株式会社山田養蜂場

What 株式会社山田養蜂場 does

株式会社山田養蜂場 (Yamada Bee Farm) is a privately-held Japanese KK founded as a family beekeeping operation in Okayama Prefecture and now operating a vertically integrated group of 12 wholly-owned subsidiaries spanning beekeeping (Yamada Mitsubachi Nouen), R&D (in-house Health Science Research Institute), manufacturing, communications, supplements (Supplement Japan), multiple cosmetics brands (Yamada Bee Cosmetics, Rosette, PDC), food service (Kagamino Food Service), and retail/hospitality (Bee Happy). The portfolio is anchored by three core product categories: health functional foods built on proprietary royal jelly mass-production technology developed by the founder (including royal jelly, propolis, bee larva, glucosamine, DHA/EPA, blueberry, collagen, and resveratrol supplements); cosmetics leveraging bee-derived ingredients (cleansing through color makeup, plus men's cosmetics and beauty foods); and honey/natural foods adhering to minimal-processing standards aligned with Germany's Honey Purity Law. Distribution is omnichannel and entirely DTC-controlled: 14 direct retail stores across Japan (flagship Little Bee House, Bunbun Factory confectionery shop, department store concessions at Takashimaya/Keio/Tobu/Hanshin/Kintetsu, mall locations at Aeon and Atre), proprietary e-commerce via www.3838.com with a mail-order subscription program, multilingual sites in 7 languages, and a dedicated B2B/corporate inquiry window.

The company's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, with second-generation Representative Director Yamada Hideo (山田英生) at the helm since 1988. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but revenue mechanics span recurring subscription (定期購入) for health supplements, one-time transactions across cosmetics and honey categories, and a transaction-fee B2B channel. Manufacturing facilities hold ISO 22000 certification. Customer segments are horizontal: health-conscious and beauty-conscious consumers as primary, with general/gift buyers, corporate/B2B customers, and international/tourist shoppers (tax-free infrastructure) as secondary. Brand equity is reinforced by a long-running social-contribution platform (Mitsubachi Bunko library, picture contests with tree-planting tie-in, Cambodia education support, Nepal reforestation since 1999, Inner Mongolia reforestation since 2005, Ukraine beekeeping support, World Heritage protection), and by the Yamada Hideo Dialogue Series positioning the company as a thought leader in apitherapy and preventive health. No external private equity or venture capital involvement is detectable.

Name

株式会社山田養蜂場

Legal name

株式会社山田養蜂場

Website

https://beekeeper.3838.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yamada Bee Farm (株式会社山田養蜂場) is a privately-held Japanese beekeeping-to-retail conglomerate that produces health functional foods (royal jelly, propolis, bee larva), cosmetics, and honey under proprietary brands, selling through 14 direct retail stores, department store concessions, e-commerce, and B2B channels to Japanese consumers, gift buyers, and inbound tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Supplements and Bee-Derived Functional Foods

NAICS

Apiculture (112910), Apiculture (11291)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Value-Added Bee Products Manufacturing (Candles, Cosmetics, Supplements, Mead Ingredients) (AFAEAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Royal Jelly Production (AFAEAHAC)

Keywords

• Bee-derived health supplements
• Royal jelly products
• Propolis supplements
• Natural honey products
• Bee-based cosmetics

Headquarters

HQ city

鏡野町

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales — Health Foods: The company manufactures and sells a wide range of health food products including royal jelly (ローヤルゼリー), propolis (プロポリス), bee larvae (蜂の子), Aojiru green juice, glucosamine, DHA/EPA, blueberry, collagen, and resveratrol supplements, primarily through company-owned stores, e-commerce, department stores, and mail-order subscription.
2. Cosmetics and Beauty Products: The company produces and sells an extensive cosmetics line including cleansers, toners, serums, masks, gels, creams, all-in-one products, body care, hair care, scalp care, oral care, sunscreen, makeup, and men's cosmetics under the Yamada Bee Farm brand.
3. Honey and Natural Food Products: Sales of honey (はちみつ), comb honey (巣蜜), fruit preserves, drinks, sweets, table foods, seasonal items, beeswax crayons (みつろうクレヨン), honey-themed goods, and gift sets through retail and e-commerce channels.
4. Corporate/B2B Sales: Dedicated corporate business transaction window (法人様お取引窓口) serving businesses with bulk or custom orders for bee products and health supplements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

株式会社山田養蜂場 (Yamada Bee Farm) is a Japanese health and wellness company that operates across the full value chain from beekeeping to manufacturing and direct retail of bee-derived products. The company manufactures and sells health functional foods (royal jelly, propolis, bee larva/hachinoko, glucosamine, DHA/EPA, blueberry, collagen, resveratrol), a cosmetics line using bee ingredients, and honey/natural food products. Distribution is handled through 14 company-owned retail stores, department store concessions, shopping mall locations, and proprietary e-commerce with subscription (定期購入) programs.

