
• コロロ (Cororo)
• 忍者めし (Ninja Meshi)
• シゲキックス (Shigekix)
• おさつどきっ (Osatsu Dokki)
• コグミ (Kogumi)
• レインボーラムネ (Rainbow Ramune)
• e-maのど飴 (e-ma Throat Candy)
• 味覚糖のど飴 (Mikakuto Throat Candy)
• UHAグミサプリ (UHA Gummy Supplement)
• もち麦満腹バー (Mochi Mugi Manpuku Bar)
• SIXPACK
• オートファジー習慣 (Autophagy Habit)
• UHA PARK & CAFE
• キャギ ド レーブ (Cagi de rêves)
• カヌレット (Canelette)

Products and services

• Puccho Soft, chewy candy with juice-filled pieces; a long-standing UHA Mikakuto flagship confection targeted at general consumers, especially children and teens.
• Tokunou Milk 8.2 Premium milk-flavored hard candy positioned around high milk content; sold to general consumers as a high-quality confection.
• e-ma Throat Candy (Mikakuto Throat Lozenge) Throat lozenge / menthol candy sold for soothing the throat; targeted at adult consumers seeking functional confectionery.
• Shigekix Hard sour gummy candy with strong acidity; positioned for consumers seeking a stimulating, intense sour taste experience.
• Cororo Premium gummy candy made with real fruit juice; positioned as an upscale confection for adult consumers.
• Ninja Meshi Portable, individually wrapped rice-based snack; targeted at consumers seeking convenient on-the-go food.
• Kogumi Packaged snack product sold under the UHA Mikakuto brand portfolio to general consumers.
• Osatsudoki (Sweet Potato Snack) Sweet potato-based snack; targeted at general consumers in the domestic snack market.
• Rainbow Ramune / Rainbow Ramune Mini Ramune (Japanese soda)-flavored candy sold in standard and mini formats; targeted at general consumers, including children.
• UHA Gummy Supplement Gummy-form dietary supplement offering convenient intake of vitamins and nutrients; targeted at health-conscious consumers seeking an alternative to pills.
• UHA Shunkan Supplement (Instant Supplement) Instant-format supplement designed for fast, on-the-go consumption; targeted at busy consumers needing quick nutritional support.
• Autophagy Habit Platinum Supplement formulated to support autophagy, backed by university-collaborated research; sold primarily via subscription to health-conscious consumers.
• Manpuku Bar Series (Balance Nutrition Bar) Balance nutrition bar designed to deliver satiety and balanced nutrients in a portable format; targeted at consumers managing calorie/nutrition intake.
• SIXPACK Protein Bar High-protein bar positioned for fitness and training consumers; sold through retail and e-commerce.
• Vegan Cacao Bar Plant-based cacao nutrition bar for vegan and flexitarian consumers; sold as a balance nutrition food.
• COMP Complete Gummy Complete-nutrition gummy supplement offering broad nutrient intake in gummy form; targeted at health-conscious adults.
• UHA Shita Clear (Oral Care with DOMAC) Oral care product incorporating UHA Mikakuto's proprietary DOMAC ingredient for mouth care; targeted at consumers seeking functional oral hygiene products.
• Kanure (Canelé) Branded canelé (French-style baked confection) sold as a premium dessert offering; targeted at adult consumers seeking upscale sweets.
• Chocolarea Chocolate confection product sold under UHA Mikakuto's brand portfolio.
• Money Gummy Gummy candy offering introduced within UHA Mikakuto's confectionery lineup; targeted at general consumers.
• UHA PARK & CAFE Brand-driven specialty café/retail concept offering sweets and brand experiences; targeted at general consumers and brand fans.
• Cagi de rêves Premium UHA Mikakuto confection brand sold to general consumers seeking upscale sweets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1300万食突破 - Manpuku Bar series exceeded 13 million servings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• COMP Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2024UHA Mikakuto fully acquired COMP Co., Ltd. making it a wholly-owned subsidiary to strengthen its position in the complete nutrition food market. The acquisition aims to accelerate business development and expand the health-focused food product portfolio.
• AutoPhagyGOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding joint development partnership for autophagy-related supplements. UHA Mikakuto and AutoPhagyGO have collaborated on multiple products including オートファジー習慣 PLATINUM and related wellness supplements.
• Osaka University (吉森保先生)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Osaka University on autophagy mechanisms and longevity science. The company holds annual 'Autophagy Day' events featuring lectures from Professor Yoshimori.
• Kyoto UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for developing 冴えるダイズ (cognitive support supplement) using Kyoto University patented technology.
• Ikoma Seika Honpo (イコマ製菓本舗)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of Rainbow Ramune and Rainbow Ramune Mini products. UHA Mikakuto supports the preservation of this traditional confectionery craft.
• Nara Medical UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development collaboration for柿タンニン extract-based products using research from Nara Medical University.
• National Agricultural Cooperative Association (JA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMultiple collaboration products with JA (全国農業協同組合連合会) featuring regional fruit ingredients in cororo and other product lines.
• Dole ( Doleごぼうび果実キャンディ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with Dole for fruit-based candy products under Dole brand ingredients.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Kanro Co., Ltd. Japanese confectionery company most directly comparable to UHA Mikakuto, with flagship gummy (Kanro Purē) and candy brands (Kinka, Born) that compete head-to-head in the Japanese gummy and soft candy category. Both companies operate similar multi-brand strategies, gummy supplement lines, and distribution through supermarkets, convenience stores, and drug stores.
• Bourbon Co., Ltd. Privately held Japanese confectionery and snack manufacturer with overlapping product formats (gummies, hard candy, biscuits) and a comparable focus on supermarket, convenience store, and drug store distribution in Japan. Similar private-company structure to UHA Mikakuto.

