AmicaTerra

What AmicaTerra does

AmicaTerra Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturing company founded in November 2016 that develops and produces modo-cell®, a plant-based biodegradable plastic substitute. The core technology combines cellulose (primarily bamboo residues sourced from Kumamoto Prefecture), starch, and plant-derived natural resins; it biodegrades in soil and marine environments within approximately six months and is compatible with existing plastic molding equipment (injection molding and extrusion), allowing manufacturers to convert without dedicated capital equipment. The company is patent-protected in Japan and holds JIS K 6955:2017 soil biodegradation, DIN marine biodegradation (Taiwan, 2021), and antibacterial certifications.

The company operates two factories in Kumamoto Prefecture: the Mashiki Factory, Japan's first domestic modo-cell® straw manufacturing facility (operational since September 2021), and the Minamata Factory, which began modo-cell® pellet production in January 2023 and serves as the company's primary raw-material production site. AmicaTerra sells finished consumer goods (straws, tumblers, plates, chopsticks, cutlery, toothbrushes, golf tees, and iPhone phone cases) and raw pellets for B2B conversion. Distribution occurs through direct enterprise sales (corporate-only with a 10,000-straw minimum order), channel partners (Kokusai Pulp & Paper Trading as pellet sales agent, Edo River Products as regional straw distributor), KDDI's nationwide au Style/au Online Shop, regional retail in Kumamoto (Michi-no-eki Minamata, Ginza Kumamoto-kan), and former hometown-tax e-commerce platforms.

Customer adoption spans multiple segments: foodservice (Watami Co. at 61 stores, Yanaka Coffee, KKR Hotel Kumamoto, a Taiwan major coffee chain), local government (Kumamoto Prefecture, Miyazaki City, Minamata City), and consumer electronics (KDDI's iPhone 16 case line). AmicaTerra is venture-backed by strategic investors including House Foods Group, JGC Holdings (via JGC MIRAI Innovation Fund), Global Brain, KDDI, Yokohama Ueki, Kokusai Pulp & Paper, and several regional venture capital firms. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product and pellet sales with no disclosed recurring model, and the company relocated its headquarters from Tokyo to Minamata City in October 2024 to align with its manufacturing footprint.

Name

AmicaTerra

Legal name

株式会社アミacateラ

Website

https://amica-terra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AmicaTerra is a Japanese manufacturer of modo-cell®, a plant-based biodegradable plastic substitute made from cellulose, starch, and plant-derived resins. Operating two Kumamoto factories, the company sells finished goods and raw pellets to foodservice, government, and consumer-brand customers across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodegradable Materials Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211), Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (32522)

SIC

Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)

akta.pro primary industry

Cellulose-Based Biodegradable Materials (cellulose films, fibers, derivatives) (IMAEAOAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bio-based Packaging Materials (molded fiber, bio-barrier coatings, compostables) (IMAMALAI), Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB), Bio-based Materials & Fibers (e.g., cellulose derivatives, lignin-based materials, nanocellulose) (EUAAAIAD)

Keywords

• Biodegradable plastics
• Plant-based materials
• Bioplastic pellets
• Sustainable tableware
• Compostable packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Koto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sale of modo-cell® Products: AmicaTerra manufactures and sells modo-cell® products ( straws, tumblers, plates, cutlery, chopsticks, golf tees) directly to businesses and government entities. Products are sold as one-time purchases with no recurring revenue model disclosed.
2. modo-cell® Pellet Raw Material Sales: AmicaTerra sells raw modo-cell® pellets (raw material) to manufacturers and processing companies for conversion into various end products. This represents B2B raw material sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AmicaTerra manufactures and sells modo-cell®, a proprietary plant-based biodegradable plastic substitute made primarily from cellulose (plant fiber/bamboo residues), starch, and plant-derived natural resins. The company produces raw modo-cell® pellets at its Minamata factory (using bamboo from Kumamoto Prefecture) and converts them into finished single-use and reusable products such as straws, tumblers, plates, cutlery, chopsticks, toothbrushes, golf tees, and OEM-licensed phone cases. Sales are made B2B to enterprises and government entities through direct sales, distributors, and OEM partnerships.

