Attendance at the JETRO-sponsored Food Sample Showroom
2025/3/25
On 24th February, Mr Kotaro Hikuma, Councillor at the Embassy of Japan in the UK, and Minori Ishii, Deputy Consul General, attended the Food Sample Showroom organised by JETRO. Exports of Japanese food ingredients to the UK have expanded mainly through sales at restaurants and retailers in London, but in order to further expand exports, it is necessary to expand this market to regional cities. Therefore, the first event in Scotland was held in Edinburgh city, where there are many high-income earners and a high number of Japanese restaurants per capita, to create business opportunities by proposing menus of Japanese ingredients and offering tastings for buyers and restaurant staff. As Edinburgh's food preferences and the flow of trade are different to those of London, the aim is to use this opportunity to hear from participants about the routes food ingredients are distributed through, what products they are interested in etc., with the aim of contributing to future efforts.
A total of 20 restaurant owners and chefs from Edinburgh and as far away as Pitlochry participated in the event. After an exhibition of Japanese ingredients including sake, Chef Presenter Akemi Yokoyama, who teaches Japanese cuisine at the Sozai Cooking School in London, gave a demonstration of how to make rice balls, seared beef, and coffee jelly using samples of the Japanese ingredients that were introduced. These were then served to the attendees.
Following the food sample showroom in Edinburgh, JETRO also exhibited a booth at SCOT HOT, an exhibition for the hospitality and retail industries, held in Glasgow from March 26th to 27th. Tastings of over 70 types of Japanese food products were conducted for restaurant and hotel staff, and feedback on the sample products was received, as well as information on local trade flows from over 40 parties. This included feedback from promising wholesale buyers who already handle Japanese seasonings and products. In addition, the organisers invited sake expert Mami Tasaka to take the stage at the panel session "Vine of the Times", where she explained to attendees the characteristics and flavours of sake, which differ from wine, helping to increase awareness of sake.
A total of 20 restaurant owners and chefs from Edinburgh and as far away as Pitlochry participated in the event. After an exhibition of Japanese ingredients including sake, Chef Presenter Akemi Yokoyama, who teaches Japanese cuisine at the Sozai Cooking School in London, gave a demonstration of how to make rice balls, seared beef, and coffee jelly using samples of the Japanese ingredients that were introduced. These were then served to the attendees.
Following the food sample showroom in Edinburgh, JETRO also exhibited a booth at SCOT HOT, an exhibition for the hospitality and retail industries, held in Glasgow from March 26th to 27th. Tastings of over 70 types of Japanese food products were conducted for restaurant and hotel staff, and feedback on the sample products was received, as well as information on local trade flows from over 40 parties. This included feedback from promising wholesale buyers who already handle Japanese seasonings and products. In addition, the organisers invited sake expert Mami Tasaka to take the stage at the panel session "Vine of the Times", where she explained to attendees the characteristics and flavours of sake, which differ from wine, helping to increase awareness of sake.