Audio: Important venue for U.S. beef and pork exporters for Asia’s Largest Food Show Underway in Tokyo

 Asia’s largest food trade show and one of the largest in the world – is underway in Tokyo. The event, which runs through March 11, is an important venue for U.S. beef and pork exporters because it attracts thousands of buyers and other food industry professionals from across Japan and several other key Asian markets.

Philip Seng, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) offers more details about FOODEX in the attached audio report. He notes that in addition to the major meat-exporting countries that have traditionally exhibited at FOODEX, other competitors such as Chile and Mexico – which have economic partnership agreements (EPAs) with Japan – have a growing presence at the event. European suppliers such as Spain and Ireland are also prominent at FOODEX.

Seng adds that Japan’s recent surge in tourism – foreign visitors to Japan increased nearly 50 percent last year to about 20 million – has made it an even more attractive target for food suppliers looking to capitalize on growth in Japan’s hotel and restaurant sectors. Japan is projecting tourism to further expand to about 30 million visitors per year by 2020, when Tokyo will host the Summer Olympics.

TRANSCRIPT:

Joe Schuele: FOODEX Japan, one of the world’s largest food trade shows, is underway in Tokyo. In this U.S. Meat Export Federation report, USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng explains why the event is such an important venue for U.S. beef and pork exporters.

Philip Seng: FOODEX is the largest trade show in Asia, it’s an opportunity for us to take a look at competitors’ products, take a look at the products and the directions the Japanese companies are going in the market. They debut the products they are developing and launching. In our booth, we always launch a new theme. This year we’re going to be taking a closer look at processed products, and also barbecue. And so it’s a wonderful venue, over 100,000 people attend the show in a period of five days. So it’s really an important event for USMEF to position itself in the industry.