What SC Group does

SC Group (株式会社エスシーグループ) is a privately-held Japanese dispensing pharmacy chain founded in October 1992 and headquartered in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo. The group operates 139 retail pharmacies across five prefectures — Tokyo (77), Saitama (34), Chiba (16), Kanagawa (9), and Miyagi (3) — employing approximately 1,200 staff of whom 740 are licensed pharmacists. Its core business is community-based prescription dispensing reimbursed through Japan's national health insurance system, supplemented by over-the-counter product sales, home-visit medication management for elderly and mobility-impaired patients, pharmacy start-up support, and business succession consulting.

The group runs on standard pharmacy dispensing infrastructure: electronic prescription handling, drug-history management, and health insurance billing integration, complemented by a patient-facing prescription-transmission mobile app (処方せん送信アプリ) that lets patients submit prescriptions in advance to reduce in-store wait times. Distribution is exclusively through physical storefronts; no digital-first or telepharmacy channel is operated.

SC Group has grown almost entirely through acquisitions of independent pharmacy operators, with at least ten documented transactions between 2011 and 2026 (most recently Pharmasista in March 2026). The company is family-controlled: President and Representative Director Hiroaki Sarazawa (皿澤 宏章), who founded the predecessor entity, leads the group with Vice Representative Director Koji Sarazawa (皿澤 康志). No external private equity or venture capital ownership is disclosed, and the group reported FY2027 group revenue of 28.7 billion JPY (~USD 190M at ~150 JPY/USD).

Name

SC Group

Legal name

株式会社エスシーグループ

Website

https://scgroup.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

SC Group is a chain of dispensing pharmacies for medical needs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy Services

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail & Community Pharmacies (Chain/Independent) (HLAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

In-Home Infusion Pharmacy Support & Coordination (HSABALAH)

Keywords

• Dispensing pharmacy services
• Prescription medications
• Home healthcare services
• Pharmacy chain operations
• Over-the-counter products

Headquarters

HQ city

Itabashicho

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dispensing Pharmacy Services: Core revenue from dispensing prescription medications to patients under Japan's national health insurance system. Earns dispensing fees based on prescription complexity, preparation time, and patient counseling services. Also provides home healthcare services, health consultations, and medication management.
2. OTC Products and Health Supplements: Sale of over-the-counter medications, health supplements, and wellness products at pharmacy locations.
3. Home Healthcare Services: Home visit medication management and delivery services for elderly and mobility-impaired patients.
4. Pharmacy Support Services: Related businesses including pharmacy startup support, business succession consulting, and home care support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SC Group operates a community-based dispensing pharmacy chain with 139 stores primarily in the Tokyo metropolitan area, dispensing prescription medications and selling OTC products and health supplements to individual patients. The company also provides home healthcare support services, pharmacy opening support (開業支援), and business succession/integration support (事業継承・連携) to pharmacy owners, and offers health information and health events to local communities.

Product overview

SC Group is a dispensing pharmacy chain operating 139 stores primarily in the Tokyo metropolitan area (Tokyo 77 stores, Saitama 34 stores, Chiba 16 stores, Kanagawa 9 stores, Miyagi 3 stores). The company's core offering is community-based dispensing pharmacy services. Their main product/service portfolio includes: (1) Dispensing pharmacy operations - the primary business providing prescription dispensing and medication management; (2) 処方せん送信アプリ - a prescription transmission app that allows patients to submit prescriptions digitally to reduce wait times; (3) Home care support services; (4) Pharmacy opening support; (5) Business succession support; (6) Health information services (けんさぽ) and health events (健康イベント) providing dietary and nutritional guidance. The company employs approximately 1,200 staff including 740 pharmacists, with annual revenue of 287 billion yen.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prescription Dispensing Services Core pharmacy service providing dispensing of prescription medications to individual patients, supported by approximately 740 pharmacists across 139 stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
• Over-the-Counter (OTC) Products and Health Supplements Retail sale of OTC products and health supplements to individual consumers at SC Group's pharmacy stores for everyday health and wellness needs.
• Home Healthcare Support (在宅支援) Home-visit medication management and dispensing support service for elderly and mobility-impaired patients who cannot easily visit a pharmacy in person.
• Pharmacy Opening Support (開業支援) Support service for independent pharmacy owners seeking to open new pharmacies, providing operational expertise and guidance from SC Group's pharmacy experience.
• Business Succession and Integration Support (事業継承・連携) Support service for independent pharmacy owners looking to transfer or integrate their pharmacy businesses, leveraging SC Group's experience and infrastructure.
• Health Information Services (お役立ち情報) Health information content and educational resources provided to local community members by SC Group pharmacy stores.
• Health Events (健康イベント) Community health events organized or hosted by SC Group to engage local residents, promote health awareness, and strengthen pharmacy-patient relationships.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Welcia Holdings: Japan's largest drugstore-pharmacy hybrid chain with thousands of stores combining dispensing pharmacy operations with broader health and wellness retail. Directly comparable to SC Group as a Japanese dispensing pharmacy retailer serving elderly and family patients through physical storefronts.
• Tsuruha Holdings: Major Japanese drugstore and dispensing pharmacy chain with national footprint, including dispensing-focused stores. Competes with SC Group for prescription volume and community pharmacy presence across Kanto and other regions.
• Cosmos Pharmaceutical: Discount drugstore chain in Japan with significant dispensing pharmacy operations, focused on value-oriented prescription and OTC offerings. Comparable to SC Group's dispensing pharmacy retail model with similar prescription fee revenue exposure.
• Sundrug: National Japanese drugstore chain combining dispensing pharmacies with OTC, cosmetics, and household goods. Operates community pharmacy locations comparable to SC Group's neighborhood prescription model.
• Kusuri no Aoki Holdings: Regional Japanese drugstore and dispensing pharmacy chain with strong Kanto-area presence, particularly in Tokyo-adjacent prefectures. Directly comparable to SC Group's geographic focus and dispensing-led business model.
• Yakuodo Holdings: Japanese drugstore and dispensing pharmacy operator with multi-store presence in Kanto and surrounding regions. Comparable community-based dispensing pharmacy model to SC Group, with similar OTC, health consultation, and prescription dispensing services.
• Genky DrugStores: Discount-oriented drugstore and dispensing pharmacy chain operating regional stores in Japan, including Kanto. Closely comparable business model to SC Group with emphasis on prescription dispensing at community locations.

Broad incumbents

• Suzuken: Japan's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler with affiliated pharmacy distribution operations. Comparable as a healthcare services ecosystem player serving Japanese pharmacies, though Suzuken operates one level upstream in the value chain.
• Medipal Holdings: Major Japanese pharmaceutical wholesaler and healthcare services group with interests across distribution and retail pharmacy. Comparable through its role in pharmaceutical supply chains underpinning Japan's dispensing pharmacy industry.
• Alfresa Holdings: Japanese pharmaceutical wholesaler with healthcare retail touchpoints, including dispensing pharmacy operations. Relevant peer at the broader healthcare distribution and pharmacy services layer surrounding SC Group's retail operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scgroup_1992
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verazity-storage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SC Group