What Kobayashi does

Kobayashi & Co., Ltd. (株式会社コバヤシ) is a Japanese privately-held plastics company founded in 1946 that operates across both trading (商) and manufacturing (メーカー) functions, organized into five specialized business divisions: KOBASOL liquid compounds, food packaging containers, distribution/packaging materials, industrial implements, and a new business/biomass R&D division. Its proprietary technology stack includes custom-formulated liquid compounds (PVC sol, urethane, epoxy, acrylic, modified silicone), OPALAY PP filler containers incorporating talc (magnesium silicate), the Reseam biomass-blended plastic platform (up to 60%+ corn starch content with optional scallop shell powder), the Pireeru biomass sealant film, SHELLCLE upcycle film, mass-balance biomass PP/PS containers (ISCC PLUS certified), and the KOBATECH family of high-performance release, adhesive, antibacterial, and antiviral functional films serving semiconductor and LED packaging processes.

The company holds overwhelming domestic market share in Japanese natto and tofu containers and operates 13 domestic production and sales bases plus four overseas subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Huizhou, and Vietnam (established 2020). Its business model is anchored in B2B direct sales through five divisional sales teams that provide custom formulation design and technical consultation from the product development stage, supplemented by a synthetic-resin trading function and a small B2C channel (cococica on Yahoo! Shopping and Rakuten, plus the tontamu lifestyle brand). Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales, with FY March 2026 disclosed sales of approximately 40.6 billion yen (~US$270 million at ~150 JPY/USD) and a documented track record of 64+ consecutive years of profitability. The company is family-controlled, with third-generation Go Kobayashi assuming the presidency in 2025, and maintains a portfolio of international certifications (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, FSC, ISCC PLUS) plus a 2014 license for specially controlled medical device sales and leasing.

Name

Kobayashi

Legal name

株式会社コバヤシ

Website

https://kbjapan.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Kobayashi & Co., Ltd. is a Japanese privately-held plastics company combining trading and manufacturing across five divisions—liquid compounds, food packaging, distribution materials, industrial implements, and biomass R&D—serving food manufacturers, electronics firms, and agricultural distributors with proprietary biomass and sustainable plastic technologies while holding dominant Japanese market share in natto and tofu containers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Plastics Manufacturing

NAICS

Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219)

SIC

Papers & Allied Products (2600), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Plastic Trays, Clamshells & Blister Packaging Manufacturing (IMANAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Napkins, Tableware & Foodservice Disposables (Plates, Cups, Cutlery) (CRADALAD)

Keywords

• Plastic manufacturing
• Food packaging containers
• Biomass plastics
• Industrial plastic materials
• Liquid plastic compounds

Headquarters

HQ city

Date

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plastic Product Manufacturing and Sales: Manufactures and sells plastic products across five divisions: KOBASOL liquid compounds, food containers (natio, tofu, frozen desserts), distribution/packaging materials (bags, films, produce packaging), industrial implements (carrier tapes, cover tapes, parts trays), and new materials (biomass plastics, release films). Products sold directly to manufacturers, food companies, and industrial customers through divisional sales teams. Revenue is the primary income source.
2. Custom Compound Development (KOBASOL): Provides custom-formulated liquid compound products (PVC sol, urethane, epoxy, acrylic) designed to meet specific customer requirements for molding, coating, and adhesive applications. Technical staff participate from the product development and planning stage. Revenue generated through product sales.
3. E-commerce / Consumer Products: Operates B2C e-commerce sites (cococica on Yahoo! and Rakuten) selling eco-friendly food packaging materials, take-out containers, and cutlery. Also sells tontamu branded consumer lifestyle products.
4. Synthetic Resin Materials Sales: Trading company function selling synthetic resin raw materials and processing equipment alongside manufacturing operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kobayashi is a comprehensive plastics company combining trading and manufacturing functions, producing and selling liquid compounds (KOBASOL), food packaging containers (natto, tofu, frozen desserts, instant noodles), distribution/packaging materials (paper bags, films, agricultural packaging), industrial implements (carrier tapes, cover tapes, parts trays for electronics), and biomass/sustainable plastic materials (Reseam, Pireeru, OPALAY). Products are sold primarily B2B to manufacturers and food processors through five divisional sales teams.

