Fukui Co-operative Society

What Fukui Co-operative Society does

Fukui Co-operative Society (福井県民生活協同組合, commonly branded 県民せいきょう / Kenmin Seikyo / COOP Fukui) is a member-owned consumer cooperative incorporated in 1977 under Japanese cooperative law, serving Fukui Prefecture, Japan with a 1,001-5,000 employee workforce. The cooperative operates a vertically integrated multi-service platform organized around four pillars: (i) 11 Hearts (ハーツ) supermarket stores plus 5 home-delivery distribution centers spanning the Fukui, Sakai, Sabae, Tsuruga, and Obama regions; (ii) elderly care under the Kirameki (きらめき) brand — 16 facilities including day care, nursing homes, dementia group homes, and small-scale multifunctional care; (iii) childcare support through 7 Hearts Kids (ハーツきっず) facilities with parenting plazas, temporary childcare, and after-school clubs; and (iv) mutual aid insurance (COOP共済), funeral services (Mirei, pet funeral), meal kits, meal delivery (介護食/医療食), gasoline cards, kerosene delivery, baby goods rental, and shopping assistance for the elderly.

The business model combines retail-store transactions, recurring weekly home-delivery subscriptions (with 55-165 yen per-delivery fees and product margins), per-member share capital (target 100,000 yen at 0.2-0.4% dividends), managed-services revenue from welfare facilities, and a 1-point-per-200-yen loyalty system. Customers are individual members (組合員) recruited across general households, families with children, the elderly, and food-insecure individuals served through the 21-partner Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council. Technology infrastructure is light: the e-Friends web platform and COOP Hokuriku mobile app support order management, point tracking, and catalog browsing, with no disclosed proprietary AI/ML or data systems. The cooperative is affiliated with the Fukui Prefecture Co-operative Federation (founded 1975) and the national Japanese Co-operative Union, and consolidates two wholly-owned subsidiaries — Kirameki Welfare Association (社会福祉法人きらめき福祉会, elderly welfare) and Honobono Hearts (一般社団法人ほのぼのハーツ, disability employment support).

Name

Fukui Co-operative Society

Legal name

福井県民生活協同組合

Website

https://fukui.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Fukui Co-operative Society (福井県民生活協同組合) is a member-owned consumer cooperative serving Fukui Prefecture, Japan with 11 Hearts retail stores, 5 home-delivery distribution centers, 16 elderly care facilities, 7 childcare support centers, mutual aid insurance, and food bank coordination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Cooperative Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (623312), Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Independent Living with Supportive Services (Light ADL/IADL Support) (HLADAAAE), Farm-to-Consumer Cooperative Markets (Local Producer Co-ops) (CRAHALAG)

Keywords

• Consumer cooperative services
• Grocery retail stores
• Home delivery grocery
• Elderly care services
• Childcare support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fukui

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Operations (ハーツ): Revenue from retail store sales of groceries, daily necessities, and household products across 11 physical store locations in Fukui Prefecture.
2. Home Delivery Service (コープの宅配): Weekly delivery service of catalog products to member households. Generates revenue through product sales with per-delivery fees (55-165 yen per delivery) plus product margins.
3. Member Investment Shares (出資金): Members provide share capital (出資金) to the cooperative. Each share unit is 1,000 yen. Target investment per member is 100,000 yen. Dividend rates have been 0.2% (2022), 0.3% (2024), 0.4% (2025).
4. Elderly Care Services (きらめき): Revenue from operating multiple elderly care facilities providing nursing care, day services, group homes, and small-scale multifunctional care services.
5. Childcare Support Services (ハーツきっず): Childcare support facilities offering temporary childcare, parenting plazas, and after-school clubs.
6. Point System (ポイント制度): Members earn points (1 point per 200 yen spent) at stores and through delivery services. Points can be redeemed for products or converted to investment shares.
7. Mutual Aid Insurance (コープ共済): Partnership-based mutual aid insurance services offered through the cooperative network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fukui Co-operative Society is a member-owned consumer cooperative that operates 11 Hearts (ハーツ) supermarket stores and a weekly home delivery (コープの宅配) service across Fukui Prefecture, Japan, alongside 16 elderly care facilities (きらめき), 7 childcare support centers (ハーツきっず), mutual aid insurance (コープ共済), and ancillary lifestyle services. Members join by purchasing cooperative shares and access retail, delivery, welfare, and community programs through a single integrated network. The cooperative is affiliated with the Fukui Prefecture Co-operative Federation and the Japanese Co-operative Federation.

