History

Background of MatsukiyoCocokara & Co.

Creating the future "normal" and innovating lifestyles

Integrating the operations of Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings and cocokara fine Inc. created a social and lifestyle infrastructure company with over 3,400 domestic stores in October 2021. In addition, establishing one-to-one marketing with the use of both companies’ customer bases will renovate consumer purchasing trends. Also, gaining an overwhelming presence in the fields of beauty and health will provide a powerful driver for the drugstore industry within Japan. And, in addition to promoting the construction of regional comprehensive care systems, which is the social mission of drugstores, we will also establish a business foundation in Asia where an awareness of beauty and health is on the rise in order to aim at the No.1 share in beauty and health markets in the future.

October 1, 2021

Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co., Ltd. has merged operations with cocokara fine Inc. to create MatsukiyoCocokara & Co.

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MatsukiyoCocokara & Co.
Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings

Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co., Ltd. has roots going back to the company Matsumotokiyoshi, which was founded in 1932 in the Kogane district of the city of Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture (not far from Tokyo).
The founder’s name was Matsumoto Kiyoshi (it is from him we get our corporate name).
The store he opened as an independent business was called Matsumoto Pharmacy.
His philosophy did not follow the business concepts current at the time― the ideals he embraced for his business were sincerity and empathy, and from these ideals came two slogans: Consideration for Customers, and Good Products at Better Prices.
Customer satisfaction was the base he built on, and when he went to the United States and learned about chain store practices, he had the tools he needed to grow his business.

  • 1932
    Establishment of Matsumotokiyoshi

    December 26 Kiyoshi Matsumoto founds Matsumoto Pharmacy as a privately-run enterprise at 44 Kogane, Matsudo City.

    創業店舗
    創業者　松本 清
    The Aim of Kiyoshi Matsumoto

    At the age of 23, Kiyoshi Matsumoto opened the Matsumoto Pharmacy in the Kogane district of the city of Matsudo (Matsumotokiyoshi Kogane Store). In addition to selecting a strategic location along the Joban railway line, in a town without a pharmacy, Kiyoshi displayed empty boxes to show the appeal of the store’s broad product lineup, and even went to other stores to buy a product if he did not have it in stock, to ensure a prompt response to orders. These and other such aspects of the pharmacy garnered it a reputation as a friendly and diligent store.

  • 1954
    From private enterprise to incorporated body

    January Drugstore Matsumotokiyoshi incorporated, with a view to future growth.

    創業当時のキャラクター・ロゴマークを残す店頭
  • 1987
    Pioneer urban drugstore

    July Innovative Ueno Ameyoko Store opens. It was a “friendly and accessible drugstore that offered consultations,” which “aimed to make customers cheerful and bring them greater health and beauty.”

    Establishment of Ueno Ameyoko Store Revolutionizes the Industry

    At the time, people tended not to visit pharmacies unless they had ill health or other such reasons. Learning from American drugstores, the company moved away from the dark and intimidating image of Japanese pharmacies, toward a bright interior and an inviting storefront, transforming the store into a place with new products and a wide range of other items, a place where customers could test cosmetics, and a place where shopping was enjoyable.

    1987年オープンの上野アメ横店
  • 1990
    Public offering of over-the-counter shares

    August The Company receives approval from the Japan Securities Dealers Association to register its shares on the over-the-counter market.

  • 1994
    Opens first suburban-type drugstore

    March First roadside-type drugstore opens in Kaga, Kashiwa City.

    初の郊外型ドラッグストアとしてオープン 柏加賀店
    Arrival of the Era of Suburban Stores

    Matsumotokiyoshi continued to change its type of business according to customer needs, while at the same time moving ahead with the operation of large drugstores with parking lots, located along suburban thoroughfares. As young customers of urban-type Matsumotokiyoshi stores moved to the suburbs, the company responded to the needs of customers in each region with large drugstores that handled not only the drugs and cosmetics available at urban-type stores, but also a broad range of products that included items such as household and baby products.

  • 1995
    Company achieves largest sales in the Japanese drugstore market

    March Sales: 101,778 millions of yen / 216 stores

  • 1996
    TV commercials start

    April

    CMで話題性を創出
  • 1999
    Company listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange

    August

    東京証券取引所一部上場
  • 2001
    Group expansion strategy starts

    Company commences business partnership
    with leading regional companies.

