There’s a great big world of food out there, but who can travel to every show? Earlier this month FOODEX was held in Tokyo, Japan, and just-food.com was lucky enough to have Bruce Hoggard on the ground. He filed this report, describing innovative new products showcased, notably organics, beverages and confectionery. He also has a few tips on how best to work such shows.
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Greetings from Tokyo Japan, home to FOODEX, the Number 1 Food and Beverage Trade Show in Asia and the Pacific Rim. This year’s theme, marking the 27th Anniversary of the show, was “Importing the Heart and Flavour of the Source”. Although the booths were spread throughout eight halls, there were times when the 93,000+ people were wall-to-wall and shoulder-to-shoulder.
Covering more than 27,000m2 of show space and occupied by more than 2,400 companies and more than 3,300 booths, this four-day event is definitely one show to be attended by all food companies serious about Japan. The number of international booths and country pavilions were once again an impressive sight as they filled Halls 1, 2, 3, 4 and part of 5.
Prior to discussing the specific features of the show and a few of the more interesting and novel products, here are a few helpful hints and tips to make FOODEX 2003, March 11-14, 2003, more insightful and successful.
With more than 92% of the show visitors being Japanese it is crucial booths have several knowledgeable people who can speak Japanese. There were numerous booths, both in the international and domestic sections, where “foreigners” sat, looking at the crowds walking by, unable to communicate or promote their respective products. It makes for a long and unrewarding four days. It is also important to have brochures, business cards, show signs and other advertising and promotional materials translated correctly into Japanese.
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By GlobalDataThe method in which access and exit from the Halls is set up is also a unique feature. All visitors must enter and leave through Halls 1 or 8. This makes these two Halls prime real estate, as visitors must, on a daily basis, pass through those Halls to get to Halls 2-7. Hall 8, through to Hall 5, are where Japanese companies are located while Halls 1 through 5 are where international booths are located. This makes Halls 8, 7 and 6 very busy. In fact these halls are twice as full as other halls as Japanese people flock to see what is new and taste some of the more familiar products in the Japanese market.
Now for a look at a number of products and trends at this year’s show…
Organic Products
One of the more notable areas this year was the organic section. Building on a growing awareness and trend within the Japanese market this area, called FOODEX Organic 21and located in Hall 5, had 34 booths. As well, scattered throughout the show, were more than 250 other booths located in “country pavilions” with organic products.
In FOODEX Organic 21, Mitoku Co., Ltd introduced approximately 40 imported organic food products including: Evernat brand tomato sauce, mustards, instant coffee, orange, apple and carrot juice: several Clearspring brands of fruit spread and crackers; a range of Choice brand organic teas; AME selection of Wines; and finally, Newman’s Own range of chocolates.
Muso Co., Ltd, another Japanese company also introduced the “world” to its range of organic products including soybeans, wheat, rice, coffee beans, and noodles.
The management of Sunrich Food Group of Minnesota, USA, confirmed the growing importance of organics in Japan. They decided being in the organic section was more important and rewarding than being in the American Pavilion in Hall 1.
There were also several seminars during the show. The Spanish region of Andalusia promoted its organic products on the Thursday. British organics were highlighted on Tuesday with Alex Smith (Alara Wholefoods), Dominic Dyer (Food and Drink Federation) and Dan Thomas (FFB Japan) delivering interesting presentations and comments. The Americans also had a seminar on “Importing American Organic Foods”.
Beverages
A product of Austria receiving special attention from the crowds, and show organisers, was from Schloss-Eggenberger International. The brewery is already recognised as having the world’s strongest beer according to the Guinness Book of Records. Samichlaus is 14% alc./vol. and is brewed once a year on 6 December and aged for ten months before bottling.
However, the attention at the show was focused on the brewery’s new and distinct product, Hemp Beer. Flavoured by using the hemp seed extract, this new product has already caused Government regulatory officials concern around the world. Presently being exported to Switzerland, Germany, Hong Kong and most recently Singapore and now Japan, other markets have refused entry of the product based on concern over the product’s main ingredient. The secret of Spirit of Hemp lies in the hemp-extract Tirolhemp, grown in the village of Schwaz in Tyrol, by the hemp-expert Andreas Kreutner.
