On Monday, a 600-strong Belgian delegation arrived in Japan for an economic trade mission. Led by Princess Astrid of Belgium, business leaders, officials, and academic representatives are trying to strengthen ties between those two countries. Representatives from BelOrta, the Belgian Fruit Auction (BFV), and Coöperatie Hoogstraten are among the delegates. Planned visits include Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.
Photos: LinkedIn, Jan Engelen
"Belorta, and, actually, the entire food sector's approach is to restrengthen their long-standing good relations with Japan. We used to do very nice exports to Japan," begins Didier Lepoutre of BelOrta. "Unfortunately, the recent pandemic derailed that somewhat. Volumes have been rising again since 2021."
"But they're not yet where they were in 2019. We want to use this economic mission to rebuild relationships. We still have good quality produce, which Japan highly appreciates, and they're still confident of that. It's now a matter of rebuilding the relationships."
For the Japanese market, that requires effort, says Didier. "Japan offers plenty of potential. It's a large country with a large population. Plus, quality - something in which we can distinguish ourselves - is very much appreciated. However, exporting to that country isn't easy. That extra service, going that extra mile, is, nevertheless, worth it. It takes a lot to get a foothold, but if you invest in that, you can build something truly great," he explains.
In that regard, traders are well-pleased that Prinses Astrid is accompanying the group. "That will surely always opens more doors to make contacts. We arrived on Monday and will travel the country for a week."
"We've been to the early market in Ota, which boasts many exotic products. We saw quite a lot of our products there too. That's why we see definite opportunities for 'traditional' Belgian vegetables, including chicory (in all its varieties), Brussels sprouts, and leeks," says Didier.
BFV's Marc Evrard, too, sees great possibilities for Belgian fruit and vegetables in Japan. "In our case, particularly for Belgian Conference pears. It's a work in progress, but we have several important meetings to gain access to the Japanese market. We're not yet active there."
"But following Dutch strawberries' success, we see great potential. And it's nice to be able to exploit that," he adds. Marc also considers the Belgian government and royal family's support a major advantage. "Government aid is essential, especially in a country like Japan," he admits.
Jan Engelen of Coöperatie Hoogstraten is also part of the trade mission. "I'm ready to explore interest in Belgian products. Coöperatie Hoogstraten is proud to be part of this event," he writes on LinkedIn. Belgian news broadcaster VRT NWS journalist Veerle De Vos is following the trade mission on the ground. "It's a classic trade mission, B2B (business-to-business), where companies can meet," is how she describes the visit to VRT. "In Japan, Belgium equals quality."
Even though Belgian fruit and vegetables are so popular, there is another Belgian product that is well-liked among Japanese people. "Our beer perhaps enjoys the greatest popularity," Marc laughs. Didier adds: "They even have a Belgian beer weekend, where visitors can taste 69 different Belgian beers. It seems the whole world loves our beer."
For more information:
BelOrta
120 Mechelsesteenweg
2860, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BE
Tel: +32 (0) 155 51 111
Email: info@belorta.be
Website: www.belorta.be
Belgische Fruitveiling
800 Montenakenweg
3800, St. Truiden, BE
Tel: +32 (0) 116 93 411
Email: bfv@bfv.be
Website: www.bfv.be
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
59 Loenhoutseweg
2320, Hoogstraten, BE
Tel: +32 (0) 334 00 211
Email: info@hoogstraten.eu
Website: www.hoogstraten.eu