Product overview

Fukui Co-operative Society (福井県民生活協同組合) operates a multi-service consumer cooperative platform centered on grocery retail and home delivery, with 11 Hearts (ハーツ) supermarket stores across Fukui Prefecture and a comprehensive home delivery service called Coop Delivery (コープの宅配). The portfolio includes complementary life services including elderly care (高齢者介護きらめき), childcare support (ハーツきっず), insurance (コープ共済), funeral services (みれい/ペット葬), meal kits (ミールキット), meal delivery (食事宅配), and various convenience services like mobile stores, shopping assistance, gasoline cards, and kerosene delivery. The e-Friends (eフレンズ) platform serves as the digital hub for member account management, online ordering, and service access. The cooperative also operates affiliated welfare corporations and food bank coordination programs as part of its community social responsibility initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• コープの宅配: Home delivery service for groceries and daily necessities
• きらめき
• ハーツきっず
• コープ共済
• ほのぼのハーツ
• きらめき福祉会

Products and services

• Coop Delivery (コープの宅配) Weekly home delivery offering groceries and daily necessities to cooperative members across Fukui Prefecture, with delivery to homes, pickup stations, and partner Hearts stores. Members order via paper catalog, COOP app, or phone with per-delivery fees of 55-165 yen.
• Hearts (ハーツ) Retail Stores Chain of 11 retail supermarket stores across Fukui Prefecture (Harue, Usui, Gakuen, Shihiguchi, Kyouryu, Sabae, Kaminaka, Takehu, Kouno, Tsuruga, Mikatagoko, Wakasa) offering groceries, daily necessities, recycling services, ATMs, and tenant services including restaurants, dry cleaning, florists, pharmacies, and fitness centers.
• Elderly Care Kirameki (高齢者介護きらめき) Comprehensive elderly care services operating 16 facilities across Fukui Prefecture under the Kirameki brand, including day care (デイサービス), visiting care (訪問介護), small-scale multi-functional care, group homes for dementia, service-supported housing for seniors, and welfare equipment rental/sales.
• Childcare Support Hearts Kids (子育て支援ハーツきっず) Childcare support services at 7 facilities across Fukui Prefecture including parenting plazas (ひろば), temporary childcare (一時預かり), after-school clubs (児童クラブ), and parental support programs at Hearts store locations.
• Coop Mutual Aid (コープ共済) Insurance and mutual aid products offered through the cooperative network, covering life, medical, and other protection services for member households, distributed through partnership with COOP Kyosai.
• Coop Funeral Mirei (生協葬祭 みれい) Funeral and memorial services provided for cooperative members, offering comprehensive end-of-life ceremony arrangements.
• Coop Pet Funeral (コープのペット葬) Pet funeral and memorial services for deceased companion animals of cooperative members.
• COOP Meal Kit (COOPのミールキット) Meal kit delivery service providing pre-portioned ingredients and recipes for convenient home cooking.
• Meal Delivery (食事宅配) Meal delivery service offering lunch and dinner courses, including special meals for elderly care (介護食) and medical dietary needs (医療食).
• Coop Gasoline Card (コープガソリンカード) Cooperative-branded gasoline card offering fuel discounts and convenience for member vehicle owners.
• Kerosene Regular Delivery (灯油定期配送) Regular scheduled delivery of heating kerosene to member homes, particularly serving elderly and rural members.
• Baby Product Rental (ベビー用品レンタル) Rental service for baby products including car seats, cribs, and other infant care items to reduce upfront costs for parents.
• Mobile Store Hearts Bin (移動店舗 ハーツ便) Mobile store service bringing groceries and daily goods directly to customers' neighborhoods, serving areas with limited access to physical stores.
• Shopping Agent Service (おつかいさん) Shopping assistance service where store staff help purchase and deliver groceries for members who have difficulty shopping in person.
• e-Friends (eフレンズ) Member web portal and mobile app platform for managing delivery orders, viewing product catalogs, checking points, and accessing member services online.
• Fukui Food Bank Network (フードバンク連絡会) Food bank coordination activities reducing food loss by connecting surplus food from businesses to welfare organizations serving children and families in need, with Fukui Co-operative Society serving as secretariat and primary organizer.
• Honobono Hearts (ほのぼのハーツ) General incorporated association providing employment continuation support Type A/B services and consultation support services for persons with disabilities, operating agricultural processing, delivery center work, and recycling operations.
• Kirameki Welfare Association (きらめき福祉会) Social welfare corporation providing special elderly nursing homes, small-scale multi-functional care, and dementia-related group homes, operating the Kirameki no Sato Sabae facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 retail stores serving communities across Fukui Prefecture
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council (福井県フードバンク連絡会)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2022Fukui Co-operative Society serves as the secretariat and primary organizer of the Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council, established September 9, 2022. The council coordinates food waste reduction and food assistance to welfare organizations including children's cafeterias across Fukui Prefecture. President Hioki Hiroki serves as Council Chairman.
• PLANT Corporation (株式会社PLANT)minorOthers · 9 September 2022Food bank partner company participating in the Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council network, providing surplus food products for redistribution to welfare organizations.
• Yasusaki Co., Ltd. (株式会社ヤスサキ)minorOthers · 9 September 2022Food bank partner company in the Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council network, contributing to food waste reduction initiatives.
• NTT West Fukui Branch (NTT西日本福井支店)minorOthers · 9 September 2022Corporate sponsor of the Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council, supporting food bank activities and food waste reduction.
• JA Fukui Central Association (JA福井県中央会)minorOthers · 9 September 2022Agricultural cooperative contributing to food bank activities through the Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council.
• Ricoh Japan Marketing Fukui Branch (リコピージャパン株式会社 福井支社)minorOthers · 9 September 2022Corporate sponsor participating in food bank network activities.
• Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling (北陸コカ・コーラボトリング株式会社)minorOthers · 9 September 2022Beverage company participating in food bank network to reduce food waste.
• COOP Hokuriku (コープ北陸事業連合)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional federation of COOP cooperatives in the Hokuriku region (Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui). Co-branded products and shared logistics systems connect Fukui Co-operative with other regional cooperatives.
• LC COOP Fukui (エルシーコープ株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogistics and delivery subsidiary providing transportation, distribution, and power generation services for the cooperative network.
• COOP Service Fukui (コープサービス福井)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerService subsidiary handling various support services for the cooperative's operations.
• Fukui Prefecture Welfare Council (福井県社会福祉協議会)coreOthersPartner organization in food bank activities; coordinates with welfare organizations and child cafeterias for food distribution.
• Children's Cafeteria Network Fukui (こども食堂ネットワークふくい)coreOthersNetwork organization for children's cafeterias in Fukui, working with food bank to provide regular food assistance to children facing food insecurity.
• COOP Kyosai (コープ共済)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMutual aid insurance provider through the COOP cooperative network, offering life and medical insurance products to members.
• Rainbow Farm Fukui (ふくいレインボーファーム)minorOthersAgricultural production partner providing locally grown produce, integrated with elderly care facility visits and farm activities.
• Kirameki Welfare Association (社会福祉法人きらめき福祉会)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial welfare corporation operating elderly care facilities (きらめきの里 Sabae), small-scale multifunctional care, and dementia group homes. Established September 2019, operates under the cooperative's welfare philosophy.
• Honobono Hearts (、一般社団法人 ほのぼのハーツ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral incorporated association providing employment support services for persons with disabilities (Type A and B employment continuation support, consultation support services).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Aeon (イオン株式会社): Japan's largest supermarket and retail conglomerate operating supermarkets, financial services, and home delivery nationwide. Comparable as a broad incumbent in grocery retail and home delivery that competes with Fukui Co-op's retail and delivery services across Fukui Prefecture.
• Sogo & Seibu / Summit (エイヴィー事業部): Mid-sized supermarket chain with store and growing online delivery offerings across Hokuriku (including Fukui). Competes with Fukui Co-op's Hearts stores on grocery baskets and overlaps on delivery, though delivered by a for-profit retailer rather than a cooperative.
• Benesse Style Care (ベネッセスタイルケア): Large national operator of assisted living, group homes, and day care services for elderly. Comparable as a broad-incumbent competitor in the same care categories Fukui Co-op provides under Kirameki across Japan.

