USA Rice Promotes Medium Grain to Supermarket Chains in Japan

 
May 15, 2017
Fine products from all over the world
including U.S. rice
2017 CGC-Exhibit-Japan
TOKYO, JAPAN – Co-Operative Grocer Chain (CGC) Japan, a cooperative chain of 220 middle to small size supermarkets with more than 4,000 individual member stores nationwide, sponsored an exhibition last month to introduce their members to new food products and U.S. medium grain rice was one of the featured rice items.   

“CGC actually developed an original bag for U.S. medium grain and recently started experimental sales at selected supermarkets,” said Hugh Maginnis, USA Rice vice president international.  “Their 5kg bag of U.S. medium grain features menu pictures designed to teach consumers that U.S. medium grain is actually a good table rice.”

U.S. rice is gaining momentum in both the retail and foodservice markets in Japan.  “For instance, Costco Japan started stocking U.S. medium grain rice,” said Maginnis.  

U.S. rice for commercial use in Japan enters through the restrictive Simultaneous-Buy-Sell (SBS) system which makes it difficult to develop consistent, long-term marketing plans in Japan.  The SBS system is limited to no more than 100,000 MT annually from all origins.

Maginnis concluded, “Further reforms would make it easier for Japanese consumers to access imported rice and would likely have a positive effect on demand for rice imports in both the retail and foodservice sectors in Japan.”


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