Reflections on FoodEx Japan 2026
Food innovations at FoodEx are influencing local and international taste buds, but sometimes the delivery falls flat...
This article was written by Sven Palys, Co-founder of Yuzu Kyodai.
I went to FoodEx Japan again yesterday. I’ve been attending on and off for more than a decade. In some ways, the show is reassuringly consistent. In other ways, it quietly reveals how the global food business around Japan is changing.
For those unfamiliar, FoodEx is Japan’s largest international food trade fair, where overseas producers look for Japanese buyers and Japanese companies look for export partners. It used to be held at Makuhari Messe, but has now moved to Tokyo Big Sight, which is a much nicer venue.
Here are five things that stood out this year.
1. The layout still doesn’t quite work
FoodEx used to separate Japanese exhibitors and international producers into different halls. The result was predictable: Japanese buyers stayed where language was comfortable, while the foreign hall often felt quiet.
This year, the organisers tried mixing everything together. In theory, that should encourage interaction. In practice, it felt slightly chaotic. A Moroccan pavilion could appear between industrial food machinery and AI logistics software.
The intention was good. The execution still needs refinement.
2. China and Taiwan are stepping up
One noticeable shift compared to earlier years was the stronger presence of Chinese products.
In the past, many Chinese booths focused on industrial ingredients. I remember oddly coloured pre-cut vegetable cubes destined for cost-driven processed foods. This year, the products looked far more polished and consumer-facing. Packaging quality has improved dramatically.
Taiwan also showed up in force, leaning into the cultural affinity between Taiwan and Japan. The packaged goods were beautifully designed and clearly aimed at Japanese tastes. Taiwan’s strength in design really stood out.
By contrast, the UK presence felt surprisingly small, which was noticeable because it used to be stronger.
Italy did the opposite. Almost an entire section of the hall seemed filled with Italian producers. Admirable enthusiasm, though after a while, the sheer volume blurred together.
3. Everyone is still trying to sell alcohol
One thing that felt particularly noticeable this year was the sheer number of alcohol producers.
Given that global alcohol consumption is declining, it was striking how many wine, spirits, and sake producers were trying to find buyers in Japan, one of the remaining markets where alcohol consumption is still relatively resilient.
At the same time, low-alcohol and non-alcoholic options were surprisingly scarce, despite those categories booming globally.
Within Japan’s own offerings, there were some interesting developments. Several producers were experimenting with new formats for sake, including attempts to pair it with Western dishes. I remain sceptical. A rich sweet sake can work with something like chicken liver mousse, but beyond that, the pairing logic felt strained.
More convincing were experiments in umeshu, a category that has long felt slightly old-fashioned. Several producers were exploring flavour variations. One standout was an umeshu infused with cumin, which worked surprisingly well.
4. Innovation was limited, but there were a few interesting ideas
FoodEx is rarely the place for radical breakthroughs, but a couple of products caught my eye.
One was frozen onigiri designed to retain a fresh-like texture, though the unit cost still felt high for everyday consumption.
Another was a curing technique that allows raw meat to be stored safely for longer while remaining essentially raw, clearly aimed at Japan’s appetite for dishes like chicken sashimi. Clever, though probably too culturally specific to travel far.
5. Cultural adaptation is increasing
What struck me most was the growing effort on both sides to adapt culturally.
More foreign exhibitors were speaking Japanese than I remember in previous years. It seems to be slowly dawning on companies that Japan is not a market you can approach purely in English.
Product positioning also reflected that. A plant-based protein company presented its product as a gyoza filling, rather than a generic burger substitute. Western ingredients were framed through Japanese dishes.
Japanese companies were also trying to speak outward, though sometimes awkwardly. One sauce producer had created something called “Japanese Experience Sauce” for international buyers.
Bonus observation: the people make the show
The highlight of the day was a conversation at the Greek stand.
An elderly gentleman started chatting with us. His English was hesitant, but his Kansai-accented Japanese was impeccable. It turned out he had spent more than thirty years working for Nippon Steel in Ehime and had been asked to help the Greek olive oil producers communicate with Japanese buyers.
He was charismatic and effortlessly bridged two cultures.
Ironically, the only place where I wished people had been more talkative was the Koji Pavilion. I was hoping to learn more about the fermentation innovations on display. Instead, most of the exhibitors seemed content to stare quietly into the middle distance.
Which is a pity, because fermentation may well be one of Japan’s most interesting contributions to the future of food.
In the end, FoodEx always reminds me that trade fairs are less about products than about people trying to connect across cultures.
And after more than ten visits, that remains the most interesting thing about it.
Oh we have so many things to do!