    Number of drugstores reaches 500

    March

    Accelerating on the path of expansion

    In addition to aggressive opening of new stores, Matsumotokiyoshi launched its group expansion strategy through business partnerships/capital alliances with leading regional companies and entering into franchise agreements. The number of stores reached 500 in the fiscal year ended March 2001. The company partnered with other companies for the mutual supply of products to take advantage of economies of scale, development of private brand products, etc., in an aim to achieve its new target of forming the Matsumotokiyoshi Group on a national scale in order to resolve issues such as a decreased profit ratio caused by an intensified race to open stores, new entry by companies from outside the market, and price competition.

    グループ拡大化戦略
  • 2002
    Point card services start

    April

    ポイント制の導入
  • Celebrates 70th year since establishment

    December

  • 2005
    New type of franchise package starts

    August Keikyu Hautsu Store opens

  • 2007
    First 24-hour drugstore

    June

    ドラッグ店24時間営業1号店
  • Holding company Matsumotokiyoshi
    Holdings Co., Ltd. established

    October

    株式会社マツモトキヨシホールディングスを設立
  • 2008
    Added more stores that accept UnionPay

    January

    銀聯カード
  • 2012
    Service compatible with LINE starts

    July

    LINE対応スタート
  • Celebrates 80th year since establishment

    December

  • 2014
    Kiyoo Matsumoto assumed as President

    April

    Business cooperation with Central Food Retail Company Ltd.

    (May)
    Started the test marketing for our private label products in Thailand.

    タイでのPB商品テストマーケティングスタート
    Official Matsumotokiyoshi application released

    August

    マツモトキヨシ公式アプリを公開
    Tax-free sales start

    October

    免税対応開始
  • 2015
    Expanding into tax-free specialized stores
    Yurakucho ITOCiA Plaza Store

    March

    免税に特化した店舗を展開 有楽町イトシアプラザ店
    Chairman Namio Matsumoto receives the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette during the Emperor’s Awards Presentation, spring of 2015.

    April

    Chairman Namio Matsumoto was recognized for his major role in society as Founding Chairman of the Japan Association of Chain Drugstores (JACDS) for promoting understanding about drug stores in Japan, promoting the concept of self-medication where people protect their own health, and moving beyond his position involved in the business development of a single company.

    タイでのPB商品テストマーケティングスタート
    Our first store in an outlet mall
    Mitsui Outlet Park Makuhari Store

    July

    初のアウトレットモールへの出店 OUTLET三井アウトレットパーク幕張店
    Expanding into next-generation healthcare stores
    Lifestyle Healthcare Store matsukiyo LAB Shin-Matsudo Eki-mae Store

    September

    次世代ヘルスケア店舗の展開開始 暮らしのヘルスケアショップ matsukiyo LAB新松戸駅前店
    Support for cross-border EC Started
    sales in Alibaba’s Tmall Global

    September

    越境ECへの対応 アリババ社による 天猫国際モールに出店
    Opens our first store in an airport facility
    Keikyu Haneda Airport International Terminal Station
    (franchise chain operated by KEIKYU STORE CO., Ltd.)

    October

    空港関連施設への初出店 京急羽田国際線ターミナル駅（FC㈱京急ハウツによる運営）
    Opens first store overseas,
    in Thailand Ladprao Store (Bangkok)

    October

    海外第１号店 タイ王国にオープン
    Original “matsukiyo” brand launched

    December

    オリジナルブランド 「matsukiyo」の誕生
    Started WeChat

    December

  • 2016
    Received the 2016 Supply Chain
    Innovation Award for Excellence

    July

    サプライチェーンイノベーション大賞 2016優秀賞を受賞
    Started recruiting pharmacies for Community Pharmacy Support Program

    December

  • 2017
    matsukiyo LAB Shin-Matsudo Eki-mae store designated as a Health-Support Pharmacy

    February

    matsukiyo LAB 新松戸駅前店が 健康サポート薬局に認定
    First branch in a department store
    Takashimaya Duty Free SHILLA & ANA
    Shinjuku Store (franchise store)

    April

    百貨店内1号店 髙島屋免税店 SHILLA&ANA 新宿店（FC契約店舗）
    New business aimed at working women
    Opens BeautyU Ginza Chuodori Store

    June

    働く女性に向けた新業態 BeautyU 銀座中央通り店をオープン
    First branch inside the hotel
    Narita Tobu Hotel Airport Store

    September

    ホテル内1号店　成田東武ホテルエアポート店<
    First for a private brand in Japan Awarded
    the Platinum Award in the Body Category
    of the Pentawards for package design

    October

    パッケージデザイン賞ペントアワード
  • 2018
    Established Matsumotokiyoshi (Taiwan) Limited. to expand into Taiwan.

