FRACORA

FRACORA is a Japanese beauty and health company that operates a comprehensive mail-order and retail beauty business centered on concentrated beauty serums (原液美容液) and beauty supplements. The company positions itself at the intersection of life sciences and beauty, stating that it incorporates life science and cutting-edge technology into its product development process in order to deliver genuine beauty and health. Its corporate slogan, "Science for your skin" (その肌にサイエンス), and its "four promises" — GENUINE, TIMELESS, ENDLESS and HONESTY — frame a brand identity built on scientific credibility, timeless rather than trend-driven beauty, continuous pursuit of the latest and best, and honesty toward customers and their skin. The company's roots go back to 1960, when it was established in Minami-Nagasaki, Toshima-ku, Tokyo as Kyowa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (協和薬品株式会社), a firm that began by selling health supplements to pharmacies and drugstores. Over the following decades it expanded into health foods and beverages for textile, electronics, steel and automobile companies, into liquor stores, into medical institutions, and eventually into mail order and agricultural businesses. In 1997 the health food and direct-from-farm sales divisions were separated into a new company, Kyowa Co., Ltd. (株式会社協和). The FRACORA product line began in 2004 with the launch of Fracora 500 by mail order, followed by entry into drugstore and mass-retailer channels in 2007. The company moved its head office to Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo in 2007, where it remains today. FRACORA's product portfolio is best known for collagen drinks and placenta-based products. Fracora 500 became the number-one selling collagen drink in Japan in 2009, and the placenta series, led by Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000, claimed the number-one placenta sales position in 2011. The company has also received Monde Selection awards, including a highest gold award in the diet food and health food category for Fracora EX. Products are sold through the company's online shop, by mail order, and through drugstores and large retailers. On 1 April 2024, Kyowa Co., Ltd. changed its corporate name to FRACORA Co., Ltd. (株式会社FRACORA), unifying the company and brand name while inheriting the management philosophy and corporate culture of the Kyowa era. The company describes its ambition as becoming a top runner in the life science × beauty domain. As of the company profile, FRACORA is headquartered in the Shinjuku San-Ei Building in Nishi-Shinjuku, is led by Representative Director and President Taiji Horiuchi, and reported annual sales of 13.5 billion yen for the fiscal year ended January 2021.

The company that became FRACORA was established in February 1960 as Kyowa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (協和薬品株式会社) in Minami-Nagasaki, Toshima-ku, Tokyo. It began by selling health supplements to pharmacies and drugstores, guided by the goal of putting the customer's health first. The name "Kyowa" expressed a wish for cooperation and harmony with business partners and customers, and for mutual development. From its earliest days the company advocated "collaboration of wisdom" (知恵の協業), an open exchange of ideas inside and outside the company in order to provide better products and services. Through the 1960s and 1970s the company broadened its channels. In 1966 it began intermediary sales of health foods and health beverages to textile, electronics, steel and automobile manufacturers. In 1969 it started selling health beverages, health foods and daily necessities to liquor stores. In 1972 it began intermediary sales of health foods and beverages to medical institutions. In August 1975 it opened its head office building in Toyotama-naka, Nerima-ku, Tokyo. From the mid-1980s the company diversified further. In 1986, to develop its agricultural business in earnest, it brought Nichinan Co., Ltd., Toko Shoji Co., Ltd. and Kyowa Foods Co., Ltd. under its umbrella, and subsequently opened agricultural business bases as needed. In November 1985 it merged with Taiyo Sangyo Co., Ltd. and began mail-order sales. In August 1989, commissioned by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, it began acting as an agent for a direct-from-farm delivery service for simple insurance policyholders, and opened an Osaka sales office in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. In November 1997 the Kyowa Pharmaceutical Group's agricultural division was transferred to K-I Fresh Access Co., Ltd., and the health food division and direct-from-farm sales division of Kyowa Pharmaceutical were separated into Kyowa Co., Ltd. (株式会社協和). In May 1998 the head office moved to Toyotama-kita, Nerima-ku, Tokyo. The FRACORA brand era began in September 2004, when Fracora 500 was launched by mail order. In February 2006 the company began selling health foods to dispensing pharmacies. In February 2007 Fracora 500 entered store sales, with sales activities targeting drugstores and major mass retailers. In May 2007 the head office moved to its current location at Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. The Osaka sales office moved to Nishinakajima, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka in March 2008. Recognition followed. In 2009 Fracora 500 became the number-one selling collagen drink in Japan. In December 2009 the company began a business partnership with the Japan Walking Association. In April 2010 it obtained JISQ 15001:2006 (PrivacyMark) certification. In December 2010 Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000 was launched by mail order. In 2011 the placenta series, led by Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000, claimed the number-one placenta sales position, based on manufacturer share data for the ingredient and efficacy market compiled by Fuji Keizai. In July 2012 Fracora Placenta Extract was launched by mail order. In 2013 Fracora EX received the highest gold award in the diet food and health food category at Monde Selection for the fourth consecutive year, and in 2014 Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000 received a gold award and the International High Quality Trophy in the same category. On 1 April 2024, Kyowa Co., Ltd. changed its corporate name to FRACORA Co., Ltd. (株式会社FRACORA). The company said it would inherit the management philosophy and corporate culture of the Kyowa era while renewing its corporate and brand image, aiming to become a top runner in the life science × beauty domain. The company's website was renewed in July 2024. As of its corporate profile, FRACORA is headquartered in the Shinjuku San-Ei Building in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, is led by Representative Director and President Taiji Horiuchi, has capital of 10 million yen and 34 employees, and reported annual sales of 13.5 billion yen for the fiscal year ended January 2021.

