Hairy Bikers, Nigella, Great British Bake-off.... For a country that has a reputation for poor food we're pretty keen on foodie TV in the UK. But it's nothing compared with Japan, where it seems obligatory for every single programme - with the exception of televised baseball matches - to contain a food segment. As a totally random example, here was my Thursday evening viewing last week:
- a one-hour programme where celebrities eat at an upmarket Italian restaurant and try to choose dishes that will add up to a bill of exactly JPY12,500
- a programme comparing how 3 different chefs prepare deep-fried beancurd
- an interview with an actor who reveals that his favourite dish is hot tea poured over rice then sprinkled with grated cheese - samples are brought in for everyone in the studio to taste
OK, enough mindless entertainment, let's watch the flagship evening business news programme. Surely this will provide some non-food fare? But no, the lead story is about how the Ministry of Agriculture is trying to reverse the decline in fish consumption in Japan by mounting a "quick and easy fish suppers" campaign. Next up: an item on Sharp's new electric rice cooker which caters for the growing demand for healthy, convenient food preparation, and which washes the rice before cooking using a technique inspired by the shape of penguin wings (?). Item no. 3 - surely time for some financial news, or employment figures? No, it's a focus on the trend for "customised vegetables" - hard-textured cabbage for India, cute "tomato berries" for Europe. Then we're on to the impact of rising wheat prices. And so it goes on.
It's no exaggeration to say that Japan is a food-obsessed nation - perhaps born of a deeply-ingrained (sorry) rice-growing culture, severe food shortages during and after the war and a geography and climate that leaves it very dependent on imported foods. Food security is a political priority, and food quality and provenance a personal priority for households and individuals. You can see it in the figures for domestic consumption: 23.3% of household income goes on food, rather belying Engel's coefficient which suggests that as income rises the proportion spent on food will decrease (in the UK the figure is roughly 15%).
So, a big potential market for British exporters of food and drink products. Our reputation for food is not great - those old stereotypes of overcooked vegetables die hard. But over the years, thanks to campaigns by Visit Britain, UKTI, the British Embassy and industry, and to the increasing constituency of Japanese people who've lived, worked, studied or travelled in the UK and seen and tasted the difference for themselves, perceptions are gradually changing. Drinks of all kinds do well, from whisky and beer to herbal or fruity soft drinks, as do preserves, biscuits, confectionery and of course tea. New brands are coming into the market all the time: Uncle Joe's Mintballs have been a great hit after a British lady bought some for guests as a wedding favour. The Great Yorkshire Brewery was approached by a Japanese company looking for new products for a Beer Museum and has seen its sales grow steadily and expand into new outlets. But there's always room for more!
Current trends include "petit luxury" - little treats that don't break the bank -, organic and healthy foods, low-alcohol drinks, and products sold in individual portion sizes to cater for the growth of single-person households. We'll be showcasing as many British products as we can at next March's Foodex exhibition, the biggest in Japan, and plan to include a live kitchen to give visitors a chance to sample the Best of British. If your company is interested in being a part of this do contact us on exporttojapan@fco.gov.uk We'd love to be able to help you take advantage of Japan's national obsession!
Sue Kinoshita
Director, UKTI Japan
3 comments
Comment by Steve Roy posted on
Well presented article. As the globe shrinks and oversea markets become more accessible, our coffee company http:www.denbydalecoffee.co.uk finds ourselves in the position of importing in Italian and Spanish commercial equipment here into the UK, only to find markets and customers back in the country of origination, i.e. Spain and Italy.
Comment by Steve Roy posted on
Well presented article. As the globe shrinks and oversea markets become more accessible, our coffee company http:www.denbydalecoffee.co.uk finds ourselves in the position of importing in Italian and Spanish commercial equipment here into the UK, only to find markets and customers back in the country of origination, i.e. Spain and Italy.
Comment by Steve Roy posted on
Well presented article. As the globe shrinks and oversea markets become more accessible, our coffee company http:www.denbydalecoffee.co.uk finds ourselves in the position of importing in Italian and Spanish commercial equipment here into the UK, only to find markets and customers back in the country of origination, i.e. Spain and Italy.