Product overview

AmicaTerra operates as a single-product platform company centered on modo-cell®, a plant-derived biodegradable plastic substitute. The core technology platform produces raw pellets (modo-cell® Pellet) that are manufactured into finished consumer products including straws, tumblers, plates, chopsticks, cutlery, toothbrushes, and golf tees. All products share the same biodegradable material technology using cellulose fibers, starch, and plant-based natural resins. The company previously operated under the name 'Plant Fiber Ceramic®' before rebranding to modo-cell® in 2021. Recent expansion includes mobile accessories through partnerships with KDDI.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• modo-cell®: Biodegradable plastic alternative material made from plant fibers (cellulose), starch, and plant-derived natural resins. Used to manufacture straws, tumblers, plates, cutlery, and other products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Complete biodegradation in approximately 6 months in ambient soil conditions, confirmed by in-house experiments. modo-cell® straw biodegrades in normal soil at room temperature.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Edo River Products Co., Ltd. (江戸川物産株式会社)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 September 2025Edo River Products Co., Ltd. handles distribution of modo-cell® straws and created a dedicated product introduction video. Products are available for purchase through Edo River Products.
• KDDI Corporation (KDDI株式会社)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 6 June 2024KDDI incorporated modo-cell® material into its iPhone 16 book-type phone case lineup (MagSafe-compatible antibacterial eco case), sold nationwide at au Style/au shops and au Online Shop. KDDI had previously used modo-cell® straws at its 'BLUE LEAF CAFÉ'.
• Kintetsu Venture Partners Co., Ltd. (近鉄ベンチャーパートナーズ株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2024Kintetsu Venture Partners invested in AmicaTerra to promote modo-cell® products through the Kintetsu Group network, aiming for product planning and sales promotion collaboration to expand modo-cell® adoption.
• Yokohama Ueki Co., Ltd. (横浜植木株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 December 2023Yokohama Ueki, an agriculture and horticulture company, invested in AmicaTerra to develop agricultural and horticultural applications for modo-cell®'s biodegradability properties, using plant residues and bamboo as raw materials.
• Kokusai Pulp & Paper Trading Co., Ltd. (国際紙パルプ商事株式会社)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 May 2023Kokusai Pulp & Paper Trading serves as both a financial investor and the primary distributor/sales agent for modo-cell® pellets in Japan. They trialed modo-cell® tableware in their company cafeteria and are working to expand adoption across manufacturing companies.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Novamont: Novamont (Mater-Bi) is a pioneer in biodegradable and compostable bioplastics made from renewable raw materials, producing pellet resins for bags, foodservice items, and agricultural films. Comparable to AmicaTerra as a vertically integrated cellulose/starch-based bioplastic pellet maker targeting single-use packaging replacement.
• Danimer Scientific: Danimer Scientific produces Nodax PHA, a certified marine-degradable bioplastic used in foodservice, packaging, and consumer goods. Comparable to AmicaTerra as a biodegradable resin platform with quantified biodegradability targeting straw, cup, and consumer product applications.
• BioPak: BioPak manufactures certified compostable foodservice products (cups, plates, cutlery, straws) from plant-based bioplastics, with strong adoption in cafes, restaurants, and hospitality. Comparable to AmicaTerra as a competing supplier of biodegradable single-use items into the same foodservice/hospitality customer segments.
• Plantic Technologies: Plantic Technologies produces biodegradable barrier packaging materials made from plant-based starch, supplying food and consumer goods manufacturers. Directly comparable to AmicaTerra as a smaller-scale renewable-material pellet producer competing with conventional plastics.
• TIPA Corp: TIPA develops fully compostable, biodegradable flexible packaging films and laminates for food and consumer goods brands. Directly comparable to AmicaTerra in serving the foodservice and brand owner shift away from conventional plastic packaging with certified compostable materials.

Broad incumbents

• NatureWorks: NatureWorks is the world's leading producer of PLA biopolymers (Ingeo), serving packaging, foodservice, and consumer goods applications globally. Like AmicaTerra, it sells a plant-based biodegradable resin platform to manufacturers, but at vastly greater scale, broader geography, and with PLA rather than cellulose chemistry.
• TotalEnergies Corbion (Luminy PLA): TotalEnergies Corbion is a global PLA bioplastics joint venture supplying Luminy PLA resins for packaging, foodservice, and 3D printing. Comparable to AmicaTerra as a competing plant-based biodegradable resin supplier, but at commodity scale and broader end-market reach.
• Mitsui Chemicals (Bio-based Materials): Mitsui Chemicals is a major Japanese chemical producer with biomass-derived and biodegradable polymer offerings for packaging and industrial uses. Comparable to AmicaTerra as a Japanese-based competitor in the bio-based materials space, but operating across a far broader chemical portfolio.
• Kaneka Corporation (Biodegradable Polymer Division): Kaneka produces biodegradable PHBH polymer materials, marketed under the Aonilex brand, used in straws, films, and other single-use applications. A Japanese broad incumbent with a comparable plant-based biodegradable resin offering competing for the same foodservice and packaging customers as AmicaTerra.

Emerging players

• Notpla: Notpla develops seaweed-based biodegradable packaging and foodservice items (sachets, containers, straws) targeting the same single-use plastic replacement opportunity as AmicaTerra. Both are early-stage plant-material pioneers pursuing premium sustainable substitutes with comparable end-customer profiles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors7 records

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 AmicaTerra