What Nippi does

Nippi (株式会社ニッピ) is a 118-year-old Japanese biotechnology and specialty materials manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo (Adachi-ku) and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker 7932). The company originated in leather manufacturing (1906), entered gelatin production in the 1930s, and pivoted decisively into protein science after Dr. Tomio Nishihara's 1960 invention of collagen solubilization technology, which enabled commercial applications of previously insoluble collagen. Today Nippi operates eight business segments: collagen casings for processed meats (the only domestic Japanese manufacturer, exported to 30+ countries), gelatin and collagen peptides for food/pharma/cosmetics, bio-medical products (medical collagen, iMatrix iPS cell culture substrates, 3D bioprinting bio-ink), industrial chemicals (Nippi Linker cable compounds, Nippi V-Form foam), pet health supplements and BSE test kits, leather products, consumer cosmetics and supplements, and real estate leasing.

The company makes money predominantly through B2B one-time sales of industrial and ingredient materials, with a B2C e-commerce overlay for consumer collagen supplements and pet health products. Its core technology is built on proprietary collagen solubilization (patented in Japan, USA, and Europe), in-house peptide manufacturing, ginger-protease hydrolysis (GDCH), and mass-spectrometry-based animal species identification. Nippi runs a vertically integrated operation with multiple dedicated manufacturing facilities in Shizuoka Prefecture (Fujinomiya, Shibakawa) and a dedicated Biomatrix Research Institute in Toride (Ibaraki Prefecture), supported by long-standing academic partnerships with Osaka University and Kyoto University CiRA. Together with GELITA AG, Nippi accounts for 29% of the global collagen market, and it holds the #2 position in Japan's domestic gelatin market.

Name

Nippi

Legal name

株式会社ニッピ

Website

https://nippi-inc.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Nippi is a 118-year-old Japanese listed biotechnology company (TYO: 7932) that manufactures collagen, gelatin, collagen peptides, collagen casings, and bio-medical materials including iPS cell culture substrates and 3D bioprinting bio-inks, serving food, pharmaceutical, medical device, cosmetics, and industrial customers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Collagen and Gelatin Manufacturing

NAICS

Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing (311613), Food Manufacturing (311), Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal-Derived Protein Ingredients (Egg, Collagen/Gelatin, Blood/Plasma Proteins) (AFAJAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Collagen, Gelatin & Protein Hydrolysates (Animal-Derived) (AFANAGAI), Proteins & Functional Nutrition Ingredients (Plant/Animal Proteins, Collagen, Amino Acids) (CRADAOAJ), Hydrocolloids, Thickeners & Gelling Agents (Pectin, Xanthan, Carrageenan, Gelatin) (CRADAOAD)

Keywords

• Collagen manufacturing
• Gelatin production
• Bio-medical materials
• Collagen peptides
• Collagen casing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Collagen Casing: Manufacturing and sales of edible collagen casings for sausages and processed meats. Domestic sales through direct sales force, international sales to 30+ countries.
2. Gelatin: Supply of gelatin to food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and industrial manufacturers. Products include Nippi Gelatin, Nippi Super Gelatin, Japan Pharmacopeia Gelatin, and succinylated gelatin.
3. Collagen Peptides: Marine collagen peptides and functional peptide ingredients for nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and functional foods. Sold B2B to manufacturers.
4. Bio/Medical Products: Medical and research-use collagen and gelatin, iPS cell culture matrices (iMatrix series), research reagents, and 3D bio-inks for regenerative medicine applications.
5. Chemical Products: Nippi Linker for cables, V-form foam products, and plastic compounds for industrial applications.
6. Consumer Cosmetics and Health Products: B2C sales of collagen supplements, cosmetics, and health products through e-commerce platforms including nip-col.jp and physical retail.
7. Pet Health Products: Collagen supplements for pets sold through pet specialty stores, veterinarians, and pet shop chains.
8. Leather Products: Leather manufacturing and sales through subsidiary Nippi-Fujita, with quality testing services through Japan Leather Research Institute.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nippi is a Japanese biotechnology manufacturer producing collagen, gelatin, collagen peptides, and collagen casings from animal-derived raw materials (bovine, porcine, marine). Its portfolio spans edible sausage casings, food/pharmaceutical-grade gelatin, functional collagen peptides (including marine and ginger-protease variants), iPS cell culture substrates (iMatrix series), 3D bioprinting collagen bio-inks, and downstream consumer cosmetics, pet supplements, and leather products. The company serves manufacturers in food, pharmaceutical, medical device, and cosmetics industries, with additional direct-to-consumer sales via e-commerce.

