Small exporters eye Japanese food market

Small Filipino enterprises are eyeing new niches for their food products in Tokyo’s annual ASEAN Food and Beverage Exhibition this month, according to the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

Participating in the Tokyo exhibition are GEM Foods International which makes nata de coco and macapuno strings, Toscano Food Industry which makes dilis and pusit, and J. Emmanuel Pastries which makes pili nut delicacies.

The ASEAN Japan Center organized this year’s exhibition whose theme is "The Flavours of ASEAN, the Choice for Shoku Iku of Japan."

"Shoku" means food and diet and "iku" means education. It is a concept which reflects the Japanese government’s drive to promote healthy living.

"This year’s Philippine participation in AFB hopes to assist our SMEs address the strict global safety standards of Japan and help them find a new niche for our local delicacies," said Trade Assistant Secretary and CITEM head Fe Agoncillo-Reyes.

Various one-on-one business meetings are arranged between Japanese buyers and the Filipino participants during their visit from Oct.15 to 21 this year with a projected observation tour of the Ajinomoto factory.

"For our exporters, penetrating Japan’s wholesale and retail food markets is worth pursuing. Currently, we export nata de coco and seafood to Japan and pili nuts are a welcome addition to our exports with huge potential. Promoting them in Japan will not only bring additional export revenues, but will also help the other allied industries in Bicol, the current center of the pili nut industry in the country," Agoncillo-Reyes said.

A study at the University of Hawaii at Manoa showed that (home to macadamia breeders), the Philippine pili nut is equivalent to macadamia.

It is not only an extraordinary nut, but is also rich in nutritional value, which according to Agoncillo-Reyes, makes it a potential export in the health-conscious Japanese market.

In 2005, total sales amounted to $785,682 and generated significant inquiries.

Thirty-two exhibitors from 10 ASEAN countries are participating in the event.

The ASEAN-Japan Centre was established in 1981 and has been promoting trade, investment and tourism between ASEAN countries and Japan through various activities.