    January

    In 2017, ranked 34th in the Japan's Best Domestic Brands rankings for the second year running.

    March

    Japan's only drugstore to appear in the Japan's Best Domestic Brands 2018 rankings, at No. 34, compiled by Interbrand Japan, Inc.
    Ranked 4th for brand value growth rates over the previous year

    Japan’s Best Domestic Brands 2018
    Certified as “Eruboshi” (top of three ranks) by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare as a company that is active in the promotion of women’s participation in the workplace

    March

    女性の活躍を推進する企業として厚生労働大臣より「えるぼし（最高位の3段階目）」に認定
    The Group’s first store in an international terminal
    Fukuoka Airport International Terminal Store

    June

    国際線ターミナル内グループ1号店 福岡空港国際線ターミナル店
    Opened store in the passenger-only area
    of an international airport
    Narita International Airport Terminal 1 Store

    July

    国際空港出国手続き後エリアに出店 成田国際空港第1ターミナル店
    First store in Taiwan opened:
    Zhongxiao Dunhua Store

    October

    台湾第1号店オープン忠孝敦化店
    Our “matsukiyo” private brand
    awarded the top prize,
    “Best of the Best,” at the Japan
    Branding Awards 2018

    November

    「Japan Branding Awards 2018」において プライベートブランド「matsukiyo」が最高賞「Best of the Best」を受賞
  • 2019
    First store in Kochi Prefecture opened
    (now with stores in 46 prefectures)

    April

    高知県内第1号店オープン(出店46都道府県）
    Opened two stores on the way to the passport
    control area of Narita Airport Terminal 2

    May

    Opened Matsumotokiyoshi Ikebukuro Part 2 Store
    as a continually-evolving urban-type store

    November

    進化し続ける都市型店舗としてマツモトキヨシ池袋Part２店オープン
  • 2020
    Certified under the 2020
    Certified Health & Productivity
    Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program
    (Large Enterprises) by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

    March

    経済産業省「健康経営優良法人2020（大規模法人部門）」に認定
    Assessed as the “number one brand” for
    Japanese drugstores in 2020 as well

    March

    Ranked 81st in Best Japan Brands 2020, Interbrand Japan, Inc.’s ranking for Japanese brands expanding overseas. (This year, the Best Japan Brands were unified into one system from two separate ranking systems.) This marks the fifth consecutive year we have appeared in the rankings. We also improved our brand value growth rate by 5% over the previous fiscal year.

    2020年も日本のドラッグストアとしてナンバーワンブランドの評価を獲得
    Opened first store in Wakayama Prefecture (now with stores in 47 prefectures)
    Ki:no Wakayama Store

    June

    和歌山県内第１号店オープン（出店全国47都道府県を網羅）キーノ和歌山店
    Identified the materialities (key issues) we should focus on first in order to achieve the core policy for management and the management indices that are our targets

    September

    Identified materialities
    Materialities that form the foundation for our Group’s growth
    ■ Employee growth


    ■ Enhanced governance and compliance


    Materialities to ensure both solutions to social issues and our Company’s growth are achieved
    ■ Thinking of the beauty and health of our customers and local medical treatment


    ■ Thinking of the globe’s health

    Opened first store in Vietnam
    Vincom Center Dong Khoi Store (Ho Chi Minh City)

    October

    ベトナム第１号店オープンビンコムセンタードンコイ店（ホーチミン市）
    Selected as one of the Top Hundred Telework Pioneers by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

    October

    総務省「テレワーク先駆者百選」に選定
  • 2021
    Set KPIs linked to materialities

    March

    Issued Management Integration Report

    August

    統合報告書の発行
cocokara fine
Aiming to become a company that energizes (makes fine) the hearts (kokoro) and bodies (karada) of local community residents

Cocokara fine was born from a merger of some of the largest drugstore chains in Japan. Cocokara fine is a new company, in that we were created less than twenty years ago, but our composite companies are all ones with long histories and impressive track records. The knowledge and expertise that each company has built up, and the trust from the market, have been merged around the idea of customer service, or “omotenashi.” We want to provide better customer service in order to make the hearts and bodies of our customers healthy rather than simply pursuing the merits of scale.

