GFoodex Japan 2019 Exhibition

Athens, 18 March 2019 | Greek food and beverage producers participated in record numbers at Japan’s leading food exhibition this month reflecting the rapid growth in Greek F&B exports to Asia’s wealthiest consumer market and comes as Japan opens its doors to European exporters.

Sixteen (16) Greek exporters participated in the Greek national pavilion at this year’s FOODEX 2019, which took place at the Makuhari Messe Exhibition Center in Tokyo, Japan, from 5 to 8 March 2019. This represents a 100% increase in participation compared with five years ago.

The Japanese market has become increasingly important to Greek food and wine exporters in recent years, with Greek wine exports to Japan roughly quadrupling in the last five years. Exports of olive oil and other food products have posted significant increases as well.

Under a strategic partnership agreement between the European Union and Japan, which went into effect on 1 February 2019, Japan has removed a number of trade barriers facing EU exporters. This agreement opens further opportunities for Greek exporters to leverage their already strong position in this important market.

In light of the new EU-Japan agreement, a series of events featuring Greek products with European PDO designation were held:

* A seminar on Feta cheese and its PDO protection under the new EU-Japan Agreement was organized in cooperation with the Greek Office of Economic and Commercial Affairs in Japan. Irini Kamas, Secretary for Commercial Affairs, presented the seminar with a select audience in attendance.

* A tasting session of Chios Mastiha, organized by the Association of Mastic Producers of Chios, was held for Japanese importers, opinion makers and journalists.

* At the EU pavilion, the well-known chef of the Greek pavilion, Michalis Bikakis, held a special tasting session of Greek Feta and other delicacies.

Throughout the exhibition, Michalis Bikakis also prepared other Greek treats for visitors to enjoy, while sampling Greek vintages at the wine bar in the Greek pavilion.

The Greek pavilion and the participating exporters also had the pleasure of hosting a visit by the Ambassador of Greece to Japan, Mr. Konstantinos Kakiousis.

The FOODEX JAPAN International Exhibition is held every year in Tokyo, Japan and is regarded as the leading trade fair for food products in Japan and one of the leading food fairs in Asia. The exhibition receives more than 70,000 business visitors from around the world.

Tokyo is already one of the richest consumer markets in the world and is the world’s fifth-largest food importer, with further growth prospects as the city ramps up preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games.