【Text by Guan察者网, Zhang Jingjuan】Shanghai's "Four-leaf Clover" has entered "CIIE time" this week.
Stepping into the agricultural and food products exhibition area, the lively atmosphere of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) booth was immediately noticeable — people were lined up in front of 48 sake tasting taps, with discussions like "This taste is good," "Let me try it too," echoing around; a fragrant aroma drifted from the corner, where people who stopped to take soup bowls nodded in praise for the miso soup and onion soup; looking up, each booth was adorned with fresh-cut flowers flown in from Japan, dazzlingly vibrant, giving the entire exhibition hall a unique Japanese flavor.
"We hope that these highly recognizable 'Japanese symbols' will make people know at a glance that 'Oh, this is the Japanese pavilion.'” Benmura Yukiya, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Food Department of JETRO Shanghai Representative Office, said with a smile to Guan察者网.
This "regular participant" who has attended for eight consecutive years is now using the theme "Opening New Worlds with Sake" to weave Japanese flavors and culture into an attractive network.
Benmura Yukiya, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Food Department of JETRO Shanghai Representative Office, Guan察者网
"Only products that are truly suitable for the Chinese market can get the CIIE ticket."
From cautious exploration in the first CIIE to now leading Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises to participate as the "captain", JETRO's eight-year CIIE journey has run at a high speed, becoming a reflection of the deepening Sino-Japanese economic and trade cooperation.
Benmura introduced that this year's CIIE brought 148 Japanese companies, which is the largest scale in history, with nearly 50 new faces making their debut on the CIIE stage.
To allow companies to "go light" and reduce costs, JETRO has already prepared a complete "service package". From free provision of well-decorated booths to assisting in processing various procedures, the only thing companies need to focus on is bringing the best products to chat with buyers. The "JETRO Japan Business Hall (CJS)" WeChat Mini Program QR code is everywhere near the booths, which has built a closed-loop service from before to after the exhibition — even after the CIIE ends, companies can consult about market dynamics and connect with potential customers anytime through the mini program.
Fresh-cut flowers flown in from all over Japan, Guan察者网
"We will screen companies through the recruitment notice, repeatedly pondering whether 'this product is suitable for the Chinese market' or 'can it be accepted by Chinese consumers.'” Benmura admitted that every year's company recruitment is like a selection meeting, only those products that are truly suitable for the Chinese market can get the ticket to enter the CIIE. This rigor makes the participation effect of the companies maximized.
In Benmura's view, the magic of the CIIE goes beyond just "many people and lively atmosphere", but also lies in the "precise and efficient" matching environment. He told Guan察者网 that the buyers here are mostly those who have a purchase intention for overseas goods, not just sightseeing, but really want to find cooperation opportunities and further discuss. At the same time, as a national-level exhibition, the professional buyer groups of the CIIE cover the whole country, which is difficult to compare with other exhibitions.
The latest growth data also showed him the huge potential of the Chinese market. Benmura stated, "In January to August this year, the number of Japanese wines exported to China ranked first globally, with Japanese sake increasing by 30%, shochu and awamori increasing by 40%."
"Many foods that developed in Japan originally came from China"
As a successful case supported by JETRO, Japan Meiji Co., Ltd. has participated in the CIIE for the fifth time. This year, the company launched the Tsuru Miso & Miso Soup and Green Kitami & Hokkaido Onion Soup, which attracted many fans at the tasting area.
"In the past, few people made miso soup at home, and miso itself was considered a very niche product. But now more and more people are beginning to incorporate fermented foods into their daily lives, and its benefits are increasingly recognized." said President of Japan Meiji Co., Ltd., Nakajima Ikumi.
For Meiji, the CIIE is both a "window" to understand market trends and a "bridge" to link major resources. "It's an excellent opportunity for us to directly communicate with many well-known Chinese enterprises, and also to capture new directions in industry development."
But Nakajima also admitted that in the vast Chinese market, the scope of independent business operations for Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises is extremely limited, especially after the pandemic, with online businesses becoming increasingly popular, and the Chinese market being more developed than Japan. "It's not easy to keep up with the pace of the Chinese market," but thanks to the continuous support of JETRO, they have been able to steadily move forward.
