Kaisei

What Kaisei does

Kaisei (株式会社 開成) is a privately held Japanese agricultural corporation founded on June 14, 1999 and headquartered in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture. The company operates an integrated circular economy model centered on the Senami Biomass Energy Plant, a methane fermentation facility commissioned in 2012 that converts food waste from the Senami hot spring district, agricultural residues, and organic sludge into biogas for electricity generation (sold to the grid under Japan's Feed-in Tariff at ¥40.95/kWh). Residual digestate is registered as "Senami Biomass Methane Fermentation Fertilizer No. 1" and applied to the company's rice paddy fields and to a greenhouse complex where tropical fruits (passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango, star fruit, jabuticaba, lychee) are cultivated using waste heat from the plant and adjacent hot spring thermal energy. Kaisei monetizes through four streams: (1) wholesale and direct-to-consumer rice sales under the "じゅんかん米" (circular rice) and 黄金のいなほ brands via a proprietary web shop, the Rakuten marketplace, and roadside station 道の駅神林 穂波の里; (2) processed foods including handmade tropical-fruit gelato, passion fruit puree, and the decaffeinated 珈琲 beverage; (3) recurring FiT electricity income from the certified Senami plant; and (4) consulting and licensing of its circular biomass agricultural system to other local governments and enterprises (formalized as the 2024 "Plant Business").

The company is small (1–10 employees) with a registered capital of ¥10 million, and has secured a deep regulatory moat: it holds Japan's first METI certification for methane-fermentation biomass power generation (certification No. 20120711関東第120号) plus multi-ministry Food Recycling Loop certification across MAFF, MHLW, MLIT, and MOE, and an industrial waste collection/disposal permit. Founder and representative director Tadahiro Toyama was appointed as a Special Committee Member of the national Food, Agriculture and Rural Policy Council in September 2020, providing direct policy access. The company has received extensive press coverage (TV Asahi, NST, BSN, TeNY, Nippon TV) and awards including the 15th Green Purchase Grand Prize (2013, with Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award and Minister of the Environment Award), Niigata Prefecture Excellent Recycling Business Award (2012), and a feature at the Milan Expo 2015 Japan Pavilion. Major shareholders include Mitsui Chemicals Crop & Life Solutions Co., Ltd., alongside corporate shareholders Tomiyama Co., Ltd., Eguchi-ya Co., Ltd., and CS Corporation.

Name

Kaisei

Legal name

株式会社 開 成

Website

https://kaisei999.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kaisei (株式会社 開成) is a small, privately held Japanese agricultural corporation in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, operating an integrated circular economy model that combines a methane-fermentation biomass power plant, rice cultivation, and tropical-fruit greenhouse production, selling electricity to the grid under Japan's FiT scheme and rice, gelato, and processed foods to consumers via direct channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomass Energy & Agricultural Production

NAICS

Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117), Rice Farming (11116), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Biomass Plant Operations, Maintenance & Performance Services (O&M) (EUAAAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biomass CHP & Cogeneration Plants (Industrial & Utility) (EUAAAGAA), Heat Recovery & Thermal Integration for Biomass Plants (Economizers, ORC, Heat Exchangers) (EUAAAGAL)

Keywords

• Biomass energy
• Methane fermentation
• Circular agriculture
• Renewable power generation
• Specialty rice production

Headquarters

HQ city

Murakami

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Rice Wholesale and Retail (米穀の卸売及び小売): Sale of rice products including 黄金のいなほ (premium), 岩船産コシヒカリ, and 岩船産こしいぶき under the 'じゅんかん米' (circular rice) brand. Rice is produced using fertilizers derived from the company's own biomass plant. Bulk/wholesale sales to restaurants and retailers, and direct-to-consumer via web shop. Revenue model is transactional, one-time purchase, with repeat customer base built over 10+ years.
2. Food Processing (食品加工): Manufacturing and sale of processed rice products and sweets including ice cream/gelato and juice. Products include seasonal tropical fruit gelato (passion fruit, mango, dragon fruit, etc.) produced from greenhouse-grown fruits. Inaho Soup (いなほスープ) — a brown rice-based soup — was a long-running product, now discontinued with remaining inventory. All processed products sold via direct e-commerce, Rakuten shop, and on-site farm shop.
3. Senami Biomass Energy Plant Operation (瀬波バイオマスエネルギープラントの運営・管理): Full-scale power generation using methane fermentation biogas. Certified as domestic biomass power generation equipment (methane fermentation gas) — the first such certified facility in Japan. Full quantity electricity sales to grid under the Feed-in Tariff scheme at 40.95 yen/kWh (tax included, 5% consumption tax). Revenue model is usage-based (per kWh sold), providing recurring income from electricity sales. Plant also supplies heat to adjacent greenhouses.
4. Circular Society Formation / Biomass Energy Agricultural System (循環型社会形成事業): Proposal and sale of complete circular biomass energy agricultural systems to other enterprises and local governments. The company licenses its proprietary know-how and operational methodology to other organizations seeking to replicate the Senami model. Includes consulting on plant construction, operational setup, and system design. Revenue model is project-based professional services and potentially licensing fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kaisei operates an integrated circular economy business combining a methane fermentation biomass energy plant (Senami Biomass Energy Plant) with agricultural production. The plant generates renewable electricity from food waste, agricultural residues, and organic sludge via methane fermentation, supplies heat to adjacent greenhouses for tropical fruit cultivation, and produces fertilizer (digestate) for rice farming. The company sells its own branded rice, tropical fruits, gelato, juices, and processed foods directly to consumers, and licenses its circular biomass system know-how to other enterprises and municipalities.