The Japanese government subjected the product to six months of testing and analysis before issuing the import licence. Expect a trial run to occur in the United States in the upcoming months as the company determines which States are receptive to the product. However, if you reside in Canada or Finland, this product will not be coming to a store near you, as these respective Governments have “just said no.”
As the promotional literature states, “Spirit of Hemp unites the complexity of new trends, it is unique as an impulsive drink, setting free a person’s potentials.” And, by the way, you will get the buzz from the alcohol before you ever feel the effect of the hemp.
A German brewery, with operations in Japan named Advanced Brew, has joined the trend of producing a low malt beer referred to as “happoshu”- a sparkling malt beverage, that had in February captured 43.5% of the beer market in Japan.
Paul Haring a fifth generation brewer, (all the first males in the family were and are called Paul, as is Paul’s first son), says the beverage’s main advantage is the lower tax based on the reduced alcohol and therefore a cheaper “beer” for the market. The beverage is sold in supermarkets and discount stores as a common daily brew, growing at 128.7% year-to-date. This is slowly relegating regular beer to the special gift items and pub category during the non-traditional beer drinking winter months.
However, Advanced Brew has stiff competition as the big four in the Japanese market, Kirin (top three products based on sales), Asahi (number 4 product), Sapporo (number 5 product) and Suntory, are also active in the happoshu market.
An Austrian company named “BOMBA energy” was at the show with its high-energy drink in its award winning and unique bottle design. Winning the “shine Award 2001” in the category INTERNATIONAL at the London show, their “explosive” bottle was highly praised for its outstanding design for a glass container.
The grenade shaped bottle and ring-pull top reflect the brand’s name and the explosive energy from which users will supposedly benefit when they drink it. There are four distinct ‘energy colours’ visible through the clear glass; red, blue, yellow and black. Each provides a specific energy boost. The product is presently sold in more than 20 markets within Europe, Americas and Asia. Visit the Company’s web site at, http://www.bomba.at/startseite.html for several interesting advertisements.
Ezo Beer Corporation of Japan introduced a new product called “World Gep (burp) Beer 2002” Competing in the beer and happoshu markets the products are promoted saying “filled with the burp from all over the world and recognised officially by World Burp Association.” FIFA raised an objection to the use of the name “World Gep”, which sounds similar to “World Cup”, and a soccer ball logo. However, the Patent Office dismissed the objection. The products are brewed in Oregon.
Food products
As with every food show, the chance of starvation is never an issue as there are numerous opportunities to savour samples from multitudes of booths.
One such company providing samples was Palermo’s, a US company specialising in authentic Italian food products. Chris Papa and his staff were located in Hall 8. Sharing space with their Japanese distributor, Hoei and Co., Ltd, put them right in the heart of the Japanese section of the show. The company’s main focus at the show was its pizza, an excellent blend of Italian recipes, products and know-how served hot from the oven.
Another company involved in pizza at the show was Nisshin Seifun Group Inc., a Japanese company that made the entry into the pizza market through its involvement in flour. The largest of two flour importers in Japan (Nippon Seifun Group and Nisshin accounted for 8 million of the 12 million tonnes), Nisshin was interested in expanding its flour sales so it developed a Naples-style pizza. Once accomplished, Nisshin further expanded along the value chain and launched its own cooking systems for cooking the pizzas – an excellent example of vertical integration-and good pizza as well. They also put on an entertaining performance, demonstrating the making of the pizza including it being baked in a Nisshin oven.
Italia Solleone also launched its Espresso Series of pastas in Japan at the Show. These single serving packages boil for five minutes and are ready to serve and eat. The selection included spaghetti tomato and mushrooms, spaghetti cheese and broccoli, and six other flavours and styles. Again, this was one of the more active booths during the show.
Confectionery
There was an abundance of confectionery items at the show ranging from health cookies and biscuits to toy candies. Several of the more interesting and fun were:
A unique product called “Go Organic Car Cookies,” a product of Summerfield Foods Inc., of the United States and the inspiration of its founder and President Roland Au. Packed in a 71gram box with pictures of North American cars on the box, these organic, all natural flavoured cookies are in the shapes of cars and are produced under licence from Ford, Chrysler, GM and Chevrolet.
The cookies were a co-sponsor of the Salt Lake City Olympic Torch Relay that toured the United States prior to the February competitions. Started as a promotional and relationship marketing item, the cookies benefit from the American love affair with the automobile. Retailing for US$1.50 to US$1.99, Roland was in Japan to determine the level of interest and reaction to his cookies and newest marketing idea.