Product overview

Kobayashi (株式会社コバヤシ) is a comprehensive plastics company combining trading (商機能) and manufacturing (メーカー機能) functions. Its product portfolio spans five business divisions: KOBASOL (liquid compounds including PVC sol, urethane, epoxy, acrylic), Packaging Division (food containers for natto, tofu, cup noodles, frozen desserts — including OPALAY PP filler and PSP products), Distribution Materials Division (paper and film packaging including the biomass tray, metallic paper pouches, and eco-friendly rice bags), Industrial Implements and Materials Division (industrial films, embossed carrier tapes, cover tapes, parts trays for electronics), and the Technical Research Laboratory & New Business Division (biomass plastics Reseam ST® and Pireeru®, and high-performance films KOBATECH RF/AL/AP). The company also operates two consumer brands: B2C lifestyle brand tontamu and e-commerce site cococica for eco-friendly food packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Reseam: 独自技術によるとうもろこし澱粉やホタテ貝殻などを配合したバイオマス配合プラスチックブランド。石油資源の使用削減・カーボンニュートラルに貢献。
• tontamu
• cococica
• KOBATECH
• コバゾール
• オパレイ
• V Cast

Products and services

• Reseam ST® Biomass hybrid material combining corn starch with polyolefin resin, developed jointly with Yamagata University and Miyagi Industrial Technology Institute. Achieves up to 60% biomass content, compatible with injection molding, sheet extrusion, blow molding, and inflation molding. Provides carbon-neutral combustion and reduces petroleum resource usage. Registered biomass mark certification obtained.
• Pireeru® Biomass sealant film using industrial corn starch. Features starch-particle texture for easy food release and a pear-skin finish for premium appearance, primarily used for Japanese sweets and delicatessen packaging. Biomass mark certification (No. 190197).
• OPALAY (オパレイ) Container product line using PP filler (polyolefin resin mixed with natural mineral talc). Reduces petroleum-derived raw material usage and CO2 emissions compared to standard plastics while maintaining deep-draw formability. Used for ice cream, tofu, natto, frozen meals, and instant noodles. Includes OPALAY (70% petrochemical / 30% talc) and Filler Full (49% petrochemical / 51% talc) variants.
• KOBASOL (コバゾール) Liquid Compounds Original liquid compound product line including PVC sol, acrylic sol, urethane, epoxy, and modified silicone resins. Used in toys, automotive parts, electronics materials, electrical equipment, and building materials. Includes ES SOL (environmentally adjusted formulation) and biomass-based KOBASOL variants. Custom formulation design based on customer-specific requirements with technical staff participation from product development stage.
• KOBATECH Functional Films (RF, AP, AL) High-performance functional films developed with proprietary coating technology. KOBATECH RF provides mold releasability and die-followability for semiconductor and LED packaging. KOBATECH AP offers antibacterial, antiviral, and antistatic properties. KOBATECH AL provides high weather resistance, anti-fouling, antibacterial/antiviral properties, and static prevention with customizable functional combinations.
• SHELLCLE Upcycle Film Industry-first upcycle film incorporating more than 10% scallop shell powder (a fishery byproduct from Japan's third-largest fishery). Reduces waste and plastic usage while providing unique shell-based biomass film functionality.
• NatuRiceBag Rice bag with 51%+ paper content and see-through window, using dry lamination process without PE layer to enable paper-window rice bag design.
• ONE MATE Film PE single-layer bag-making special film that achieves strength equivalent to dry lamination without the lamination process. Enables print design on both sides and reduces lead time and energy consumption.
• 100% Paper Packaging Series Fully paper-based packaging with transparency, combining breathability and oil resistance for deli and bakery bag applications.
• FreshnessBio Packaging Freshness-preserving paper and plant-derived biodegradable film packaging with freshness retention functionality, recommended for produce applications.
• Fanalon Bio PET and Excel Bio PET Biomass PET products with 25% and 15% biomass content respectively, with properties equivalent to general-purpose PET. Single-material composition enables easy recycling. Biomass mark certification obtained.
• Mass Balance Biomass PP/PS Containers Containers using ISCC PLUS-certified mass balance approach, replacing part of fossil-fuel-based raw materials with bio-naphtha derived from non-edible oil waste. Used in tofu, natto, and frozen dessert containers.
• Embossed Carrier Tapes High-speed, high-precision embossed carrier tapes meeting JIS, EIAJ, and EIA standards, developed for automatic mounting of electronic parts. Available with conductive, antistatic, and transparent properties.
• Cover Tapes Cover tapes with stable adhesiveness and smooth peeling for electronic parts packaging. Supports electrostatic adhesion, antistatic measures, and RoHS compliance.
• Parts Trays Electronic parts trays with electrostatic protection (conductive) for semiconductors/ICs and antistatic function for connectors and general electronic parts.
• Clear-Case Packages Transparent packaging showing contents clearly with flexible shape and print design options, enhancing product value and promotional effectiveness.
• tontamu B2C Lifestyle Brand Direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand launched by Kobayashi. Currently offers HEAD PET (biomass plastic accessory made with over 50% corn) and SAKU IKA (tear-apart upcycled toy). Sells direct-to-consumer at tontamu.jp.

