Staple foods in 2024: The big picture
Although expected to maintain positive retail current value growth in 2024, staple foods in Japan is set to experience another year of retail volume decline, primarily due to increases in unit prices. Price increases seen since 2022, triggered by the war in Ukraine, backed by high raw materials costs, and soaring logistics costs due to the “2024 issue” in Japan (a social issue in terms of logistics, with a lack of truck drivers), has driven price rises in 2024, albeit not as strongly as in the previous year.
Key trends in 2024
With an increasing number of single-person and dual-income households in Japan, busy lifestyles have become the norm. Consumers do not have much time to prepare meals every day, whether working in the office or remotely.
Competitive landscape
In 2024, generics is poised to maintain its lead in staple foods in Japan in retail value terms, thanks to its strong presence in processed meat, seafood, and alternatives to meat, in which it accounts for nearly half of retail value sales. The strength of generics primarily lies in its dominance of chilled processed seafood, with Japanese consumers traditionally not drawn to specific brands when purchasing such products.
Channel developments
After declining during the pandemic, foodservice volume sales finally saw a strong rebound in Japan in 2022 and 2023, and growth is set to continue in 2024. However, in 2024 growth is expected to be minimal, and foodservice volumes are still not expected to reach the pre-pandemic level in this year, remaining far lower than in 2019.
What next for staple foods?
With the ongoing fall in the birth rate, and consequently the population, retail volume sales of staple foods in Japan are set to continue to decline slowly over the forecast period. The birth rate in the country has been continuously declining for decades, and the pandemic even accelerated the decline, as some women decided not to get pregnant, for fear of infection, and due to economic uncertainty.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Staple Foods 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 Staple Foods 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 Staple Foods 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 Staple Foods in Japan?
- Which are the leading brands in Staple Foods in Japan?
- How are products distributed in Staple Foods 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 Staple Foods?
- 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?
Staple Foods in Japan
Staple foods in 2024: The big picture
Key trends in 2024
Competitive landscape
Channel developments
What next for staple foods?
DISCLAIMER
Baked Goods in Japan
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Continued current value growth mainly driven by pastries and cakes
Dessert mixes rebounds due to recent product innovations
Yamazaki continues to lead baked goods, Shikishima holds second position
Limited retail volume growth expected, while retail current value growth will remain stronger, driven by time-saving and recovery in tourism
Product innovation with a focus on health continues to be seen
The rising importance of domestic wheat
Breakfast Cereals in Japan
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Breakfast cereals starts a recovery trend in value terms
Players aim to revitalise hot cereals
Calbee maintains its lead, with Kellogg holding second position
Low retail volume growth anticipated, while retail current value growth will continue to be higher as prices rise
RTE cereals likely to be appreciated for their convenience
Product innovation with a focus on health will continue to be seen
Processed Fruit and Vegetables in Japan
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Processed fruit and vegetables declines in volume terms, while maintaining positive retail current value growth
Plastic pouches and cartons are gaining shelf space
Private label holds the largest share in frozen fruit, but other companies also rapidly enter the category
Processed fruit and vegetables expected to grow, driven by frozen processed fruit and vegetables
Shelf stable fruit and vegetables will struggle, but rolling stockpiling will mitigate the decline
Plastic pouches and cartons set to continue to take share from metal cans
Processed Meat, Seafood and Alternatives To Meat in Japan
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat declines in retail volume terms while maintaining positive retail value growth
Sustainable sourcing of seafood
Generics dominates a highly fragmented category
Retail volume and value sales set to struggle due to the poor performance of chilled processed seafood
Frozen processed meat set to see growth, driven by convenience and added-value products
Product innovation with a focus on health likely to continue to be seen
Rice, Pasta and Noodles in Japan
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Rice, pasta and noodles declines in retail volume terms, while price rises drive positive retail current value growth
With the demand for convenience remaining high, manufacturers focus on convenient, authentic, and sustainable products
JA Group and Nissin Food Products continue to lead
Performance of rice will shape the future of rice, pasta and noodles
Product innovation with a focus on health will continue
Accelerating efforts towards sustainability
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Staple Foods
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- Packaged Flat Bread
- Unpackaged Flat Bread
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- Packaged Leavened Bread
- Unpackaged Leavened Bread
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- Packaged Cakes
- Unpackaged Cakes
- Dessert Mixes
- Frozen Baked Goods
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- Packaged Pastries
- Unpackaged Pastries
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- Sweet Pies and Tarts
- Frozen Cakes, Sweet Pies and Tarts
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- Hot Cereals
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- Children's Breakfast Cereals
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- Flakes
- Muesli and Granola
- Other RTE Cereals
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- Shelf Stable Beans
- Shelf Stable Fruit
- Shelf Stable Tomatoes
- Shelf Stable Vegetables
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- Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Processed Potatoes
- Frozen Processed Vegetables
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- Shelf Stable Processed Red Meat
- Shelf Stable Processed Poultry
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- Chilled Processed Red Meat
- Chilled Processed Poultry
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- Frozen Processed Red Meat
- Frozen Processed Poultry
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- Shelf Stable Seafood
- Chilled Processed Seafood
- Frozen Processed Seafood
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- Chilled Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Frozen Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Shelf Stable Meat and Seafood Substitutes
- Tofu and Derivatives
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- Chilled Noodles
- Frozen Noodles
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- Instant Noodle Cups
- Instant Noodle Pouches
- Plain Noodles
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- Chilled Pasta
- Dried Pasta
- Rice
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Staple Foods
NOTE: Couscous, polenta and quinoa are excluded from staple foods.
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This report originates from Passport, our Staple Foods research and analysis database.
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