JA Saitama

What JA Saitama does

JA Saitama (さいたま農業協同組合) is a regional agricultural cooperative established in 2016 through the merger of multiple JA entities in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Operating as a member-owned entity under Japan's Agricultural Cooperative Act, the cooperative provides a diversified portfolio of services to its full members (正組合員, agricultural producers) and associate members (准組合員), as well as to the broader general consumer base. Its service area covers portions of Saitama City (excluding Iwatsuki Ward), Kawaguchi, Konosu, Ageo, Soka, Warabi, Toda, Okegawa, Kitamoto, and Ina Town in the Greater Tokyo region.

The cooperative's core operations span six business lines: (1) financial services through JA Bank (deposits, loans, JA Net Bank online platform); (2) mutual aid insurance via JA Kyosai; (3) economic (agricultural) operations including input supply, agricultural guidance, and the Mamiya rice milling plant for private brand Koshihikari production; (4) direct produce retail through more than 10 farm stand locations (Gurume Rice Land series, Angyou, Shikisai-kan, Benibana no Sato, Sakura-kuni-ya, Kitamoto-ekimae) plus mobile sales vehicles; (5) lifestyle services including JA funeral centers and marriage matchmaking; and (6) asset management advisory. The cooperative produces 6th industrialization processed foods including ぐるめ米だんご, さいたま米せんべい, 大豆コーヒー, 黄金の雫梨グミ, アップルキウイグミ, and いものうか, distributed through farm stands and the JA Town e-commerce platform.

The business model is membership-based with multi-channel monetization: unit-priced retail (farm stand produce, 280-300 yen dumplings, 150 yen soy coffee drip packs), monthly recurring banking and insurance fees, seasonal event-based community engagement, and private brand premium product sales. Marketing combines digital channels (official website, LINE, Instagram, YouTube), print (monthly 'Saitama' magazine, biannual 'Agurin' newsletter), experiential programs (8th annual photo contest, JA Saitama University, harvest bus tours), and community events. The cooperative is governed by a General Assembly of Representatives with no external private equity, no publicly disclosed parent company, and no stock exchange listing; it is affiliated with the prefectural JA Group Saitama and national JA Group Japan networks.

Name

JA Saitama

Legal name

さいたま農業協同組合

Website

https://ja-saitama.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

JA Saitama is a regional Japanese agricultural cooperative serving Saitama Prefecture with diversified services including JA Bank credit, mutual aid insurance, farm stand retail, agricultural guidance, funeral, and matchmaking services for member farmers and local consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Cooperative Services

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmer Cooperatives & Co-op Retail (AFABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Agricultural & Rural Development Banks (FSABAKAE)

Keywords

• Agricultural cooperative services
• Cooperative banking services
• Mutual insurance products
• Farmers market direct sales
• Private brand processed foods

Headquarters

HQ city

Saitama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JA Saitama is a regional agricultural cooperative offering comprehensive one-stop services to its members and local consumers in Saitama Prefecture. Its portfolio spans cooperative banking (JA Bank, JA Net Bank), mutual aid insurance (JA Kyosai), direct produce sales through a network of farm stands and mobile sales vehicles, funeral services, marriage matchmaking, agricultural guidance, and asset management consulting. It also develops and sells private brand processed food products (Koshihikari rice, rice dango, rice crackers, soy coffee) under its 6th industrialization initiative.

Product overview

JA Saitama is a regional agricultural cooperative (JA) offering a diversified portfolio of financial services (banking, insurance, asset management), agricultural support, retail through farmstand direct sales, funeral services, and matchmaking services. The cooperative operates multiple direct sales outlets ('ぐるめ米ランド' series) selling locally grown produce including rice, wheat, taro varieties, tomatoes, edamame, kiwi fruit, and flowers. It also produces private brand processed products including special cultivation Koshihikari rice, rice crackers ('さいた米せんべい'), rice dango ('ぐるめ米だんご'), and soy coffee ('大豆コーヒー'), manufactured through its 6th industry initiatives. The cooperative provides agricultural guidance, life support services for members, and operates community-based branch offices throughout Saitama prefecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 特別栽培米コシヒカリ (PB米): Specially cultivated Koshihikari rice produced under reduced pesticide and chemical fertilizer conditions, processed at the Mamiya rice polishing plant.
• ぐるめ米だんご
• さいた米せんべい
• 大豆コーヒー
• いものうか
• 黄金の雫
• アップルキウィグミ

