COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Pastries rivalry intensifies amid market shifts
Kewpie Corp is the leading company in 2025 in sweet spreads, heading up an increasingly competitive landscape. During the year, the category has faced intensifying competition from packaged pastries, which have been performing well.
Players invest in innovation as competition heats up
Within this fiercely competitive context some sweet spread brands have been innovating to maintain consumer interest. Aohata (Kewpie) the leading brand of sweet spreads in Japan for the past decade, commemorated the 55th anniversary of its Aohata 55 series in 2025 by launching products that source ingredients seasonally.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Sweet Spreads 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 Sweet Spreads 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 Sweet Spreads 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 Sweet Spreads in Japan?
- Which are the leading brands in Sweet Spreads in Japan?
- How are products distributed in Sweet Spreads 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 Sweet Spreads?
- 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?
Sweet Spreads in Japan - Category analysis
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Currency fluctuations push up import prices
Sharp price surge hits imported goods against weak yen
Honey leads growth and jam sees further price rises
Innovative flavours continue to gain traction
Products with no added sugar reshape jam in Japan
Demand for convenience and ‘time performance’
Pastries rivalry intensifies amid market shifts
Players invest in innovation as competition heats up
Japanese shoppers stick to store-based retail for sweet spreads
E-commerce rises but growth remains limited
Cooking Ingredients and Meals in Japan - Industry Overview
Consumers cut back due to inflationary pressures
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Unit price hikes push value sales in 2025
Convenience demand intensifies, shaping innovation
Surging costs in rice result in consumer shift towards alternatives, impacting preferences in ingredients
Continued shift away from rice and towards alternative staples
Anticipated rising demand for ingredients suited to pasta and flour-based meals
Domestic players dominate a highly fragmented landscape
Leading companies maintain stronghold through rapid response to evolving demand
Convenience stores sees expansion as hybrid work models gain ground
Drugstores invest in broadening offer while e-commerce rises slowly
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
Sweet Spreads
Excludes: Any products sold unpackaged or in bulk; margarine, butter substitutes, vegetable-oil based, yeast-based, and meat/seafood-based spreads.
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 Sweet Spreads research and analysis database.
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