Report: The Olive Oil Market in Japan

Japan’s annual domestic production of olive oil is limited at about 45 tonnes (2020). Japan cannot meet the internal demand and imports more than 99% of the domestic consumption. In 2020, Japan imported about 70,000 tonnes. The EU supplies the majority of the imports; 96% of total imports in 2020. The main EU exporters are Spain and Italy that together have a market share of about 94%.

The olive oil consumption is growing, although from a low level, and was about 0.57 kg per capita in 2019. The growing trend is related to the popularity of Mediterranean cuisine in Japan since the early 1990s. Another factor is increasing awareness of olive oil’s health benefits.

During the last decade, imports of extra virgin olive oil have more than doubled, with a 77% share of total imports in 2020. In 2020, due to the COVID-2019, the imports dropped by about 4%. Household consumption increased due to increased home cooking, whereas the foodservice sector was negatively impacted.

The retail segment of the olive oil market is expected to further grow. This report will provide European SMEs with insights into the opportunities and key success factors for entry into the Japanese olive oil market.

About the Experts

Maths Lundin has been working in Japan for more than 35 years. He has experience from Swedish companies working in sectors such as home appliances and nanotechnology. In 2008, he founded a consulting company helping Swedish companies to start businesses in Japan.

Click HERE to access the webinar's recording

Picture: From public domain

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