Egao

What Egao does

EGAO PLUS Inc. (エガオプラス株式会社) is an Osaka, Japan-based private company founded in September 2008 with 10 million JPY of capital, led by Representative Director Yusei Akashi (明石 祐成). The company conducts research, development, product planning, manufacturing, and sales centered on Mexican-origin tree bark extracts, with the proprietary Tetole Polyphenol (テトレポリフェノール) as its core ingredient platform. Its portfolio spans two consumer brands — Jusen/Tetole (樹煎/テトレ) for health teas and dietary supplements with more than 20 years of Japanese sales history, and Hitas (ヒタス) for beauty and anti-aging products co-developed with Kracie — plus trademarked ingredient sub-brands (Habar Regenon for beauty, Diaphenon for health). The technology base is supported by three granted patents and an in-house Bio Lab conducting joint studies with Kanazawa University, Kindai University, Iwaki Meisei University, and the Osaka Industrial Research Institute.

The company operates a multi-stream go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer sales are conducted via mail-order (phone: 06-6341-7757 and email) and through nationwide pharmacy and drugstore retail. A second stream distributes products through hospitals and clinics via partners such as Japan Maggot Company and clinics including Umikaze and Sapho. A third B2B stream licenses Tetole Polyphenol as an OEM raw material and active ingredient to manufacturing partners (with Kracie as a named co-development counterparty), and a fourth stream offers consulting services for new business plan creation and partnership matching beyond the health and beauty sector. Marketing relies on long-tail earned media (TV features, health magazines, trade publications, and medical journal coverage spanning 1996–2016), brand websites, phone/email inquiry, and academic conference presentations.

The business is founder-owned and bootstrapped with no disclosed funding rounds, no disclosed headcount, and no disclosed revenue. Customer concentration is diversified across long-tail DTC, fragmented pharmacy retail, and a smaller set of named B2B and clinical partners, with Kracie representing the most material enterprise relationship. Geographic footprint is primarily Japan-domestic with some Asian-market positioning of the Jusen brand through partner corporations. Expansion signals are modest and largely channel-based (OEM/B2B, Bio Lab research collaborations, Kracie co-development), and AI/ML capabilities are not present in the disclosed technology stack.

Name

Egao

Legal name

エガオプラス株式会社

Website

https://egaoinc.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

EGAO PLUS Inc. is an Osaka-based Japanese company that researches, develops, manufactures, and sells health and beauty products derived from proprietary Mexican-origin Tetole Polyphenol tree bark extracts, serving health- and beauty-conscious consumers via mail-order and nationwide pharmacy retail, plus B2B partners via OEM licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health and Beauty Supplements

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Spice and Extract Manufacturing (311942), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Herbal & Botanical Supplements (CRADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthy Aging & Cognitive Support Supplements (CRADAGAM), Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE), Botanical/Herbal & Adaptogen Functional Beverage Production (AFAFAFAF)

Keywords

• Dietary supplement products
• Beauty ingredient supply
• OEM contract manufacturing
• Polyphenol extract materials
• Natural health ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Mail-order / Direct-to-Consumer Sales: Egao markets and sells health and beauty products derived from Mexican tree bark directly to consumers through mail-order (通信販売). Products include Tetla tea, Tetole supplements, and topical formulations. Revenue is generated through individual consumer purchases with repeat buying potential. National distribution through pharmacies and drugstores complements the direct sales channel.
2. OEM / White-label Manufacturing: Egao licenses its proprietary Tetole Polyphenol material to other companies for use in OEM (original equipment manufacturing) product development. The strong competitive positioning of the Tetole material enables Egao to supply the raw ingredient to manufacturers who develop and sell finished products under their own brands. This creates a B2B revenue stream alongside direct-to-consumer sales.
3. Raw Material Sales: Egao sells the Mexican-origin tree bark in raw extract form and supplies the extracted Tetole Polyphenol to manufacturers and partners. The raw material is positioned as a scientifically studied ingredient with demonstrated health and beauty applications.
4. Consulting Services: Egao provides strategic consulting services that span beyond the health and beauty industry to include new business plan creation and partnership matching. This B2B service generates professional services revenue from industry clients seeking to leverage Egao's expertise in natural ingredients and the Japanese health/beauty market.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Egao Plus researches, develops, manufactures, and sells health and beauty products built around its proprietary Mexican-origin tree bark extract Tetole Polyphenol. The lineup spans Tetore/Jusen dietary supplements and health teas sold via mail-order and pharmacies, Hitas anti-aging cosmetics co-developed with Kracie, OEM/white-label manufacturing for partner brands using the Tetole Polyphenol ingredient, an in-house Bio Lab R&D facility, and a cross-industry consulting arm.