Product overview

Nippi is a Japanese manufacturer with a diversified product portfolio centered on collagen, gelatin, and peptide technologies. The company operates across multiple business segments: (1) Collagen Casing for food processing (sausage casings), (2) Gelatin and Collagen Peptides for food ingredients and nutraceuticals (including NIPPI Peptide brand, Marine Collagen Peptide, and Collagenomics series with ginger enzyme-derived products), (3) Bio-medical products including medical/research collagen, 3D bioprinting collagen bio-ink, and iPS cell culture substrates (iMatrix series), (4) Chemical products (Nippi Linker, Nippi V-Form), (5) Animal health products (pet supplements, BSE test kits), (6) Leather products, and (7) Consumer cosmetics and health supplements (Nippi Collagen 100, skincare products). The company maintains manufacturing facilities in Shizuoka (Fuji, Shibukawa), research in Ibaraki (Toride), and corporate operations in Tokyo (Adachi).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nippi Peptide (ニッピペプタイド): Collagen peptide product brand sold to B2B customers for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.
• Marine Collagen Peptide (マリンコラーウィークペプチド)
• Collagenomics (姜味加水分解コラーウィークペプチド)
• Collagen Biosciences (iMatrix series)
• Collagen Bio-ink (コラーウィークバイオフイク)
• Nippi Collagen 100 (コラーウィーク100)
• Colecense (コレセンス)
• Nippi V-Form (ニッピVフォーム)
• Nippi Linker (ニッピリンカー)
• Nippi Direct (ニッピダイレクト)

Products and services

• Collagen Casing (コラーゲンケーシング) Edible collagen casing for sausages and processed meats, produced at Fuji facilities. Nippi is Japan's only manufacturer of collagen casing, with sales to over 30 countries. Sold to food manufacturers worldwide.
• Gelatin (ゼラチン) Gelatin produced from bovine/porcine bones and skin, fish scales and skin. Available in various types including water-soluble gelatin and pharmaceutical-grade gelatin for capsules, food, and industrial applications.
• Collagen Peptide (コラーゲンペプチド) / NIPPI Peptide Collagen hydrolysate products for beverages, supplements, and functional foods. Includes the NIPPI Peptide brand and marine collagen peptide for nutraceutical applications. Sold B2B to food, supplement, and cosmetics manufacturers.
• Collagenomics Series (Ginger Enzyme Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptide) Advanced collagen peptide product line using ginger protease to produce GDCH (Ginger protease-Degraded Collagen Hydrolysate) with high X-Hyp-Gly tripeptide content, supporting bone differentiation and other functional claims for nutraceutical and functional food applications.
• Medical/Research Collagen (医療・研究用コラーゲン) High-purity collagen for medical and research applications, including use in regenerative medicine and medical device manufacturing. Includes Type IV collagen sold to research and medical institutions.
• 3D Bioprinting Collagen Bio-Ink (コラーゲンバイオインク) Innovative collagen bio-ink for 3D bioprinting applications, developed using Nippi's proprietary collagen powder technology. Neutral pH, 15% concentration, body-temperature gelation. Used by medical and research institutions for regenerative medicine.
• iPS Cell Culture Substrate (iMatrix series) Laminin-based cell culture substrates (laminin-511 E8 fragments) for human ES/iPS cell culture, supporting feeder-free culture conditions for regenerative medicine research and applications. Used by Sumitomo Pharma, Terumo, and other pharmaceutical companies.
• Collagen Powder for Food Applications (揚げ物用コラーゲンパウダー) Collagen powder additive for food applications including fried foods and daily dish solutions (soups, prepared noodles). Sold B2B to food manufacturers.
• Yogurt Solution Gelatin Gelatin solutions for yogurt applications to prevent whey separation and improve taste quality. Sold to yogurt manufacturers.
• Pet Health Supplements (ペットサプリ) Collagen-based dietary supplements for dogs and cats, developed leveraging amino acid research showing benefits for pet joint and skin health. Sold via pet specialty stores, veterinarians, and own D2C platform.
• BSE Test Kit (動物用検査薬) Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) testing reagents, the only officially approved BSE inspection kit in Japan, developed during the BSE crisis period.
• Chemical Products (Nippi Linker, Nippi V-Form, Film/Sheet) Chemical products including film/sheet materials, wire and cable compounds (Nippi Linker for crosslinked PVC jacketing), and foam products (Nippi V-Form) for industrial applications.
• Nippi Collagen 100 (コラーゲン100) Consumer-facing collagen supplement product sold directly to individual customers via the nip-col.jp e-commerce site. Flagship D2C product for the personal-use collagen market.
• Cosmetics Products (Colecense, Nippi Collagen Cosmetics) Collagen-based skincare and cosmetics products including the Colecense moisturizing gel and whitening series, Essence Care Skin Gel, and other skincare lines for the Japanese consumer market.
• Leather Products Leather manufacturing and sales through subsidiary Nippi-Fujita, with quality testing services through Japan Leather Research Institute. Nippi's original business since 1906.