Direct peers

• Co-op Kobe (生活協同組合コープこうべ): Largest consumer cooperative in Japan, operating home delivery, retail stores, elderly care, and welfare services. Directly comparable because it is a multi-service consumer co-op serving one prefecture (Hyogo) with the same retail + delivery + care + insurance portfolio as Fukui Co-op.
• Seikatsu Club (生活クラブ事業連合生活協同組合連合会): Federation of consumer cooperatives across Japan focused on delivery-based food supply with strong producer partnerships. Directly comparable on cooperative ownership, delivery-led GTM, and emphasis on food safety and producer-direct sourcing.
• Co-op Net (コープネット事業連合 / 生活協同組合コープネット): Tokyo-area consumer cooperative federation providing COOP delivery and retail. Comparable as a peer consumer co-op with home delivery as the core GTM, member-share capital structure, and complementary life services (elder care, childcare, mutual aid).
• Sawayaka / Plumage / Nichii (介護サービス事業者): Nichii and similar providers operate elderly day care, group homes, and home-visit care services across Japan. Directly comparable to Fukui Co-op's Kirameki elderly care services because they deliver the same care menu under the Japanese long-term care insurance framework.
• COOP Kyosai (日本コープ共済生活協同組合連合会): National cooperative mutual aid insurance provider through which Fukui Co-op offers COOP共済 to its members. Comparable because it is the underlying insurance counterpart that allows Fukui and other co-ops to deliver mutual aid products to their member households.
• PalSystem Group (パルシステムグループ): Kanto-area consumer cooperative federation specializing in home delivery of groceries (especially organic and private label) with a member-owned structure. Closely comparable to Fukui Co-op on delivery-led retail, premium positioning, and member share capital model.

Regional players

• JA Fukui (福井県農業協同組合): Prefecture-level agricultural cooperative also serving Fukui with farm-direct and grocery retail activities. Comparable because both are member-owned cooperatives serving Fukui households with overlapping farm-to-consumer and grocery offerings; they are also explicit partners in the Fukui Food Bank Liaison Council.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fukuicoop
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqK1_Te_NWlWq-4zNncgySg
• Facebookfacebook.com/fukuicoop
• Instagraminstagram.com/fukuicoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fukuikenmin-seikyo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Fukui Co-operative Society