发布时间：2008.7

摘要

Countries covered: Japan

In BMI’s Food and Drink Business Environment Ratings, which ranks 14 key markets in the Asia Pacificregion, Japan is placed joint fourth (alongside Thailand). While the high disposable income continues toensure strong food and beverage consumption, the longer-term growth potential is stifled by the market’smaturity as well as a generally difficult operating environment for foreign players. More recently, risingcommodity prices have been passed onto consumers, with the overall effect being higher value, but lowervolume sales. Nevertheless, companies investing in innovation and marketing will have room for growth.

In the light of the difficult business condition in the home market, many companies are looking elsewherefor expansion opportunities. In April 2008, Japanese dairy giant Yakult Honsha Co confirmed thatinternational expansion will remain its primary focus in FY09, with global interest in Yakult's health andwell-being portfolio soaring. Similarly, Japanese food flavourings specialist Ajinomoto Co confirmed theconstruction of two new manufacturing facilities in Thailand, while Meiji Dairies Corp - Japan's leadingdairy company - revealed its intention to expand its market share in Taiwan.

This situation is also reflected in the beverages industry, with major brewers attempting to boost theirinvolvement in other segments, as well as regions. Japanese beer major Asahi Breweries Ltd recentlysigned a deal with Russian Baltika Breweries, which will pave the way for the manufacture of its SuperDry beer brand in Russia. Similarly, leading local brewer Kirin Holdings is seeking partnerships in India,Thailand and Vietnam, in a bid to increase its brewing operations in the region and capitalise on risingbeer consumption in those countries. In late 2007, Kirin Holdings announced a partnership withAustralian Lion Nathan - in which it holds a 46% stake - to purchase raw materials, having successfullytrialled the scheme in the course of 2007. In the meantime, domestic shipments of beer and beer-likeproducts dropped by 2.6% year-on-year (y-o-y), in the first three months of 2008, disadvantaged by risingprices and despite new launches of carbohydrate-free beverage and similar beverages.

In the wider retail environment, organic growth is becoming less and less viable, with retail operatorsseeking new avenues of expansion. To this end, Japan's second-largest convenience store chain Lawsonreported is considering domestic acquisitions, in tandem with amending the product mix and layout ofmany of its existing stores in order to cater to Japan's changing population demographics. Those issuesare also relevant to food and drinks manufacturers, which are forced to innovate or relinquish their marketshares.

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