HIDA AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE

What HIDA AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE does

HIDA AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE (JA Hida, 飛騨農業協同組合) is a member-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, founded in 1995 through the consolidation of agricultural cooperatives in the Hida region. It operates under the JA Group framework and serves member farmers and local residents across Takayama City, Hida City, Gero City, and Shirakawa Village, with 501-1,000 employees and a 30-year operating history.

The cooperative's core business spans the Hida Brand (飛騨ブランド) agricultural product portfolio — Hida Beef (a nationally recognized premium wagyu brand), Hida Koshihikari Rice, Hida Tomato, Hida Spinach, plus other produce (cabbage, eggplant, peach, apple, cucumber, pear) — together with Hida Yamakko shiitake, which has won six consecutive group awards at the National Shiitake Competition. Production is supported by agricultural guidance services, a tomato sorting facility, and rice milling equipment.

Beyond agriculture, JA Hida operates an integrated service platform including JA Bank (deposits, loans, JA Net Bank), JA共済 mutual aid insurance, automobile and petroleum/fuel sales (with up to 10 yen/liter discount on agricultural fuel), funeral centers across four locations, the yakiniku restaurant 味蔵天国 near JR Takayama Station, the bento service 味彩, and direct farm stands (直売所). Distribution channels include physical retail (A-Coop stores, direct farm stands, restaurants), the JA Town online marketplace, and a dedicated Rakuten store. The cooperative is currently executing a multi-year restructuring program that includes A-Coop store closures (announced March 2025) and branch relocations (Takayama and Kariya branches, April 2026), reflecting a portfolio shift away from low-margin physical retail toward higher-value financial services and digital channels. Governance is via a representative assembly of elected member delegates; no external equity ownership exists.

Name

HIDA AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE

Legal name

飛騨農業協同組合

Website

https://ja-hida.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

JA Hida is a member-owned agricultural cooperative in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, serving local farmers and residents with the Hida Brand agricultural product portfolio, JA Bank financial services, insurance, fuel, funeral, and retail operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Cooperative Services

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448), Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmer Cooperatives & Co-op Retail (AFABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Farm-to-Consumer Cooperative Markets (Local Producer Co-ops) (CRAHALAG)

Keywords

• Agricultural cooperative services
• Regional banking services
• Mutual insurance services
• Premium wagyu beef
• Community retail services

Headquarters

HQ city

Takayama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Agricultural product sales: The cooperative purchases agricultural products from member farmers and sells them through multiple channels including direct farm stands, the JA Town online marketplace, Rakuten store, and to wholesale buyers. Revenue is generated through the margin between purchase price from farmers and sales price to consumers.
2. Financial services (JAバンク・JA共済): JAひだ provides banking services (deposits, loans, JAネットバンク) and insurance/protection services (共済) to local residents and member farmers. Revenue comes from interest spreads on loans and insurance premiums.
3. Automotive fuel and agricultural materials: Sale of petroleum products (gasoline, diesel, kerosene), agricultural machinery, fertilizers, and pesticides to member farmers and local residents. The cooperative offers discounts of up to 10 yen per liter on agricultural fuel.
4. Funeral services (葬祭センター): Operation of funeral centers (葬祭センター高山, 松想苑, 葬祭センター萩原, 葬祭センター古川) offering funeral services to local residents.
5. Restaurant and retail services: Operation of specialty restaurants including the yakitori house 味蔵天国 near Takayama Station, and the cooking bento service 味彩. Revenue from food service and prepared meal sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JA Hida is a member-owned agricultural cooperative that aggregates and sells premium regional agricultural products (Hida Beef, Hida Tomato, Hida Spinach, Hida Koshihikari Rice, and other vegetables) sourced from member farmers, and delivers integrated community services including JA Bank (deposits, loans, mortgages), JA Kyosai mutual aid insurance, agricultural advisory, agricultural machinery sales, funeral services, automobile/fuel services, direct farm stands, A-Coop retail stores, and specialty restaurants. The cooperative operates as a one-stop community hub for both farmers and local residents in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