Product overview

株式会社山田養蜂場 is a comprehensive health and wellness company built around beekeeping and natural products. The company operates across five core business divisions: beekeeping (養蜂), R&D (研究開発), promotional planning and product development (販促企画・商品開発), manufacturing (製造), and sales/shipping (販売・出荷). Its product portfolio spans three main categories: health functional foods (健康食品) including royal jelly, propolis, bee larva, and supplements; cosmetics (化粧品) covering skincare, body care, hair care, and beauty foods; and honey/natural foods (はちみつ・自然食品) including raw honey, comb honey, and processed food products. The company also operates physical retail stores across Japan (Okayama, Osaka, Hyogo, Tokyo areas) and maintains a dedicated Health Science Research Institute for product development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• みつばち文庫: Children's book donation and literacy support program
• みつばち教室
• みつばち広場

Products and services

• Health Functional Foods (健康食品) — Royal Jelly, Propolis, Bee Larva (蜂の子)
• Bee-Ingredient Cosmetics Line (化粧品)
• Honey and Natural Foods (はちみつ・自然食品)
• Apitherapy Wellness Concept (アピセラピー)
• Corporate/B2B Bulk Orders (法人様お取引窓口)
• Beekeeping / Apiary Operations (みつばち農園 / 養蜂事業)

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 宇陀市 (Uda City)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Yamada Bee Farm signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Uda City in Nara Prefecture for the health promotion of local residents. Under the agreement, the company will provide functional claim dietary supplements (功能性表示サプリメント) to 1,000 residents free of charge for six months, aiming to improve cognitive function. This partnership demonstrates the company's application of its health science research to public health initiatives.
• 中国・内モンゴル自治区 (Inner Mongolia, China) — Reforestation PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYamada Bee Farm conducts reforestation activities in Inner Mongolia, China, as part of its environmental contribution program to combat desertification. The company plants tree species suitable for the local environment, including nectar source trees, timber trees, and fruit trees, with the aim of creating sustainable ecosystems and supporting local livelihoods through beekeeping and fruit production. Activities began approximately 2005.
• ネパール (Nepal) — Reforestation PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1999, Yamada Bee Farm has supported reforestation in Nepal, particularly in areas near Kathmandu. The company plants timber trees, nectar source trees, and fruit trees to combat deforestation caused by fuelwood collection by tourists and local communities. Activities are conducted with local residents to ensure sustainable economic benefits such as honey production and fruit harvesting.
• 公益社団法人南方熊楠顕彰鶴翼会 (Natsume Kumagusu Memorial Foundation)minorOthersYamada Bee Farm supports Natsume Kumagusu Memorial Foundation activities, which honor the legacy of Japanese naturalist Natsume Kumagusu and promote nature conservation and environmental education.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• FANCL Corporation: Japanese supplements and skincare specialist built around functional ingredients and additive-free formulations. Comparable in product mix, direct-marketing orientation, and reliance on health-conscious Japanese consumers.
• Y.S. Eco Bee Farms: U.S. bee-product specialist focused on royal jelly, propolis, and bee-pollen supplements. Directly comparable in royal-jelly and propolis SKU portfolio and health-supplement positioning.
• DHC Corporation: Japanese multi-category health, beauty, and supplements company with a similar vertically integrated DTC and mail-order model. Competes head-to-head with Yamada Bee Farm in supplements and skincare.
• Wedderspoon: Manuka honey and bee-derived wellness brand with omnichannel retail and supplements. Comparable international reference point for premium bee-product positioning.
• Comvita Limited: New Zealand-listed manuka honey and bee-health products company exporting globally. Comparable in bee-derived health positioning and international DTC ambition despite a different core ingredient (manuka vs royal jelly).
• Beehive Botanicals: U.S.-based bulk supplier and finished-product manufacturer of propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, and bee-derived cosmetics. Directly comparable on bee-derived ingredient sourcing and ingredient-to-product integration.
• Apis Co., Ltd. Japanese cosmetics brand built specifically around apiculture and bee-derived ingredients. Most direct competitor in the bee-cosmetics sub-category that Yamada Bee Farm helped create.

Broad incumbents

• Nature's Sunshine Products: Established global nutritional-supplement company with MLM and DTC channels. Provides a benchmark for international expansion models Yamada Bee Farm would face as it scales beyond Japan.
• POLA Orbis Holdings: Major Japanese cosmetics holding company with beauty, skincare, and functional-ingredient brands. Overlaps with Yamada Bee Farm's cosmetics line and competes for premium department-store shelf space.

Emerging players

• Mannatech, Incorporated: U.S. supplements company specializing in glyconutrient and bee-derived ingredients (Ambrotose). Relevant peer for bee-derived functional-claim positioning and direct-sales models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%E6%A0%AA%E5%BC%8F%E4%BC%9A%E7%A4%BE%E5%B1%B1%E7%94%B0%E9%A4%8A%E8%9C%82%E5%A0%B4

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries12 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 →

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