President of Japan Meiji Co., Ltd., Nakajima Ikumi, Guan察者网
Currently, many Japanese companies have realized "local co-creation" through the CIIE. Regarding future plans, Nakajima said that Japan and China are both part of the East Asian cultural circle, and many traditional foods that have independently developed in Japan originally came from China.
"China is both a production giant and a consumption giant. It is rare for a country to maintain such independent development. We have seen many innovative and creative products from Chinese enterprises, and I am very interested in developing food together with Chinese enterprises." Nakajima said.
She observed that with the increasing demand of consumers for "better quality and longer lifespan" products, the potential of promoting health through food is great. "I hope that the skills of China and Japan can continue to integrate and bring more benefits to Chinese consumers in the future."
Nakajima pointed out that merely understanding current consumer needs is not enough to predict future growth. "What benefits will Chinese consumers gain in the medium to long term? How should we develop our brand to ensure customers continue to use our products with confidence and peace of mind? These questions require deeper thinking."
Making sake fit the "flavor of Chinese cuisine"
"You can try this wine, its acidity can perfectly balance the spiciness, and it tastes very refreshing."总经理 of Zunkan (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Watanabe Kurou, enthusiastically introduced the sake named "Yu".
This wine has a story behind it — in 1986, Chongqing City and Hiroshima City in Japan established a sister city relationship, and later, Hiroshima Prefecture specially developed this sake to match Sichuan cuisine to inherit the friendship.
Watanabe said, "Yu" is not just a solution to spicy food, but also makes spicy food more layered and interesting. He smiled and said that this wine is selling well in Sichuan, Shanghai, and Beijing, but there is also a "small regret," "it is only suitable for mild spice, if it is heavy spice, it cannot help, and you still need beer and cola to rescue."
Zunkan, founded in 2022, is a "young blood," but quickly "grew" under the support of the CIIE. Watanabe said that the "big client effect" of the CIIE is an important reason for his continuous participation in the event for three years. "The clients we usually meet at ordinary exhibitions are mostly restaurant owners and retailers, but at the CIIE, there are many big clients coming."
Sake tasting area, Guan察者网
To help Chinese consumers understand and accept sake, Zunkan has carried out a series of localized innovations: developing low-alcohol wines with 7 degrees or below to meet the needs of young people; launching the "Sake Encyclopedia" WeChat Mini Program, which collects 100 types of Japanese wines for consumers to query and purchase; cooperating with restaurants to launch 3-bottle gift boxes, allowing customers to "try before buying."
"The most effective way of promotion is 'tasting', it is hard to sell without letting customers taste. Only when consumers drink and feel good will they be confident to buy." Watanabe's goal is clear: first let Chinese consumers know about sake and shochu, then they will know about the "Sake Encyclopedia."
Facing the fierce competition in the Chinese alcohol market, he said he is "not worried at all." "Many Chinese people have drunk baijiu and red wine, but few have experienced sake, so giving them a new experience is enough. I am very confident in our sake products."
Watanabe revealed that compared to similar companies, Zunkan has significant advantages in digitalization and semi-automated logistics, and Japanese companies that involve both B-end and C-end are very few, so "I really have confidence in this aspect."
Currently, Zunkan's market share in China is 50%, and last year's exports to China increased by 30%, and this year's expected increase is nearly 20%. "Many people advise us to do more business in other countries, but we don't. The Chinese market is large enough, and if we succeed here, it's enough."
General Manager of Zunkan (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Watanabe Kurou, Guan察者网
From JETRO's carefully crafted "Japanese Style Pavilion", to Meiji Company's efforts in healthy food, and to Zunkan's innovative practice of integrating sake into the Chinese dining table, the Japanese exhibitors at the eighth CIIE are opening the double doors of commodity circulation and cultural exchange with "sake" and "food" as keys.
"Every year, JETRO can feel the changes in the CIIE and the market, but every time we come, we can have new gains." said Benmura Yukiya. With the growing demand of Chinese consumers for cost-effectiveness and customization, JETRO is striving to match more "small but beautiful" Japanese products for the Chinese market.
This eight-year "CIIE appointment" has long surpassed the exhibition itself, becoming a vivid footnote of Sino-Japanese enterprises working hand in hand to create a better future.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7570329928575615524/
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