• Established as Kyowa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in Minami-Nagasaki, Toshima-ku, Tokyo; begins selling health supplements to pharmacies and drugstores.

• Begins intermediary sales of health foods and health beverages to textile, electronics, steel and automobile manufacturers.

• Begins selling health beverages, health foods and daily necessities to liquor stores.

• Begins intermediary sales of health foods and beverages to medical institutions.

• Opens head office building in Toyotama-naka, Nerima-ku, Tokyo.

• Merges with Taiyo Sangyo Co., Ltd. and begins mail-order sales.

• Brings Nichinan, Toko Shoji and Kyowa Foods under its umbrella to develop the agricultural business.

• Begins agent service for direct-from-farm delivery to simple insurance policyholders under commission from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications; opens Osaka sales office.

• Agricultural division transferred to K-I Fresh Access; health food and direct-from-farm sales divisions separated into Kyowa Co., Ltd.

• Head office moves to Toyotama-kita, Nerima-ku, Tokyo.

• Fracora 500 launched by mail order.

• Begins selling health foods to dispensing pharmacies.

• Fracora 500 enters store sales; sales activities begin targeting drugstores and major mass retailers.

• Head office moves to Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.

• Osaka sales office moves to Nishinakajima, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka.

• Fracora 500 becomes the number-one selling collagen drink in Japan.

• Begins business partnership with the Japan Walking Association.

• Obtains JISQ 15001:2006 (PrivacyMark) certification.

• Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000 launched by mail order.

• Placenta series led by Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000 claims number-one placenta sales position.

• Fracora Placenta Extract launched by mail order.

• Fracora EX receives highest gold award at Monde Selection for the fourth consecutive year.

• Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000 receives gold award and International High Quality Trophy at Monde Selection.

• Kyowa Co., Ltd. changes corporate name to FRACORA Co., Ltd.

Life science × beauty: science-backed, timeless beauty and health products sold via mail order, online and retail.

• Fracora 500

  Collagen drink launched by mail order in 2004; became Japan's number-one selling collagen drink in 2009.

• Fracora Placenta Tsubu 5000

  Placenta-based beauty supplement launched by mail order in 2010; part of the placenta series that claimed number-one placenta sales in 2011.

• Fracora Placenta Extract

  Placenta extract product launched by mail order in 2012.

• Fracora EX

  Product that received the highest gold award in the diet food and health food category at Monde Selection for four consecutive years from 2013.

1. 1FRACORA その肌にサイエンスfracora.jp
2. 2会社概要 | FRACORA その肌にサイエンスfracora.jp
3. 3FRACORAについて | FRACORA その肌にサイエンスfracora.jp
4. 4FRACORA - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5協和 (美容業) - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org