Quantifiable outcome

• GELITA AG and Nippi collectively hold 29% of the global collagen market
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 May 2026Distribution partnership agreement for 3D bioprinting 'Collagen Bio-Ink' products. Yamato Scientific serves as sales distributor, expanding reach to medical and research institutions for regenerative medicine applications.
• Osaka University Protein Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished 'Matrixome Science (Nippi) Endowed Research Department' at Osaka University Protein Research Institute in April 2016. Collaborative research on extracellular matrix science including iPS cells and regenerative medicine.
• Kyoto University CiRAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with Center for iPS Cell Research and Application on laminin511 E8 fragments for feeder-free human pluripotent stem cell culture. Contributed to development of iMatrix-511 product.
• Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSumitomo Pharma used Nippi's laminin products in their non-autologous iPS cell-derived dopamine neural progenitor cell manufacturing and marketing approval application for Parkinson's disease treatment.
• Terumo CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on purification methods for iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes using Nippi's laminin products for cell therapy development applications.
• Tokyo Medical and Dental UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected for FY2015 Science Technology Human Resources Development Subsidy Project 'Diversity Research Environment Implementation Initiative (Collaboration Type)' to support work-life balance and female researcher advancement.
• Juntendo UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Diversity Research Environment Implementation Initiative alongside Tokyo Medical and Dental University for supporting female researchers and research environment improvement.
• National Museum of Western ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on species identification of glue used in cultural artifacts. Applied Nippi's collagen-derived peptide analysis method to identify animal species in Camille Pissarro's canvas painting from the museum's collection.
• University of TsukubaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research with Associate Professor Yoko Taniguchi on species identification of glue in cultural artifacts, supported by JSPS KAKENHI grants.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Weishardt Group: French producer of gelatin and collagen peptides serving food, nutrition, and pharmaceutical markets. Direct overlap with Nippi's gelatin and functional peptide businesses.
• Nitta Gelatin: Japan-based competitor in the domestic gelatin market. Direct overlap with Nippi's gelatin and collagen peptide offerings for food, pharma, and personal care customers in Japan.
• Collagen Solutions (a Darling Ingredients business): Supplier of medical-grade collagen and gelatin biomaterials for medical devices and regenerative medicine. Directly comparable to Nippi's medical/research collagen and iMatrix businesses.
• Rousselot (Darling Ingredients): One of the world's largest gelatin producers and a major collagen peptide supplier across food, pharma, and nutraceutical applications. Highly comparable to Nippi's gelatin and peptide product lines.
• GELITA AG: Germany-based global leader in gelatin and collagen peptides. Together with Nippi it accounts for ~29% of the global collagen market, making it the closest direct competitor in casing, gelatin, and peptide ingredients.
• Tessenderlo Group / PB Leiner: Belgian specialty gelatin and collagen producer under PB Leiner. Competes with Nippi in industrial and food-grade gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen.

Emerging players

• Jellagen: UK-based specialist in jellyfish collagen for biomedical and cell culture applications. Comparable to Nippi's biomedical collagen and iMatrix substrate business as a focused, technology-led collagen player.

Broad incumbents

• dsm-firmenich: Global nutrition, health, and specialty ingredients conglomerate. Overlaps with Nippi in collagen peptides, biomedical materials, and nutritional ingredient markets.
• Croda International: Global specialty ingredients giant with a significant life sciences and personal care portfolio. Comparable to Nippi in collagen peptides and biomedical ingredients, though operating across a far broader portfolio.

Regional players

• Kewpie Corporation: Major Japanese food manufacturer with significant gelatin usage in dressings, sauces, and processed foods. Comparable to Nippi as a Japanese food-industry peer that consumes and competes across gelatin applications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nippi