Broad incumbents

• Morinaga & Co., Ltd. One of Japan's largest established confectionery manufacturers with a much broader portfolio across caramels, gummies, chocolates, and snacks (Hi-Chew, Morinaga Milk Caramel). Comparable to UHA Mikakuto in core candy capability but with significantly larger scale, deeper international presence, and a publicly traded capital base.
• Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. Diversified Japanese food and confectionery major with overlapping gummy/candy offerings (e.g., Meiji Gummy) and a parallel push into functional confectionery and supplements. Useful as a benchmark for how a large incumbent operates in the same Japanese confectionery and wellness-adjacent categories.
• Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd. Major Japanese confectionery incumbent with strong brands in candy, chocolate, and ice cream (Pocky, Pretz, GALBO). Directly comparable in core Japanese candy category dynamics, celebrity-endorsement marketing intensity, and multi-channel retail distribution.
• Lotte Co., Ltd. (Japan): Korean-Japanese confectionery conglomerate with a large Japan business spanning gum, chocolate, candy, and ice cream. Overlaps with UHA Mikakuto in gummy/candy categories and shares similar celebrity-tied marketing and IP collaborations, but operates at materially larger scale.
• Asahi Group Foods (Calbee alliance): Major Japanese food group with a confectionery/snack portfolio (MINTIA, GOKU GOKU) and overseas operations comparable to UHA Mikakuto's regional ambitions. Useful as a broad incumbent benchmark for category extension into wellness and snacks.

Emerging players

• Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Japanese OTC and consumer healthcare leader with an oral care portfolio (including throat lozenges) that competes with UHA Mikakuto's DOMAC-based UHA Shita Clear line. Comparable in the science-driven oral care confectionery intersection and in drug store channel strategy.
• FANCL Corporation: Japanese supplement and skincare company with a direct-selling supplement franchise overlapping UHA Mikakuto's gummy supplement and autophagy product lines. Comparable in supplement channel (drug stores, direct/mail), Japanese health-conscious consumer base, and science-backed positioning.

Regional players

• Fujiya Co., Ltd. Japan-based confectionery and bakery company with a heritage portfolio of sweets and snacks (Peach Gumi, Country Ma'am) that overlaps with UHA Mikakuto's gummy and traditional candy lines. Comparable in private-equity-eligible size and Japan-centric channel mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UMikakuto
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCS3qzX-Y0y_X8AWkt379ZWA
• Facebookfacebook.com/uha.mikakuto
• Instagraminstagram.com/uha_mikakuto/?hl=ja
• TikToktiktok.com/@uhamikakutoshop?lang=ja-JP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UHA Mikakuto