Snow Brand Seed
Japanese seed and agribusiness company rooted in Hokkaido dairy farming, supplying forage, vegetable, flower, and turf seeds plus feed and greening services.
Last updated September 26, 2026
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Overview
Snow Brand Seed Co., Ltd. (雪印種苗株式会社) is a Japanese agribusiness company that traces its origins to the seed and seedling division of Hokkaido Kōnō Kōsha, the predecessor of Snow Brand Milk Products. It began seed operations in 1941 alongside dairy products, and in 1950 was separated from Snow Brand Milk Products under the Excessive Economic Power Concentration Elimination Act, becoming an independent company headquartered in Sapporo. The company's founding spirit, expressed as "Ken-do ken-min" (健土健民, healthy soil, healthy people) and "technology and sincerity in service of agriculture," reflects its close ties to Hokkaido's dairy farmers. Snow Brand Seed operates three main business fields: dairy and livestock (酪農畜産), field crops and horticulture (畑作園芸), and environmental greening (環境緑化). Its product range includes temperate and tropical forage grass seeds, legume forage seeds, corn and sorghum seeds, Italian ryegrass, small grain seeds, green manure crop seeds, turfgrass seeds, vegetable seeds, flower seeds and seedlings, plant vitality materials, silage additives, and animal supplements. It also provides landscaping and revegetation services. The company maintains research farms in Hokkaido and Miyazaki, and a technical research institute in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, and has a network of sales offices and feed factories across Japan. Historically, Snow Brand Seed was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Second Section) and Sapporo Securities Exchange in 1994, but delisted in 2008 and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Snow Brand Milk Products (now Snow Brand Megmilk). It continues to serve agricultural producers nationwide, with a focus on safe, reliable, high-quality products and environmentally sound agriculture.
History
Snow Brand Seed's history begins in 1941, when Hokkaido Kōnō Kōsha (the predecessor of Snow Brand Milk Products) started a seed and seedling business alongside its dairy operations. In 1944, the Uenopporo Breeding Farm was established in Shiroishi Village, Sapporo District, Hokkaido (present-day Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo). In 1948, the Chiba Farm was opened in Kotehashi Village, Chiba District, Chiba Prefecture (present-day Inage Ward, Chiba City). In 1950, under the Excessive Economic Power Concentration Elimination Act, the seed division was separated from Snow Brand Milk Products on December 15, becoming Snow Brand Seed Co., Ltd., with its head office in Misono, Toyohira Ward, Sapporo. In 1951, a Tokyo branch was established in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, expanding into other prefectures. In 1952, a feed factory was opened in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, starting manufacture and sale of mixed feed mainly for dairy cattle; a horticulture department was also established, beginning production and sale of vegetable and flower seeds and fruit tree seedlings. In 1956, a feed and seed factory was opened in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, starting mixed feed production in other prefectures. In 1957, the greening and landscaping business began. In 1959, the Matsudo Feed Factory was opened in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. In 1967, a feed factory was opened in Kushiro, Hokkaido. In 1970, a feed factory was opened in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture. In 1973, a research farm was established in Naganuma, Yubari District, Hokkaido. In 1979, a feed factory was opened in Betsukai, Notsuke District, Hokkaido. In 1982, a feed factory and seed center were opened in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, and the Matsudo Feed Factory was closed. In 1986, a feed factory was opened in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, and the Ebetsu Factory was closed. In 1987, a technical research institute was opened in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. In 1988, the Miyazaki Research Farm was established in Mimata, Kitamorokata District, Miyazaki Prefecture. In 1991, the Watsu G・T test site was opened in Hiroshima, Sapporo District, Hokkaido. In 1992, the Chiba Seed Center was relocated to Inage Ward, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture. In 1994, the company listed its shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Second