Product overview

Egao Plus Inc. operates as a multi-brand health and beauty company built around its proprietary Mexican-origin tree bark extract (テトウストレ / Tetote) and derived polyphenols. The product portfolio centers on two core brands: '樹煎 (Jusen)' and 'テトレ' for dietary supplements and health teas sold through pharmacies across Japan, and 'ヒタス (Hitas)' for beauty and anti-aging applications co-developed with major domestic companies. Supporting these are OEM manufacturing services leveraging the same evidenced-backed Tetore Polyphenol material, an in-house Bio Lab conducting collaborative research with Japanese universities (Kanazawa University, Kindai University, Iwaki Meisei University, Osaka Research Institute), and a consulting arm for new business creation. Ingredient sub-brands ディアフェノン (health) and ハバルレジノン (beauty) formalize the use of key functional materials. The company holds multiple patents derived from its research program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 樹煎 (Jusen): Mexican tree bark traditional product positioned as Asian market strategy brand with over 20 years of domestic sales history in Japan.
• ヒタス (Hitas)
• テトレ品質保証 (Tetorē Quality Assurance)
• ハバルレジノン (Habar Regenon)
• ディアフェノン (Diaphenon)

Products and services

• Tetore / Jusen (テトレ / 樹煎) health supplements and teas

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 20 years of continuous domestic sales in Japan for the 樹煎 brand
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mexican Embassy in Japan (メキシコ合衆国大使館)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Hosted an official Tetole material briefing seminar at the Mexican Embassy, where Egao presented detailed evidence, efficacy measurement results, and product information for the Japanese market. The embassy-level endorsement validates the authenticity and cultural significance of the Mexican-origin ingredient.
• Kanazawa University Faculty of Pharmacy (金沢大学薬学部)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Long-standing research partner conducting toxicity testing, functional testing, glucose tolerance testing, and sugar decomposition inhibition testing for Tetole Polyphenol. One of Egao's primary academic research partners providing scientific validation.
• Kindai University Faculty of Agriculture (近畿大学農学部)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Key research partner conducting separation testing, alpha-glucosidase inhibition assay, hyaluronidase inhibition activity assay, melanin generation inhibition assay, and collagenase inhibition assay. Presented research at the Japanese Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agricultural Chemistry in 2010.
• Iwaki Meisei University Faculty of Pharmacy (いわき明星大学薬学部)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Research partner conducting functional testing. Presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences.
• Osaka Industrial Research Institute (大阪産業技術研究所)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Research partner conducting comparative antioxidant testing for Tetole and related materials. Provides technical analysis and research infrastructure.
• Kracie Home Products / Kracie Seiyaku (クラシエホームプロダクツ・クラシエ製薬)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Major Japanese consumer goods company partnering with Egao on multiple patented formulations including: irritation-relieving and low-irritation skin topical agents and atopic dermatitis treatment agents; anti-aging cosmetics; elastase inhibitors and antioxidants; and aromatase inhibitors. Underpins the Hitas brand and other B2B product development.
• Umikaze Clinic (海風診療)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Medical clinic conducting human efficacy measurements (人測定) for Tetore products, providing clinical validation data through real-world patient studies.
• Sapho Clinic (サフォクリニック)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2008Medical aesthetics clinic that evaluates and sells Hitas brand products, serving as a point-of-sale channel for the beauty brand in a clinical setting.
• Japan Maggot Company (ジャパンマゴットカンパニー)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2008Medical company recommending and distributing Tetore tea products in hospitals and medical settings. Featured in an Okayama information magazine feature in 2009.
• Japan Primary Care Promotion Association (日本プライマリーケア推進協会)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Healthcare organization collaborating with Egao on research and promotion of health products.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kracie Holdings: Kracie is both a partner and a comparable peer: a large Japanese consumer products company with cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care lines that overlap with Egao's beauty and health product categories, and which already co-develops Hitas formulations with Egao.
• Noevir Holdings: Noevir is a Japanese health and beauty company with mail-order and retail channels serving overlapping consumer segments. Its beauty supplement portfolio and direct-selling model position it as a broad incumbent comparable to Egao.
• Otsuka Holdings: Otsuka is a diversified Japanese pharmaceutical and nutraceutical group with significant consumer health, supplement, and beverage (e.g., Pocari Sweat) operations. It is a large incumbent serving the same evidence-based functional health and beauty consumer in Japan.
• Pola Orbis Holdings: Pola Orbis is a major Japanese beauty and cosmetics conglomerate whose anti-aging skincare portfolio overlaps with Egao's Hitas beauty line. It is a larger incumbent in the same evidence-based beauty category in Japan.
• Yakult Honsha: Yakult is a Japanese functional beverage and probiotic company with evidence-based health positioning. While much larger, its functional-beverage and health-supplement lines overlap with Egao's functional tea products targeting metabolic and wellness benefits.
• Suntory Wellness: Suntory Wellness is the health supplement and functional beverage arm of Suntory, a major Japanese beverage conglomerate. Its scientifically-backed supplement portfolio competes for the same health-conscious Japanese consumer that Egao targets with its Tetore product line.

Direct peers

• Ito Kanpo Pharmaceutical: Ito Kanpo is a Japanese kampo/herbal supplement manufacturer with mail-order channels and a focus on plant-derived health products. It is directly comparable to Egao's herbal/botanical supplement business and Japanese consumer base.
• DHC Corporation: DHC is a leading Japanese mail-order supplements and cosmetics company with a direct-to-consumer motion and broad pharmacy/drugstore presence, closely mirroring Egao's mail-order + nationwide retail hybrid distribution model for health and beauty products.
• Fancl Corporation: Fancl is a major Japanese mail-order and OTC health/beauty supplement company with a comparable direct-to-consumer mail-order model, similar herbal/botanical supplement positioning, and emphasis on scientific evidence. Both companies sell proprietary health and beauty products through similar Japanese retail and mail-order channels.

Regional players

• Kibun Foods: Kibun Foods is a Japanese functional and health-oriented food manufacturer with plant-derived ingredient positioning. It overlaps with Egao's tea and supplement categories and is comparable as another domestic Japanese player pursuing health/wellness consumer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Egao