A chef treated visitors to Flemish classics during Foodex.
Foodex 2018 was, once again, a success. It attracted 72,428 visitors to the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo. The VLAM stand formed part of the Belgian pavilion that was organised by FIT (Flanders Investment and Trade), Awex, which is a Belgian export and foreign investment agency, and Brussels Invest & Export. This meant the vegetables were in good company with other Belgian specialities such as chocolate, beer, chips and cookies. VLAM had a lovely presentation of chicory in different sizes, leeks, celeriac, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, parsnips, beetroot… These, once again, attracted a lot of attention from the Japanese visitors and were frequently photographed.
On the VLAM menu: chicory soup, braised chicory and leeks, celeriac soup, celeriac salad, warm Brussel sprouts with a mustard sauce
Flemish classics in Japan
Japanese people are most familiar with chicory when it is prepared cold. This is why VLAM hired a chef who surprised them to a chicory soup/ She also introduced visitors to braised chicory. Passers by were also treated to celeriac soup, a celeriac salad, braised leeks and warm Brussel sprouts with a mustard sauce. Flemish classics prepared in a way that was familiar to the Japanese visitors.
The Flemish specialists present their products.
Potential for fresh vegetables
It is exclusively fresh Belgian vegetables that are exported to Japan. Belgium does not yet have permission to export fruit to this country. Japan is a stable market for Belgian vegetables and shows a lot of growth potential. Belgian leeks and chicory are especially popular in Japan. Exports of both these vegetables have shown a slight upward trend since 2014.
Small, slowly increasing volumes of celery and cabbage are also sold on this Asian market. In 2017, the exported volume of vegetables from Belgium to Japan amounted to about 323 tonnes. This gives Japan a share of 1,4% of Belgian exports to third-party countries. Despite this small share, it is a growing market. This country has considerably larger shares in Belgian exports of leeks, chicory, and celery. In 2017, Japan carved out a 41% share in Belgium's leek exports to third-party countries. In the same year, this country's share was 5% for chicory and 7% for celery. Cabbage is also being sold in increasing numbers on the Japanese market. This was good for a share of 3% in 2017.