Section) and the Sapporo Securities Exchange. A feed factory was opened in Kamisu, Kashima District, Ibaraki Prefecture, and the Chiba Factory was closed. In 1996, the Tokyo head office was relocated to Mihama Ward, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture. In 1997, the Kumamoto Seed Center was relocated to Kikuyo, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto Prefecture, and a new test cattle barn was completed at the Hokkaido Research Farm. In 1998, a plant bio research building was constructed at the Hokkaido Research Farm. In 1999, Nasu TMR Co., Ltd. (now Nasu no No Co., Ltd.) was established in Nasu, Nasu District, Tochigi Prefecture. In 2000, Snow Brand Seed America, Inc. was established in Portland, Oregon, USA. In 2001, Royal Farm Co., Ltd. was established in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, and Doto Feed Co., Ltd. was established in Kushiro, Hokkaido. In 2002, the head office and Sapporo Seed Center were relocated to Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido. In 2003, Michinoku Feed Co., Ltd. was established in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and the Betsukai and Kushiro factories were closed. In 2005, Ishinomaki Feed Co., Ltd. was established in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, and the Kitakami Factory was closed. In 2008, the company delisted from the Tokyo and Sapporo stock exchanges and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Snow Brand Milk Products Co., Ltd. In the same year, "Shisui no Mori Park" was established in Shisui, Inba District, Chiba Prefecture. The company continues to operate its three business fields and maintains research and production facilities across Japan.
- 1999
Nasu TMR Co., Ltd. (now Nasu no No Co., Ltd.) established in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture.
- 1998
Plant bio research building constructed at Hokkaido Research Farm.
- 1997
Kumamoto Seed Center relocated to Kikuyo, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto Prefecture; new test cattle barn completed at Hokkaido Research Farm.
- 1996
Tokyo head office relocated to Mihama Ward, Chiba City.
- 1994
Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange (Second Section) and Sapporo Securities Exchange; feed factory opened in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture; Chiba Factory closed.
- 1992
Chiba Seed Center relocated to Inage Ward, Chiba City.
- 1991
Watsu G・T test site opened in Hiroshima, Sapporo District, Hokkaido.
- 1988
Miyazaki Research Farm established in Mimata, Kitamorokata District, Miyazaki Prefecture.
- 1987
Technical research institute opened in Ebetsu, Hokkaido.
- 1986
Feed factory opened in Tomakomai, Hokkaido; Ebetsu Factory closed.
Products and positioning
A Hokkaido-rooted agribusiness providing seeds, feed, and greening solutions with a focus on quality, safety, and environmental sustainability.
Forage grass seeds
Temperate and tropical forage grass seeds including timothy, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, festulolium, meadow fescue, tall fescue, hybrid ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, reed canarygrass, and others.
Legume forage seeds
Alfalfa, red clover, white clover.
Corn and sorghum seeds
Corn, sorghum, sudangrass, and other warm-season forage seeds.
Italian ryegrass seeds
Italian ryegrass and annual ryegrass.
Small grain seeds
Oats, Avena strigosa (wild oat), barley, triticale, rye.
Green manure crop seeds
Sorghum, mustard, oats, rye, triticale, barley, sudangrass, pearl millet, Italian ryegrass, annual ryegrass, teff grass, hairy vetch, Chinese milk vetch, crimson clover, Persian clover, crotalaria, sesbania, sunflower, etc.
Turfgrass seeds
Cool-season and warm-season turfgrass seeds including creeping bentgrass, bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, rough bluegrass, tall fescue, meadow fescue, creeping red fescue, chewing fescue, hard fescue, perennial ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, bermudagrass, centipedegrass, and legume/other seeds.
Vegetable seeds
Edamame, kidney beans, sweet corn, pumpkin, cabbage, daikon radish, komatsuna, broccoli, lettuce, and others.
Flower seeds and seedlings
Pot carnation, cyclamen (seed and tissue culture).
Silage additives
Lactic acid bacteria for silage, including BiproLact (patent no. 5931064) and CyMaster 3 Slim (patent no. 7062443).
Animal supplements
Supplements for livestock.
Plant vitality materials
Materials to enhance plant growth.
Sources4 sources
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