First Mate Co.

What First Mate Co. does

First Mate Co. (株式会社ファースト・メイト) is a privately held Japanese B2B rental company founded in 1988, headquartered in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, with regional branches in Tokyo and Osaka. The company rents tableware, glassware, cutlery, buffet equipment, kitchenware, and party/event supplies to professional buyers in the restaurant, hotel, catering, and event planning industries, maintaining a catalog of more than 1,500 SKUs across 17 product categories spanning Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine styles. Customers must complete a free membership registration (via Web or FAX) before accessing quotes, pricing, and ordering — explicitly excluding general consumers and positioning the business as a trade-only platform.

The company's core differentiator is its proprietary OZONE-POWER ozone sterilization system, which uses ozone generators to sanitize rental dishware and glassware in dedicated ozone chambers. The technology was validated through a 2020 research partnership with Nara Medical University / MBT Consortium, which demonstrated effectiveness against E. coli, Norovirus, Influenza, and Staphylococcus aureus. The ozone system is branded as a sub-brand and is also being extended into ozone generator equipment sales (Go-wan SUPER, Air Fine, Air Essential models) for hospitals, hotels, and welfare facilities. First Mate holds registered proprietary products including the Crystal Ball Stand glassware base.

The business model is rental-based with recurring event-driven revenue: items are delivered before events and returned after use, with cleaning and sterilization included. Revenue is supplemented by a Premium Sale Items channel for direct purchase of select products, as well as complementary add-on products (chemical heat packs, Miracle Ion Water). GTM is B2B enterprise field sales supported by phone/FAX ordering, downloadable catalogs, and participation in industry seminars. The company has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no public listing.

Name

First Mate Co.

Legal name

株式会社ファースト・メイト

Website

https://first-mate.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Mate Co. is a Japanese B2B rental company, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Ichikawa with Tokyo and Osaka branches, renting tableware, glassware, and party/event supplies to restaurants, hotels, catering firms, and event planners, differentiated by its proprietary OZONE-POWER sterilization technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Tableware Rental

NAICS

All Other Consumer Goods Rental (532289)

SIC

Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Disposable Tableware (Plates, Cups, Cutlery) (CRAJAGAG)

Keywords

• Tableware rental
• Event supplies rental
• Commercial dishware rental
• Catering equipment rental
• Banquet supplies rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Ichikawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dish and Party Goods Rental: Core revenue from renting dishes, tableware, glassware, cutlery, buffet equipment, kitchenware, and event supplies to professional businesses. Products are rented for events and returned after use.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

First Mate Co. rents commercial-grade tableware, glassware, cutlery, buffet and kitchen equipment, tables and chairs, table linens, and party/event supplies to professional businesses in the restaurant, hotel, catering, and event-planning industries. The catalog spans 17 categories with more than 1,500 items covering Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine styles, with delivery, pickup, washing, and ozone-based sterilization included in the rental service.

Product overview

First Mate Co. operates a B2B dish and party supplies rental platform with 18 product categories totaling over 1,600 rental items. The core offering consists of dish rental services (covering Western, Japanese, Chinese, and specialty cuisine styles) and party/event equipment rental. Product categories include: Original Products (136 items), Finger Food Items (93), Buffet Large Plates (37), Course Dishes (96), Western Dishes (55), Glassware (77), Cutlery (83), Buffet Equipment (112), General Equipment (145), Japanese Dishes (187), Chinese Dishes (22), Table Linens (100), Tables & Chairs (60), Kitchen Equipment (186), Service Items (23), Festival Supplies (125), and Event Supplies (133). The company differentiates through complementary services including ozone sterilization for hygiene maintenance, chemical heat packs for food warming, and Miracle Ion Water. Additional offerings include premium items available for direct purchase. The service targets professional users in the restaurant, hotel, catering, and event industries, with branches in Tokyo and Osaka.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OZONE-POWER: First Mate's ozone sterilization system brand used to hygienically store and maintain rental dishware. Includes ozone generators for deodorization and disinfection.

Products and services

• Dish Rental Service (食器レンタル) B2B rental of more than 1,500 dishes, plates, bowls, glassware, cutlery, buffet, and kitchen items for restaurants, hotels, catering companies, and event-planning firms. Covers Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine styles and includes delivery, pickup, washing, and ozone-based sterilization.
• Party and Event Supplies Rental (パーティー用品レンタル) Rental of party and event supplies — tables, chairs, decorations, table linens, festival (matsuri) supplies, and service equipment — for B2B customers running weddings, corporate events, private parties, and festivals.
• Ozone Sterilization System (OZONE-POWER / オゾン除菌) In-house ozone sterilization service used to hygienically sanitize rental glasses, dishware, and equipment between events. Uses ozone generators for deodorization and disinfection, effectiveness 6-7x stronger than chlorine against bacteria and viruses, validated by Nara Medical University / MBT Consortium research (May 2020).
• Premium Sale Items (販売商品) Selected items, including First Mate originals and specialty items, available for direct purchase rather than rental to registered B2B customers.
• Ozone Generators (Go-wan SUPER, Air Fine, Air Essential) Standalone ozone-generating equipment products sold commercially to hospitals, hotels, welfare facilities, restaurants, and car rental companies.
• Maurian Heat Pack (モーリアン ヒートパック / 発熱剤) Chemical heat pack product that activates with the addition of water to generate warmth without fire or electricity, used to keep food warm in service.
• Miracle Ion Water (ミラクルイオン水) Specialized ion water product marketed for food service applications.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hurxley Corporation (ハーリクスレー)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSDGspartnership displayed on the company website footer. Links to Hurxley's sustainability/ESG initiatives page.
• Nara Medical University / MBT Consortium (奈良県立医科大学・MBTコンソーシアム)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership validating ozone technology effectiveness. Research published May 2020 proving ozone's effectiveness for virus prevention and sterilization, with data supporting O-157, Norovirus, Influenza, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus effectiveness.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bright Event Rentals: US-based event and party rental company serving weddings, corporate events, and galas with tables, chairs, linens, dishware, and tents. Most directly comparable in product mix and customer base to First Mate, though operating in a different geography.
• Rent-A-Center: US-based consumer goods rental company offering furniture, appliances, electronics, and accessories on lease-to-own terms. Similar rental business model for durable household goods, though consumer-facing rather than B2B.
• CORT Business Services: US-based B2B rental company offering furniture, housewares, and event equipment to corporate, trade show, and residential customers. Closely matches First Mate's B2B rental business model and customer verticals (events, hospitality).
• Aaron's Holdings Company: US consumer and business goods rental company with rent-to-own and lease-to-own models for furniture, appliances, and electronics. Comparable recurring-revenue rental business model applied to durable consumer goods.

Broad incumbents

• H&E Equipment Services: US-based equipment rental company serving industrial and commercial customers with a broad fleet of aerial, earthmoving, and material handling equipment. Comparable rental business model at much larger scale in industrial rather than consumer goods.
• Party City Holdco: Major North American party supplies retailer now operating as private after restructuring. Comparable to First Mate in product category (party/event supplies) though distributes via retail rather than rental and serves consumers rather than B2B.
• United Rentals: Largest equipment rental company in the world serving construction and industrial markets. Comparable rental operating model, recurring-revenue structure, and B2B customer base at vastly larger scale.

Others

• Williams-Sonoma: US home furnishings and housewares retailer. Adjacent in product category (premium tableware, kitchenware, home goods) but operates retail sales rather than rental; useful as a premiumization comp for First Mate's higher-end inventory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 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 First Mate Co.