Product overview

JA Hida (HIDA AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE) is a comprehensive agricultural cooperative serving the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The cooperative offers a unified portfolio centered on the Hida Brand (飛騨ブランド) agricultural products and multifaceted community services. The Hida Brand includes premium wagyu beef (飛騨牛), highland tomatoes (飛騨トマト), spinach (飛騨ほうれんそう), and Koshihikari rice (飛騨コシヒカリ), complemented by other local produce such as cabbage, eggplant, peach, apple, cucumber, and pear. Beyond its core agricultural products, JA Hida operates integrated service divisions including financial/banking services (JA Bank), mutual aid/insurance (JA共済), funeral services, agricultural machinery sales and maintenance, automobile and fuel services, and direct sales stores. The cooperative also manages retail food establishments including the yakiniku restaurant '味蔵天国' and bento service '味彩', selling products through online platforms including JA Town and Rakuten.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 飛騨ブランド: Hida region agricultural and livestock products brand including Hida Beef (飛騨牛), Hida Tomato (飛騨トマト), Hida Spinach (飛騨ほうれんそう), and Hida Koshihikari Rice (飛騨コシヒカリ)

Products and services

• Hida Beef (飛騨牛) Premium wagyu beef brand from the Hida region, one of Japan's most renowned beef brands, raised in the cold mountainous climate with high-quality feed. Distributed to consumers through direct farm stands, A-Coop stores, JA Town, Rakuten, and the Ajikura Tengoku restaurant.
• Hida Tomato (飛騨トマト) Tomatoes cultivated in the cool highland climate of the Hida region, known for their rich flavor due to the large temperature differential between day and night. Sold via direct farm stands and online channels.
• Hida Spinach (飛騨ほうれんそう) Spinach grown in the Hida region, marketed as safe, secure, and exceptionally fresh produce from the cold mountainous area. Sold through JA Hida direct farm stands and online storefronts.
• Hida Koshihikari Rice (飛騨コシヒカリ) Premium Koshihikari rice grown in the Hida region, benefiting from abundant water resources and a cold climate that creates exceptional flavor. Distributed through direct farm stands, JA Town, and Rakuten.
• JA Hida Direct Sales Stores (直売所) Direct sales stores offering locally grown fresh vegetables and Hida Brand products directly to consumers throughout the Hida region.
• JA Hida Financial Services (JAバンク) Banking services including deposits, loans, mortgages, ATM services, and online banking for member farmers and local residents of the Hida region. Also includes Web loan screening applications.
• JA Kyosai Mutual Aid Insurance (共済) Mutual aid insurance services covering life, property, and automobile insurance for protecting members' assets and lives. Available to residents throughout the Hida region.
• JA Hida Funeral Centers (葬祭センター) Multiple funeral center facilities including Takayama, Shousouen, Hagiwara, and Furukawa locations, providing funeral services to local residents in the Hida region.
• Ajikura Tengoku Yakiniku Restaurant (焼肉ハウス味蔵天国) Hida Beef yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant operated by JA Hida Group, located one minute walk from JR Takayama Station. Serves tourists and local consumers.
• Ajisai Cuisine and Bento Service (料理弁当味彩) Catering and bento (lunch box) service featuring Hida Beef rice balls and seasonal lunches including Hida no Houbanzushi. Operates as a prepared meal and catering service.
• JA Hida Agricultural Machinery Services (農機サービス) Agricultural machinery sales, maintenance, and seasonal exhibitions including spring farm equipment show and summer farm machinery festival. Serves member farmers and the agricultural community.
• Automobile and Petroleum Services (自動車・石油・ガス) Automobile sales, maintenance, gasoline station operations, and fuel services supporting daily life in the rural Hida area. Offers member discounts up to 10 yen per liter on agricultural fuel.
• JA Hida Agricultural Support Services (営農事業) Comprehensive farming support including agricultural advisory, sales of fertilizers and pesticides, produce sales on behalf of farmers, and soil diagnosis services for member farmers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hida Yamakko shiitake mushrooms achieved 6 consecutive group awards (6連覇) at the National Shiitake Competition, demonstrating superior quality

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Caracal Products & ServicesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 February 2026Caracal Products & Services sponsored the HIDA Med Supply Chain Conference in Dallas (February 11-13, 2026), a healthcare-focused event separate from the agricultural cooperative's primary business. Note: This partnership appears to be with HIDA (Healthcare Distribution Association), not the agricultural cooperative JAひだ. This may be a separate entity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• ZEN-NOH (JA全農 / National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations):

Direct peers

• JA Hyogo (JA兵庫): A major prefectural-level JA cooperative offering comparable multi-line services including Kobe Beef-adjacent wagyu brands, financial services, and retail. Comparable in business model, scale (501-1000+ employees), and integrated service portfolio, though serving a different region.
• JA Gifu (JAぎふ): Another agricultural cooperative operating within Gifu Prefecture, providing the same integrated suite of agricultural guidance, JA Bank, JA Kyosai, fuel, funeral, and retail services. Highly comparable as a regional JA operating in an overlapping geography with overlapping product mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/jahida_official
• Instagraminstagram.com/jahida_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 HIDA AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE