The 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show: 35 Japanese Companies Exhibited at Japan Pavilion

 From June 25th to 27th in New York, The 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show, the most prominent specialty food industry event in North America, took place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. This event is organized by the Specialty Food Association (SFA) which aims to create innovation and expand consumption in the food industry. It was the second after the pandemic, and more than 2,200 companies gathered from all over the world.

 

At Japan Pavilion, 35 Japanese companies exhibited their specialty food products such as snacks, green tea, seasoning, rice, fruit and vegetables, Japanese beef (Wagyu), and fishery products.

 

Buyers who visited Japan pavilion commented on the points of Japanese food and the U.S. market. One of the buyers mentioned that sales growth of Asian food has been significant at U.S.-based retail stores, and the sales of snacks, noodles, and beverages have increased significantly. In addition to this, Japanese foods such as matcha, onigiri, yuzu, and dashi (Japanese soup stock) continue to be a trend in the U.S. market. Other comments like, “Japanese companies should consider re-strategizing their packaging and size of product for the US market. As a buyer, I would want to know the product’s market share in the U.S.” and “Since Japanese products tend to be expensive, they should sell it in a way that the product has a rich history and story behind it”, were mentioned as well.

 

Exhibitors of the Japan Pavilion obtained further motivation through this event. One exhibitor mentioned, “Only sales to Japanese retail stores and restaurants are not enough, and the increase of export volume is limited. It is not easy to do business with the U.S. retail store, but I want to work on it for the long term”, and another said, “to enter the U.S. market, it is necessary to be flexible, and change the package and ingredients”. Another exhibitors realized the challenges that they have to improve, but at the same time they got the sense that long-term effort is necessary by mentioning that “Coming to the U.S., connecting with people, and making results is the most important.”

 

JETRO hopes that this event provided the opportunity to expand specialty Japanese food in the U.S. market.