February 1937 Established Segami Pharmacy in Higashinari Ward, Osaka.
December 1970 Opened 100th store, Tama Store, in Hino, Tokyo.
May 1979 Opened 200th store, Kamifukuoka Store, in Kamifukuoka, Saitama.
November 1982 Opened first prescription pharmacy, Nipponbashi Store, in Osaka.
June 1990 Started CRM by bringing in a Friends Members Card system.
December 2004 Stock listed on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange.
April 2008 Established Cocokara fine Holdings Inc. as a joint-stock company with Seijo Corporation, and merged management. Listed in First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
December 1951 Established Seijo Pharmacy Limited (Seijo, Setagaya City, Tokyo).
May 1996 Opened first prescription pharmacy store in Chofu, Tokyo.
October 1998 Opened 100th store, Ebara-machi Store in Shinagawa City, Tokyo.
September 2000 Listed in the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Changed to being listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in September 2001.
August 2003 Started issuing point cards.
October 2006 Acquired all stock in Shibuya Pharmacy Co., Ltd. Worked to expand in the Saitama area as well as started participation in nursing care.
April 2008 Established Cocokara fine Holdings Inc. as a joint-stock company with Segami Medics Co., Ltd., and merged management.
December 1970 Established Maruzen Co., Ltd. (Higashi-Naniwa-cho, Amagasaki, Hyogo).
December 2002 Over-the-counter registration of shares with the Japan Securities Dealers Association.
May 2004 Merged with Shinyakudo Co., Ltd. (Est. March 1949, Kobe). With this merger, changed trade name to Lifort Co., Inc.
November 2006 Established Allied Hearts Holdings Co., Ltd. as a joint-stock company through a stock transfer with Zip Drug (formerly Zip Holdings Co., Ltd.) dated November 16. On that same date, our company became a wholly-owned subsidiary.
October 2010 Allied Hearts Holdings, our parent company, and Cocokara fine Holdings Inc. merged, changing the trade name to cocokara fine Inc.
February 2000 Established Zip Holdings Co., Ltd. as a holding company for the purpose of improving management efficiency by reducing purchasing costs and strengthening competitiveness through corporate alliances.
December 2004 Canceled over-the-counter registration with Japan Securities Dealers Association and listed stock on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange.
November 2006 Lifort Co., Ltd. and us established Allied Hearts Holdings Co., Ltd. through a joint stock transfer and became its wholly-owned subsidiaries.
November 2006 Wholly-owned subsidiaries Shirasawa Drug Co., Ltd., Toyo Pharmacy Co., Ltd., and Seas & Arpus Co., Ltd. merged as of November 16, 2006, and trade name changed to Zip Drug Co., Ltd.
October 2010 Allied Hearts Holdings, our parent company, and Cocokara fine Holdings Inc. merged, changing the trade name to cocokara fine Inc.
All our drugstores, rooted in each region, work as one to expand throughout Japan

In April 2008, we started the business integration of Seijo and Segami Medics, two national-level drugstore chains. In 2010, we merged with Allied Hearts Holdings, which included Zip Drug and Lifort, both of which were well-known in the Kansai and Tokai regions, becoming one of the largest drugstore businesses in the world. As we expand our business contents, such as nursing care, EC, and special subsidiaries, we are also moving ahead with the creation of Health-Support Pharmacies that support improving health, and handy stores that are rooted in the local area. These efforts are increasing our presence as a health care company that plays a major role in comprehensive care for the region.



