PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Manufacturers and retailers continue to invest in frozen ready meals
Despite seeing a decline in retail volume sales in 2023, Japanese food manufacturers and retailers maintain high hopes for the potential of frozen ready meals, actively pursuing new product development. The high percentage of single-person households, dual-income families, and senior citizens are notable characteristics of Japan’s demographic landscape, which strongly appeals to the convenience offered by these products.
Chilled ready meals faces volume decline due to the shrinking population
In 2022 and 2023, chilled ready meals saw retail volume growth in Japan as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic waned and people returned to busy lives. However, despite this recovery in volume sales, the per capita sales figures are already high, making future volume growth challenging, as seen from the decline expected in 2024 and indeed throughout the forecast period.
Growth in meal kits slows – exploring new channels and targets will be important
Meal kits enjoyed steady dynamic growth in Japan until 2022, due to their high convenience; however, they are now facing challenges such as rising prices and intense competition from alternative categories. This contributed to retail volume decline in 2023, with just slight growth anticipated in 2024.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Meals and Soups industry in Japan with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of core packaged food categories.
If you're in the Meals and Soups industry in Japan, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Meals and Soups in Japan report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Meals and Soups in Japan?
- Which are the leading brands in Meals and Soups in Japan?
- How are products distributed in Meals and Soups in Japan?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and/or the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- What are the key health and wellness concerns driving, or challenging, sales in Meals and Soups?
- How significant are vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements in determining sales growth in Japan?
- How has COVID-19 impacted consumer demand? To what extent have lockdown, home seclusion and stockpiling boosted sales? Will the longer term economic repercussions of the pandemic stimulate or suppress future growth?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
- How significant will values-based claims, such as sustainability and ethical labelling, be in supporting future growth and brand equity?
Meals and Soups in Japan - Category analysis
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Rapid price increases drive retail volume decline
Gyoza remains an active area for innovation
Intensifying competition in frozen ready meals delivery
Manufacturers and retailers continue to invest in frozen ready meals
Chilled ready meals faces volume decline due to the shrinking population
Growth in meal kits slows – exploring new channels and targets will be important
Cooking Ingredients and Meals in Japan - Industry Overview
Cooking ingredients and meals in 2024: The big picture
Key trends in 2024
Competitive landscape
Channel developments
What next for cooking ingredients and meals?
DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Meals and Soups
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- Dried Ready Meals
- Shelf Stable Ready Meals
- Chilled Ready Meals
- Frozen Ready Meals
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- Dry Soup
- Shelf Stable Soup
- Chilled Soup
- Frozen Soup
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- Chilled Pizza
- Frozen Pizza
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- Meal Kits
- Quick Recipe Kits
- Chilled Lunch Kits
- Prepared Salads
Meals and Soups
This is the aggregation of ready meals, pizza, food kits, prepared salads, and soup. Includes: These are products that have had recipe 'skills' added to them by the manufacturer, resulting in a high degree of readiness, completion and convenience. Food kits is an exception where typically the extent of preparation is much shorter than other meal products; includes meal kits where consumers are to put together pre-portioned ingredients and cook with the guidance of recipe cards. Ready meals are generally accepted to be complete meals that require few or no extra ingredients. However, in the case of shelf stable ready meals, the term also encompasses meal 'centres’; for food kits, they do require a degree of cooking and preparation. As such, some meals may require cooking (ready-to-cook); others may simply need reheating, prior to serving (ready-to-eat). Excludes: Any products sold unpackaged and/or by weight, including food sold from a retail deli counter.
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Meals and Soups research and analysis database.
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