Product overview

Kaisei is a Japanese agricultural company operating a diversified portfolio centered on circular economy principles. The core offering consists of the 瀬波バイオマスエネルギープラント (Senami Biomass Energy Plant) which generates power through methane fermentation, supporting the company's 循環型社会形成事業 (circular society formation business). The product lineup includes agricultural products (rice varieties such as 黄金のいなほ and 岩船産コシヒカリ), processed foods (いなほスープ - now discontinued), tropical fruits from the 南国フルーツ園 greenhouse (passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango, and related products like gelato and puree), and beverages (大地の珈琲). The company sells through its かいせいweb-shop and Rakuten marketplace, with the biomass system providing fertilizer for rice cultivation and thermal energy for greenhouse fruit production, creating an integrated circular agriculture model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kaisei Rice / Iwafune Koshihikari (お米（うるち米）) Branded rice products including 黄金のいなほ premium Koshihikari, にいがた岩船産コシヒカリ "jyunkan-mai" (circular rice grown with biomass-derived fertilizer), and gift box sets. Sold wholesale to restaurants and retailers, and direct-to-consumer via web shop and Rakuten. Targets consumers and food service operators seeking traceable, locally-grown rice.
• Senami Tropical Fruit Garden Products (瀬波南国フルーツ園) Fresh tropical fruits cultivated in greenhouses heated by biomass plant waste heat and adjacent hot spring thermal energy. Includes passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango, star fruit, jabuticaba, and lychee. Sells fresh fruits and processed items (gelato, passion fruit puree) at on-site farm shop and via e-commerce. Targets health-conscious consumers and tourism visitors.
• Passion Fruit Puree (パッションフルーツピュレ) Processed passion fruit puree product (heated, seeds retained) made from greenhouse-cultivated passion fruit. Sold via direct e-commerce, Rakuten shop, and on-site farm shop. Targets consumers seeking natural tropical fruit ingredients.
• Tropical Fruit Gelato (ジェラート) Handmade gelato manufactured from tropical fruits cultivated in the company's greenhouse, with passion fruit as a signature variety. Sold at the on-site farm shop, via mobile gelato sales vehicle, and through e-commerce. Targets consumers and tourism visitors at the Senami hot spring area.
• Daichi no Coffee (大地の珈琲) - Decaffeinated Herbal Coffee Decaffeinated herbal coffee product marketed as a coffee substitute for consumers sensitive to caffeine. Sold via the company's other processed goods product line on e-commerce and farm shop channels.
• Raw Almonds (生アーモンド) Raw almonds marketed as a natural supplement product. Sold via the company's other processed goods line on e-commerce and farm shop channels.
• Senami Biomass Energy Plant Operation (瀬波バイオマスエネルギープラント) Full-scale biomass energy plant generating electricity via methane fermentation of food waste, agricultural residues, and organic sludge. Plant sells all generated electricity to the grid under the Feed-in Tariff scheme at ¥40.95/kWh (tax included), and supplies waste heat to adjacent greenhouses. Recurring revenue from electricity sales. Digestate is fully utilized as agricultural fertilizer. Targets regional electricity grid and adjacent agricultural operations.
• Circular Society Formation Business / Biomass Energy Agricultural System Consulting (循環型社会形成事業) Project-based consulting and licensing services for the company's proprietary circular biomass energy agricultural system. Includes plant design, operational setup, system design consulting, and licensing of know-how to local governments and agricultural enterprises seeking to replicate the Senami model. Revenue is project-based professional services and licensing fees.

Quantifiable outcome

• First domestically certified methane fermentation biomass power generation facility in Japan (certified by METI, September 2012)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, major and moderate.