April 2008 Cocokara fine Holdings Inc. established through stock transfer and business merger of Segami Medics Co., Ltd. and Seijo Corporation.
August 2009 Through investment in Samoa Bio, decision made to expand drugstore business in China as first Japanese company to do so.
October 2010 Merged with Allied Hearts Holdings Co., Ltd. and changed trade name to cocokara fine Inc. Relocated head office to Yokohama, Kanagawa.
October 2011 Acquired all stock in Suzuran Pharmacy Co., Ltd., which has a drugstore and pharmacy business in the Hokkaido area, and made it a subsidiary.
April 2012 Changed trade name of sub-subsidiary Takara Care Co., Ltd., including its nursing care business, to FINECARE Inc., and centralized Group nursing business as a subsidiary of cocokara fine.
May 2012 Opened first cocokara fine store, cocokara fine Kichijoji South Exit Store (Tokyo), and opened cocokara Metro Fifth Avenue Store in Shanghai.
November 2012 Acquired all stock in Kodama Co., Ltd., which has a drugstore and pharmacy business in the Koshinetsu and Tohoku regions, especially Niigata, and made it a subsidiary.
February 2013 Established a subsidiary, Cocokarafine OEC Co., Ltd., to run our internet sales business.
April 2013 Merged the six companies of Seijo Corporation, Segami Medics Co., Ltd., Zip Drug Co., Ltd., Lifort Co., Ltd., Suzuran Pharmacy Co., Ltd., and Medical Index Limited, all subsidiaries, and established Cocokara fine Healthcare Inc.
April 2013 Started issuing the Cocokara Club Card, the first Japanese prepaid card that can be used at stores that accept Visa both in Japan and overseas.
May 2013 Exhibited in the drugstore pavilion at KidZania Koshien, a place where the children are the stars.
November 2013 Acquired stock in IWASAKI KOHKENDO Co., Ltd., which has a drugstore business in Yamaguchi and other prefectures, and made it a subsidiary.
April 2014 Established cocokarafine Associe Inc. as a subsidiary in order to utilize a diverse range of human resources.
May 2014 Established BJC & CF (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a joint-venture company aimed at building a wholesale business in the Kingdom of Thailand.
March 2015 cocokarafine soleil Co., Ltd. started business as a subsidiary intended to expand employment opportunities for the disabled and ensure their working environments.
July 2016 Major overhaul of the cocokara fine medicine notebook. Made it even more convenient by using medicine management function plus alarm to prevent forgetting to take medication, etc.
October 2016 Revamped official website. Increased convenience for customers by, for example, making it possible to check store stock and prices, and unifying app and ID.
September 2017 Acquired Aianju Co., Ltd., which does business in sales and rental of welfare equipment and housing reform in Mie Prefecture, and made it a subsidiary.
January 2018 Business alliance with Valor Holdings Co., Ltd., which operates supermarkets and other businesses.
February 2018 Opened cocokara fine Shinsaibashi Nagahori-dori Store, one of the largest drugstores in Osaka Minami (South) with a sales floor in excess of 600 m2.
March 2018 Invested in the Healthcare New Frontier Fund that targets investment in venture companies in the healthcare field, run by Capital Medica Ventures Co., Ltd. and planned by Kanagawa Prefecture.
April 2018 Capital alliance with Medcare, Inc., the developer and operator of the preventive healthcare platform MEDICALLY.
April 2018 Opened our first on-premises drug store, cocokara fine Pharmacy Izumi City General Hospital Store (Osaka Prefecture).
September 2018 Established cfnergy Co., Ltd., a subsidiary for electricity retail to Group companies.
September 2018 cocokara fine Pharmacy Nata Store became certified for remote medication guidance in a National Strategic Special Zone (Fukuoka City), the first for any drugstore company.
February 2019 Selected jointly by METI and the Nippon Kenko Kaigi as a Certified Health & Productivity Management Organization in the Large Enterprise category (White 500) for 2019.
October 2019 Established cocokarafine flux avance Co., Ltd., a subsidiary to operate our in-house distribution.
January 2020 Signed a basic memorandum of agreement regarding merger of management with Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co., Ltd., and a capital and business alliance contract towards this merger of management.
April 2020 Established CFIZ Co., Ltd. as a joint venture with H2O Retailing Corporation.
August 2020 Our efforts to prevent smoking are recognized, with us being certified as the first Anti-Smoking Company in Kanagawa.
October 2020 Opened Store Pickup Service, where customers can collect items bought online, at almost all stores.
November 2020 Acquired all stock in Futatsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., which has a prescription pharmacy business in Hyogo Prefecture and other areas.
November 2020 Decision made to introduce curon medication support, a service to provide online support for taking medication provided by MICIN, at all Cocokara fine Healthcare stores that handle pharmaceutical dispensing.
December 2020 Opened Cocokarafine Tokyo Shinjuku Sancho-me Store, a new urban-type flagship store based on the concept of “experience and discover.”
March 2021 Cocokara fine certified by METI as a Health & Productivity Management Organization in the Large Enterprise category for three years running.
March 2021 Set up first medication pick-up lockers, where customers can collect prescriptions without having to wait or having to be in contact with others, at cocokara fine Pharmacy JR Kyoto Station Store.
March 2021 Made 83 prescription pharmacies in the cocokara fine Group suitable for Health-Support Pharmacies.
April 2021 Expanded number of stores with specimen measurement rooms to 111.