Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is strengthening its foothold in Japan as the cheese consortium returns to Foodex Japan, Asia’s leading food and beverage trade show, taking place from 10 to 13 March at Tokyo Big Sight.
Now in its 51st edition, the event gathers around 2,500 exhibitors from 70 countries and is expected to attract more than 75,000 visitors. Against this backdrop, the Consortium for the protection of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is reaffirming Japan as one of its most important markets in Asia, where exports already reach approximately 800 tonnes per year.
RETAIL PARTNERSHIPS AND CONSUMER RECOGNITION
During the exhibition, the Consortium is hosting a series of strategic meetings with major retail chains at its stand (W1-AA24 – West 1 Hall). The aim is to present a new product recognition strategy and implement dedicated in-store initiatives designed to elevate Parmigiano Reggiano in the eyes of Japanese consumers. The goal, the Consortium explains, is to position the PDO cheese not simply as an ingredient but as a gastronomic icon in its own right.
Education remains another key pillar of the brand’s presence in Japan through the activities of the Accademia Parmigiano Reggiano. The programme includes technical seminars and premium tasting sessions organised in collaboration with the Cheese Professional Association. Participants will explore the cheese’s organoleptic characteristics through demonstrations of the traditional wheel-tapping technique, vertical tastings of different maturations, and pairings with leading Italian wines.
EXPLORING NEW PAIRINGS: PARMIGIANO REGGIANO AND SAKE
A more experimental dimension of the event will emerge during a seminar dedicated to Tokyo’s sake professionals. The session, aimed at producers, distributors, and sommeliers, will explore the pairing of different ageing profiles of Parmigiano Reggiano with sake, bringing together two culinary traditions through their shared umami profile.
The programme also includes discussions with members of Guilde des Fromagers Japan, the Japanese branch of the prestigious international cheese association. These meetings will be complemented by training sessions for professionals across Japan who promote the culture and ritual of cutting Parmigiano Reggiano wheels.
TRADE AGREEMENT EXTENDS OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY
The growth of Parmigiano Reggiano in Japan is also supported by regulatory developments. Following ongoing dialogue between the European Commission and Japanese authorities, an agreement has been reached to extend the transitional period under the EU–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement by three additional years, until 1 February 2029. The extension allows local operators in Japan to continue grating, portioning, and packaging the PDO cheese domestically for the internal market. The measure ensures a gradual transition to the new regulatory framework while supporting the continued expansion of Parmigiano Reggiano in an increasingly sophisticated and demanding market.
“PARMIGIANO REGGIANO DOU”: A CULTURAL BRIDGE
The Consortium’s presence at Foodex Japan also represents another step along the “Parmigiano Reggiano Dou” initiative—literally the “Way of Parmigiano Reggiano.”
Financed by the European Union, the project draws inspiration from the Japanese concept of “Dou”, meaning a path of discipline, refinement, and attention to detail, and connects it with the Italian art of cheesemaking.
Backed by a €3 million marketing plan for 2025–2027, the initiative aims to further consolidate the cheese’s presence in Japanese households through a communications strategy spanning traditional media, digital platforms, and strong engagement with the Instagram community.
Over the past year, the programme has already delivered several high-profile initiatives, including the official launch of the partnership at the Kanze Noh Theater, the ceremonial wheel cutting at Expo 2025 Osaka, and a series of evocative tastings during traditional Japanese matsuri festivals held at Tokyo’s Shinto shrines.