• 農林水産省 (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries — MAFF)coreOthers · 31 March 2017MAFF certified the company's methane fermentation fertilizer product (瀬波バイオマスメタン発酵肥料１号, registration: 生第93014号) and issued the food recycling loop certification. CEO Toyama was later appointed to the Food, Agriculture and Rural Policy Council as a Special Committee Member (September 2020). MAFF has featured the company's model in its official white papers.
• 経済産業省 (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry — METI)coreOthers · 6 September 2012METI certified the Senami Biomass Energy Plant as Japan's first methane fermentation biomass power generation equipment under the Feed-in Tariff Act. This certification enabled full-quantity electricity sales to the grid at ¥40.95/kWh. METI's involvement extended across multiple government bodies (including MAFF, MLIT, MOE) for the cross-ministry review process.
• NEDO (独立行政法人 新エネルギー・産業技術総合開発機構)minorOthersNEDO provided subsidy support for the initial feasibility study (平成20年, 2008) of the Senami hot spring thermal and biomass power generation greenhouse project. The 8-month study was conducted with cooperation from Murakami City and the Senami Hot Spring Inn Association.
• 村上市 (Murakami City Government)majorOthersMurakami City was a key partner in the biomass plant and hot spring thermal greenhouse project, supporting feasibility studies, providing site access, and participating in town hall meetings with the governor. City officials and council members attended the plant's completion ceremony and have promoted the model as a regional success story.
• 瀬波温泉旅館協同組合 (Senami Hot Spring Inn Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe hot spring inn association provides food waste from its member hotels and inns to the biomass plant for methane fermentation. In return, the biomass plant provides renewable energy and heat. The association also collaborated on the hot spring thermal energy utilization greenhouse project. A dedicated Facebook page is maintained for the plant.
• 第四北越銀行 (Daiwa Hokuetsu Bank) 坂町支店minorOthersPrimary financial institution and banking partner for the company. Listed as a main financial institution on the company profile.
• Value Frontier株式会社minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerValue Frontier organized symposiums in Kumamoto Prefecture (February 2016) on 'Agricultural Corporation Circular Biogas Power Generation Initiatives,' featuring the company's model and operational experience. The company participated as a case study presenter.
• 日報ビジネス株式会社 (Nippo Business Co., Ltd.)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerNippo Business organizes the annual NEW環境展 (New Environment Expo) at Tokyo Big Sight, where the company has been a regular exhibitor since 2012. The company also organizes seminars where CEO Toyama has spoken. A key marketing and exhibition partnership.
• 三井化学株式会社 / 三井化学クロップ&ライフソリューション株式会社 (Mitsui Chemical Crop & Life Solutions Co., Ltd.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMitsui Chemical Crop & Life Solutions is a major shareholder of Kaisei. In September 2019, a Mitsui Chemical-led environmental ministry commissioned project ('令和元年度脱炭素社会を支えるプラスチック等資源循環システム構築実証事業') was selected, and Kaisei participated as a subcontractor. The project focused on resource circulation systems supporting a decarbonized society.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Andritz AG: Austrian plant equipment supplier for pulp, paper, hydropower, and biomass-fired power plants, including fluidized-bed combustion systems. Equipment-side supplier peer to Kaisei's biomass plant integration and operation, without direct end-market overlap in food waste AD.
• Valmet: Finnish process technology provider for pulp, paper, and bioenergy industries including biomass-fired power plants, automation, and service contracts worldwide. Broader incumbent that supplies equipment and services to biomass operators — adjacent to Kaisei on the plant technology and O&M side rather than as a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• PlanET Biogas Global: German-based global EPC and technology supplier for agricultural and industrial biogas/AD plants, including control and process packages. Comparable to Kaisei on the engineering/design and licensing of integrated biogas systems, with similar dual exposure to plant builds and recurring service revenue.
• EnviTec Biogas AG: German biogas company designing, building, and operating anaerobic digestion plants for agricultural, municipal, and industrial waste, including its own distributed Biogas Service GmbH fleet. Direct comparable to the Senami Biomass Energy Plant on methane fermentation technology, plant ownership, and the integration of energy with fertilizer output.
• Kobelco Eco Solutions: Japanese environmental solutions subsidiary of Kobe Steel building and operating waste-to-energy and biomass power facilities in Japan and abroad. Domestic comparable on biomass plant ownership and operation, though generally at larger utility/industrial scale than Kaisei's Senami footprint.
• Hitachi Zosen Inova: Global EPC contractor (Hitachi Zosen subsidiary, Switzerland) for anaerobic digestion and biogas plants, building and servicing municipal/industrial AD facilities worldwide. Most directly comparable to Kaisei as a methane fermentation biogas plant builder/operator, though operating at materially larger scale with multi-country footprint.

Regional players

• JA Niigata Kouseiren (JA Niigata): Prefectural agricultural cooperative umbrella serving Niigata rice, fruit, and produce growers, with collection, branding, and distribution of Koshihikari under "Iwanami" and other regional brand labels. Direct regional comparable on the agricultural production and rice distribution side of Kaisei's business; complements rather than competes on the biomass plant side.

Others

• Mitsui Chemicals Crop & Life Solutions: Crop protection, fertilizer, and agricultural input subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals, and a confirmed major shareholder of Kaisei (per ownership commentary). Ecosystem/strategic partner rather than competitor — comparable as an agricultural input provider and as the corporate vehicle through which Kaisei's circular biomass system can be scaled.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/senamiBEP

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Kaisei