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 emissions reduced by 5-year average of 1% annually (Scope 1 and 2). Target: 30% reduction by FY2030 vs FY2020.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Miyagi Upcycling Recycling Consortium (みやぎアップグレードリサイクルコンソーシアム)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Joint initiative with Miyagi Prefecture enterprises and the Industrial Technology Institute of Miyagi to develop and test biomass plastic recycling through social experiments at Higashimatsushima City festivals. Kobayashi participates in upcycling of ReseamST products used at events. Active September 2021 through February 2025. Led by Professor Liu of Tohoku University Graduate School.
• xSDG ConsortiumminorOthers · 1 April 2019Industry consortium for SDGs initiatives joined April 2019. Kobayashi participates to advance sustainability through cross-industry collaboration on social challenges.
• Tohoku UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Academic collaboration for SDGs education outreach to elementary schools in Higashimatsushima City. Professor Liu from Tohoku University Graduate School of International Cultural Studies leads the initiative, with Kobayashi participating since 2022 presenting biomass materials education to approximately 340 fourth-grade students across 8 schools.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Daiwa Can Company: Japanese packaging specialist in metal cans, plastic containers, and paper containers for beverages, food, and industrial products. Comparable to Kobayashi in food-grade plastic containers and biomass/sustainable packaging initiatives.
• Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello: Japanese manufacturer of plastic films, sheets, and packaging materials including biomass and functional films. Comparable to Kobayashi in KOBATECH functional film products, biomass films, and food packaging materials.
• Chuo Kagaku Co., Ltd. Japanese plastic packaging specialist in food containers, freshness-preserving films, and modified atmosphere packaging. Directly comparable to Kobayashi's Packaging and Distribution Materials Divisions in food-grade plastic packaging.
• C-Pac (C. Fukase & Co., Ltd.): Japanese manufacturer specializing in plastic food containers, packaging materials, and biomass plastics. Closely comparable to Kobayashi in natto/tofu container market and biomass-blended plastic technology (Reseam-equivalent offerings).
• Fujimori Industry Co., Ltd. Japanese packaging manufacturer focused on flexible packaging, paper containers, and functional films for food and industrial use. Closest direct peer to Kobayashi's Distribution Materials and Packaging Divisions in terms of product mix and customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Toyo Seikan Group Holdings: Japanese packaging leader specializing in metal cans, plastic containers, and paper containers for food and beverage. Directly comparable to Kobayashi in food plastic containers and beverage/ice cream packaging.
• Sealed Air Corporation: Global food packaging leader known for Cryovac and Bubble Wrap brands with extensive sustainable packaging portfolio. Comparable to Kobayashi in food packaging technology and sustainability positioning, though much larger and globally focused.
• Rengo Co., Ltd. Large Japanese packaging manufacturer with significant paper, plastic, and film packaging operations including food containers. Overlaps with Kobayashi in paperboard and flexible food packaging, with greater scale and broader product range.
• Amcor plc: Global packaging giant with strong position in flexible plastic and rigid food packaging including biomass and recyclable solutions. Comparable to Kobayashi in food-grade plastic container innovation and sustainability strategy at global scale.
• Toppan Holdings: Major Japanese printing and packaging conglomerate with extensive food packaging, paper, and film product lines. Overlapping with Kobayashi in food containers, paper packaging (FSC-certified), and functional films, though Toppan is far larger and more diversified.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries12 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 Kobayashi