From left, Shoji Nomura, Director of Marketing, Japan; Trevor Sears, President & CEO; Ken Kimura, Marketing Manager, Japan Office
On March 17, Canada Pork held a press conference at the Canadian Embassy in Japan in Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Japan Marketing Director Shoji Nomura introduced Mr. Ken Kimura, who was newly appointed as the marketing manager of the Japan office on March 1st. In addition, President & CEO Trevor Sears, who recently visited Japan, also took the stage and explained the latest local situation and future policies.
Mr. Trevor said, "Thankfully, the volume of Canadian pork exports to Japan has been on the rise, but in recent years the volume has stagnated due to various external factors. Japan is an important market for Canadian pork. We remain committed to supplying Japan with high-quality, safe pork, and the growth of Canadian pork over the past decade is an indication that Japanese consumers recognize that the quality and safety of our products are well understood. In the 13 years that Mr. Nomura has been working hard, we believe that Canada Pork has achieved very good results. This time, the marketing manager I look forward to Mr. Kimura's appointment as he will bring new skills, perspectives, and industry perspectives to Canada Pork."
Mr. Kimura, who was newly appointed as a marketing manager, said, "I have been involved in the food industry for over 25 years, especially in the retail industry. We have been selling products that reflect the voices of consumers, such as purchasing products from overseas.
Also, most recently, I was involved in product development at a major supermarket chain.” After introducing his career so far, he added, “In the future, I will make use of my experience in a position close to customers to find out what kind of products consumers want. I would like to make the best use of my career so far and respect the activities of Mr. Nomura and the people of Canada Pork in terms of how to make the very high-quality Canadian pork known and happy to buy it. I want to keep going," he said enthusiastically.
<Sending a message to the industry to get off to a good start again / Mr. Trevor>
According to Mr. Trevor, in recent years, in addition to the impact of the corona disaster such as the shortage of factory workers, there have been many natural disasters such as flood damage due to heavy rain in British Columbia and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In addition, he recalled that the disruption of marine transportation had caused a great deal of damage, such as the situation in which the products did not reach Japanese customers on time. On the other hand, in Japan, the yen depreciated excessively, resulting in a 20-30% increase in pork prices, and the price negotiations with retailers were difficult. In addition, the Canadian domestic market also rose due to the impact of higher grain prices and higher production costs. "We believe that overcoming these various issues will be a major challenge in the future."
Regarding the Asian market as a whole, he said, "For Japan, we export high-priced items such as loin and middle parts, and Japan is a reliable and important market. Currently, Japan, the United States, and China are the main exports for Canada. China is an unstable market, including political factors. Canada's pork industry is dependent on exports for 70% of its total, so it is always seeking diversity, and it is still developing markets such as Southeast Asia. I think there is room for.”
Regarding the issue of African Swine Fever (ASF) zoning, he said, "Canada has always felt threatened by ASF, partly because of its high dependence on exports. It has recently been consulted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and we hope that thorning will be applied within this year if possible."
In addition, as part of Canada Pork's efforts, we will conduct a unique program such as conducting a benchmark test at a national meat school in Gunma Prefecture and establishing a system to check the quality of each pork, including other domestically produced pork, together with member companies. , He said that he has been conducting a "Canadian pork study session" that visits member companies and customers, and although it was suspended due to the corona disaster, it is a policy to actively implement it.
In addition, "We are planning to hold an event in collaboration with the Canada Beef International Organization this fall in order to reaffirm the goodness of Canadian pork, not just the price. As the Japanese economy continues to be in chaos, In order to get off to a good start, I would like to send a message to the industry."
<It is important to convey the background and story of the product/Mr. Kimura>
After graduating from university, Mr. Kimura was in charge of overseas food procurement at the CGC Group and the Aeon Group. Previously, he was Deputy General Manager of the Overseas Product Development Department of the Aeon Topvalu Product Development Division and Manager of the Daily and Perishables Group. He was appointed Canada Pork Japan Marketing Manager on March 1st.
In order to further expand Canadian pork in the Japanese market, Mr. Kimura said, "In retail, Canadian pork is a commodity product, and it is difficult to raise prices. I think it is important to communicate the nature of the product.I would like to develop products from the perspective of Japanese importers and consumers, while communicating the background of the product, rather than just focusing on the price. In addition, We would like to invite retailers who sell Canadian pork to the local area so that they can actually understand what kind of place and who is producing it so that they can sell it.” showed policy.
In addition, as the countermeasures and awareness of COVID-19 change, it is expected that supermarkets will have more opportunities to come into direct contact with consumers through food tastings. Therefore, in order to reaffirm the goodness of Canadian pork, it is not just a simple tasting, but an approach that conveys the background of the product, such as quality aspects such as why it is delicious, and environmental initiatives such as SDGs and animal welfare. I would like to try to restart with."