Products and services

• JA Bank / 信用事業 (Banking and Credit Services) Banking and credit services including savings accounts, loans, and JA Net Bank online banking platform for JA Saitama members and local residents.
• 共済事業 (JA Kyosai Mutual Aid Insurance) Mutual aid and insurance services for members covering life, medical, and property protection.
• 直売所 (Farm Stand Direct Sales) Farmers' market direct sales outlets selling local agricultural products including rice, vegetables, fruits, and processed goods across multiple locations including the ぐるめ米ランド series stores.
• 葬祭事業 (Funeral Services) Funeral center services with venues for wakes and ceremonies, managed through JA 葬祭センター (JA Funeral Center).
• 婚活事業 (Marriage Matchmaking Services) Marriage support and matchmaking services including consultation events and matchmaking registration for members.
• 組合員サポート (Member Agricultural & Lifestyle Support) Agricultural and lifestyle support services for members including farming guidance, agricultural inputs, and community activities.
• 資産運用 (Asset Management Advisory) Asset management advisory and consulting services for members.
• 特別栽培米コシヒカリ (Special Cultivation Koshihikari Rice PB) Pesticide and chemical fertilizer-reduced Koshihikari rice grown according to MAFF special cultivation guidelines, processed at the Mamiya rice processing plant and sold at direct sale outlets.
• ぐるめ米だんご (Gurume Rice Dango) Handmade rice dango made with 100% Saitama city-produced special cultivation Koshihikari rice, sold at Kizaki Gurume Rice Land in mitarashi, koshian, and tsubuan flavors.
• さいたま米せんべい (Saitama Rice Crackers) Rice crackers made with 100% Saitama-grown Ayaka no Kagayaki rice, jointly developed with Kamada Kassei; certified Saitama Furusato Shōnin and Saitama Furusato Shōnin Premium foods.
• 大豆コーヒー (Soy Coffee) Caffeine-free soy coffee using Konosu city-produced 'Satono Hohoemi' soybeans, manufactured by Mino no Mura, available in drip pack and 150g powder.

Quantifiable outcome

• Photo contest attracts community participation with photos published in JA Saitama original calendars and official magazine 'Saitama'
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Hokuto (ホクレン農業協同組合連合会): Federation of agricultural cooperatives in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture. Comparable as a regional agricultural cooperative organization with similar banking, marketing, and direct-sales functions for farmer members.

Emerging players

• Land O'Lakes (WinField United): Major US agricultural cooperative with farmer-owned structure, providing agricultural inputs, services, and branded consumer foods. Comparable as an international cooperative model demonstrating vertical integration from farm inputs to branded consumer products.
• Cookpad (クックパッド株式会社): Recipe and food-tech platform that partnered with JA Saitama and Soka City in 2020 to drive urban agriculture through the Cookpad Mart app. Comparable as a technology partner and emerging channel for JA Saitama's direct-produce sales.

Broad incumbents

• Aeon (イオン株式会社): Japan's largest retail group, operating supermarkets, convenience stores, and an expanding fresh-produce and agricultural product offering. Comparable as a competitor for direct-sale farm-stand customers within Saitama Prefecture seeking fresh local produce.
• The Norinchukin Bank (農林中央金庫): Central cooperative bank for Japan's agricultural, forestry, and fishery cooperatives, serving as the umbrella banking institution for the JA Bank system of which JA Saitama's banking arm is part. Directly comparable as the financial backbone for the same cooperative banking network.
• JA Group Japan (全国農業協同組合連合会 / ZEN-NOH): National federation of Japan's agricultural cooperatives (JA Group), the umbrella organization to which JA Saitama belongs. Comparable as the apex body coordinating marketing, supply, and guidance services across all regional JAs including Saitama.

Direct peers

• JA Yokohama (JA横浜): Regional agricultural cooperative serving Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture. Comparable as another Greater Tokyo-area JA providing identical banking, insurance, farm-stand, and lifestyle services to farming and associate members.
• JA Akita (秋田県農業協同組合): Regional agricultural cooperative serving Akita Prefecture in northern Japan. Direct comparable as a prefectural-level JA offering the same diversified mix of banking, insurance, direct sales, and agricultural support services to farmer members.
• JA Tokyo Musen (JA東京むさし): Regional agricultural cooperative covering western Tokyo, operating in the same Greater Tokyo metropolitan area as JA Saitama. Direct comparable in urban-adjacent agricultural cooperative services, direct sales, and JA Bank offerings.
• JA Chiba (JAちば / 千葉県農業協同組合): Prefectural agricultural cooperative in Chiba Prefecture, adjacent to Saitama. Comparable in scale, structure, and service mix — diversified JA cooperative with banking, insurance, and direct sales operations serving Greater Tokyo-area agricultural producers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JASaitama
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNy8Z-OL_ZH49uexjDxM-Vw
• Facebookfacebook.com/raiden.saitama

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 JA Saitama