Starting a Food Export Business?

January 18, 2005 8:26 AM

A family member is considering starting a small business exporting goods (primarily seafood) to Japan. I would like to help but have no clue how to begin. [MI]

The best Google turned up is these folks, a U.S. government agency that will help with client meetings for a fee. I am looking for advice about how to go about getting permits, acquiring clients and the like.

posted by jeffmshaw to Work & Money (4 answers total)

Try JETRO. If they start steering you toward joint ventures with Japanese companies instead of what you seek (export deals), those be treacherous waters and fairly warned be thee, says I.
posted by planetkyoto at 9:27 AM on January 18, 2005

Also ACCJ, of course.
posted by planetkyoto at 9:35 AM on January 18, 2005

Just came in to say good luck to ye. The Japanese are extremely protectionist, and with their domestic fishing industry I'd bet triple-y so. And unless attitudes have changed dramatically in the past twenty years, most of your potential clients would sooner choose their local supplier that might charge them more, just to buy Nippon. I wish I could be of more help to you.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 12:38 PM on January 18, 2005

C_D, there is a lot of truth in your statement, but times have changed and there is a lot more importing of seafoods to Japan than in the past. Mostly due to rising demand.

When one eats out in Tokyo, it's common to be told where the food is coming from, because the better restaurants use seasonal and regional ingredients. Living in Tokyo, I've had salmon from Alaska and Chile, sea urchin from Santa Barbara, and probably many other seafoods from non-Japanese sources that I didn't know about.

jeffmshaw, I think your biggest challenge with perishable food is freshness, which the Japanese value almost over any other factor. If you have found a niche
posted by gen at 5:33 PM on January 18, 2005