This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a child tasting specialty food provided by an exhibitor from east China's Anhui Province at the Japan Int'l Food Expo (JFEX) 2023 in Tokyo, Japan, June 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhong Ya)
Japan Int'l Food Expo (JFEX) 2023 held in Tokyo attracted 800 food or beverage corporations worldwide, including around 50 Chinese food companies, to promote their products and find opportunities.
by Xinhua writers Zhong Ya, Ouyang Dina
TOKYO, June 25 (Xinhua) -- From large chains to ambitious startups, Chinese food corporations are promoting their localized, high-tech or organic products at the Japan Int'l Food Expo (JFEX) 2023 to expand their presence in the Japanese market.
The Chinese exhibitors have found JFEX a wonderful platform to introduce Chinese food culture to Japan, which was held from Wednesday to Friday at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center and gathered around 50 Chinese food companies.
This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a visitor exchanging contact information with an exhibitor from Yihai Japan Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based branch of China's leading hot pot restaurant chain Haidilao, at the Japan Int'l Food Expo (JFEX) 2023 in Tokyo, Japan, June 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhong Ya)
SPECIALLY-DESIGNED FOR JAPAN
Yihai Japan Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based branch of China's leading hot pot restaurant chain Haidilao, said it demonstrated around 50 kinds of products at the exhibition, among which 18 kinds are currently on sale in Japan.
Wu He, who is in charge of the exhibit, said the company - well known for its spicy recipes - has intentionally adjusted the products' flavor and packaging to meet the demand of the Japanese market.
"We have reduced the level of the numbing and spicy taste of mala to help Japanese customers better adapt to Chinese spiciness with the aim of introducing Chinese hot pot culture to our neighbor country," Wu noted.
A number of Japanese companies have shown great interest in Yihai's products.
A Japanese game center expressed the willingness to put Yihai's cup noodles inside its claw machines as they are properly sized, while Japanese karaoke chain Tetsujin said Yihai's instant food products are convenient for its customers to replenish energy after singing, according to Wu.
Apart from Yihai, Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co., Ltd. is also targeting at improving the awareness and recognition of its brand by producing seven items specially designed for the Japanese market, which local consumers have easy access to at popular Japanese supermarkets like Don Quijote.
This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a visitor tasting products of Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co., Ltd. at the Japan Int'l Food Expo (JFEX) 2023 in Tokyo, Japan, June 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhong Ya)
HIGH-TECH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Wuhan Green Green High-tech Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. exhibited rice and rice-made wine, which is cultivated with self-developed technologies for biological prevention of weeds, seed aseptic treatment and the planting of biological bacteria organic fertilizer to get rid of environment-polluting herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizer.
"Our green organic products cater to the taste of Japanese customers and our price is competitive in comparison with Japanese products with similar qualities," said Liu Junsong, chairman of the corporation, which is also considering selling its cutting-edge technology to its Japanese cooperative partners.
Sino-Nature Morus Biotech Co., Ltd., a corporation headquartered in China's southern province of Zhejiang, features juice and extracts of mulberry, sea-buckthorn and goji berry co-developed with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"The expo helped us to have a clearer picture of the Japanese market, eliminate our worries about the competitiveness of our products, and get in touch with Japanese distributors as large as Itochu and Mitsui," said Yan Yafei, manager of the company.
"Japanese clients were amazed by our non-concentrated pure fruit juice without any water, sugar or additive as most of the juice being sold at Japanese stores is made from concentrate," said Yan.
Ouyang Jian, the company's chief technology officer, explained that in Sino-Nature, fruits are cold pressed within six hours after being picked by hand from the company's seven planting bases, and the juice will be sterilized using UHT (Ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization) before being stored in refrigerators below minus 20 degrees Celcius.
"The process guarantees a stable taste and a one-year shelf life for the company's juices," said Ouyang.
The three-day b2b food exhibition, consisting of four segments, i.e. JFEX FOOD, JFEX WINE & SPIRITS, JFEX MEAT & DAIRY and JFEX PREMIUM, attracted 800 food or beverage corporations worldwide this year.