Stone Choco Ball from Haitai Confectionery and Foods of South Korea. These “rock” chocolates introduced in late 2001 are shaped and look like small stones or pebbles and have chocolate filled insides. A wonderful novelty item, these are popular with children because the “eating” rock and dirt concept fascinates kids and horrifies mothers.
The Football Clicker-Licker with Whistle imported by EIM for Japan. Sure to be a hit with all those World Cup fans, these fruit flavoured candy pops are made in China for Au’some Candies Europe. Each candy “sucker” has a soccer ball on top that acts as a clicker, making a noise when shook, and a whistle at the other end for fans to show their disapproval with their team’s play. In between is the candy, waiting to be consumed one lick at a time over 90 minutes.
With the World Cup drawing near and Japan sharing the honour of hosting with South Korea, the final note from the show takes on a sports tone and one of personal interest. Brazil, renowned for its soccer, had an Official Country Pavilion with 16 booths. The products ranged from cereals and grains to honey to processed foods and represented many of the best products the country offers to the world. However, the draw to the Pavilion and an excellent Ambassador for the companies represented was a young lady named Claudia Martini.
Claudia’s claim to fame, as she demonstrated during the show, is being noted in the 1996 Guinness World Book of Records for juggling a soccer ball for 7 hours, 5 minutes and 25 seconds. Not being satisfied with this time, Claudia broke her own record going 8 hours 24 minutes and 20 seconds as noted in the 2002 Guinness World Book. The message from this 20-year old, aspiring soccer coach is, “sport plays a very important role in developing healthy life styles and maintaining health.” When combined with some of the best food and beverages in the world on display at FOODEX, the message is a winner.
Future Shows
Managers in the organic and/or conventional food industry should mark several important shows on their calendars for the remainder of 2002.
- The 6th Natural Products Europe, being held in London 7-8 April is the UK’s premier trade show for the organic and natural products industry.
- Food Asia 2002, opens its doors in Singapore 9-12 April in six halls at the Singapore Expo site.
- All Things Organic 2002 Conference and Trade Show in Austin Texas, 8-11 May promises to build on the impressive start it had last year as the North American organic show.
- Based on the popular SIAL Paris, the third edition of SIAL China is taking place in Shanghai 22-24 May and is a growing and important food show in the world’s largest markets.
- Singapore Food Expo 2002 will occur 24-28May, with opening hours of the show being an unusual 11:00am until 10:00pm
- The 4th Food and Hotel Africa the gateway to Africa, held biannually, will be in Johannesburg from 29 tember – 2 October, 2002.
- SIAL, located in Paris every two years and one of the world’s leading food shows runs 20-24 October. With more than 5,200 exhibitors and 132,000 visitors the five days will definitely be full.
- Joining a busy October is Organex, the UK’s leading portal for the organic food and drink industries. The dates in London’s Earls Court 2 show halls for the 6th annual show are 15-16 October.
- Japan Food 2002, located in Osaka, Japan and held every second year will move from its September show dates in 2000 to 23-26 October.
- Taking place in Seoul, the Food Korea 2002 Trade/Consumer Show is 15 to 18 November. This year’s special sponsor is the European Union Chamber of Commerce and the show will celebrate the opening of the new Agro-TREX exhibition and convention centre.
- IFE India brings the IFE brand name to New Delhi 4 to 7 December, providing companies with the opportunity to promote to the world’s second most populated country.
- Anyone who has attended Bio Fach in Nurnberg can appreciate that Bio Fach Japan, in its second year in 2002, is positioning itself to be THE organic show in Japan. The show dates at the Tokyo Big Site are 12 to 14 December.
By Bruce Hoggard, just-food.com correspondent
Bruce Hoggard, CMC, MBA, MMIS/OS, F.C.Inst.M., is the President and CEO of Hoggard International, an international marketing and management consultancy. This Canadian company with partners throughout Asia and Europe assists Companies with their global pursuits.
Bruce is the National Chairperson of the Canadian Institute of Marketing and Canada’s representative to, and Director of the Asia Pacific Marketing Federation. He is also the past President of the Provincial Exporters Association and a Director of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants.
Bruce can be contacted by email at: bruce@hoggardinternational.com
