Japan is famous for its variety of culinary delights like sushi, sashimi, ramen or Gyoza as well as for the famous Sake and Shocho. Although traditional Japanese culinary culture remains a strong part of the national identity, Japanese consumers enjoy a more diverse and international range of food products. Spanish Tapas, Turkish Kebap, Mexican Burritos or German Sausages, there is almost nothing that you cannot find in the big cities of Japan.
But among all, “Itameshi” or Italian Food has been topping the popularity charts in Japan for decades. Today, there is a vast choice of Italian trattorias all over the country. From fine dining to casual family eateries, you will find Italian food in all categories. Over the years, chefs in Japan have learned to master traditional Italian cooking and successfully integrated local ingredients in the dishes. One may find flying fish roe on angel hair pasta or sesame oil, yuzu citron, and possibly shredded myoga (a gingerish garnish) on top of an insalata verde.
Along with the food, often goes the wine. Italian wine has a known reputation for high quality at reasonable prices. The wine market is still highly dependent on imports, with around 70% of the consumed bottled wine from overseas. This makes Japan the second biggest wine importer in Asia Pacific, and Italy, a leading supplier. In 2014, the imports of Italian wine grew by 1.69% resulting in a total market share of 18.7%. Even though the market is competitive, there is still a lot of space for growth. In 2014 the market for bottled wine continued to grow and reached a consumption of 1.81 million hectoliters. Not only did the consumption grow, but also the value of the consumed wines showed an increase of 0.5% to 1.050,2 million USD. The sparkling wine segment notably sustained its ongoing trend and impressed with a plus of almost 8% in 2014.
For Italian food and wine producers who are looking to enter this profitable market, a focused and professional trade show is a stable breaking ground.
The Wine & Gourmet Japan fair in Tokyo is the only dedicated wine and gourmet food networking business platform in Japan. The seventh edition of this annual trade exhibition will be held from the 13th to 15th April 2016. More than 75,000 visitors are expected to see and taste products from around the world. Participating companies have the opportunity to meet with the top decision makers of the industry, which include wine, beer, spirits and food importers, wholesalers, distributors, sommeliers, hotels, restaurants, and catering buyers. Thanks to a strong partnership with five concurrently held partner fairs including FABEX, national and international wine associations, media partners and government groups, Wine and Gourmet Japan made itself a name as the most important event for the industry in Japan.
With a total of 11 country and regional pavilions and four product pavilions, Wine and Gourmet Japan 2015 highlighted its internationality. One of the regular and biggest group is the Italian Pavilion. A total of 25 companies showcased Italian wines, spirits, sauces, cheese, ham and other gourmet products to the audience in 2015. In 2016, the Italian Pavilion is once again giving Italian companies the chance to present their products to the Japanese industry.
A unique feature of Wine and Gourmet Japan is the extensive event program including wine related seminars, the label contest, the wine pairing program and The Night of Wines. All events are jointly organized by Koelnmesse and Wine Kingdom, Japan’s leading industry magazine. This makes Wine and Gourmet Japan not only a trade fair but a fully integrated industry event with tastings, educational programs, wine pairings and evening events.
