
Yamada Bee Farm and Akita Bee Cooperative anchor Japan's premium royal-jelly supply chain; 10-HDA standardisation and traceability differentiate from Chinese mass-market supply.
10-HDA content 1.4-2.0% (fresh-equivalent basis); protein 12-18%; vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) carry-over.
Premium beauty supplements, anti-ageing skincare, drinkable royal-jelly retail.
Honey-bee secretion fed to queen larvae and bees in early life; harvested commercially as a high-amino-acid, high-protein supplement and cosmetic ingredient. Japan domestic royal-jelly production is dwarfed by Chinese supply, but Japanese cosmetic and supplement OEMs distinguish themselves on Japan-domestic + traceability + 10-HDA (10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid) standardisation. Yamada Bee Farm (Okayama) and Akita Bee Cooperative are the most-recognised Japanese sources; supply is heavily marketing-driven, with 'fresh royal jelly' (vs lyophilised) commanding multiplier pricing in Japan retail.
| 日本 | Food product; FFC notifications exist; cosmetic JSCI listed |
|---|---|
| 欧盟 | Food import; CosIng listed; allergen labelling for some markets |
| 美国 | GRAS by long history of use; bee-product allergen labelling |
| 中国 | Imported food / cosmetic; GACC food facility registration |
Yamada Bee Farm Co., Ltd.
株式会社山田養蜂場
Okayama-based honey and royal-jelly specialist founded 1948, with a Korean subsidiary and substantial export business across Asia and North America. Operates apiaries in Japan, Argentina, China and Hungary. R&D arm (Bee-Lab) develops propolis, royal-jelly, and bee-pollen functional ingredients for the supplement and skincare OEM channels. One of Japan's most consumer-recognised health-food brands.
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Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
小林製薬株式会社
Tokyo-listed OTC pharmaceutical and consumer-health group founded 1886. Best-known internationally for Eyebon eye-care, Netsusama-Sheet, and the Kuwa-no-Ha (mulberry leaf) functional-food line. The Kobayashi B2B ingredient channel supplies a portfolio of Japanese-botanical functional ingredients (mulberry leaf, gymnema, momordica, etc.) to overseas supplement OEMs. Strict quality controls on Kampo-derived materials make Kobayashi a frequent reference supplier for compliance-sensitive overseas buyers.
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