Snack foods in Japan - statistics & facts
Chocolate with shrimp, salmon ice cream, and sake-flavored candy are some of many unique snacks in the Japanese market. Traditional confections, known as wagashi, are crafts of art with nature-inspired designs, which have retained their importance in Japan’s snack food industry. Along with consumers’ favorites like potato chips, chocolate, and cookies, sweet and savory confectioneries form a market that is worth more than three trillion Japanese yen. Modern snacks have inspired many flavors for popular wagashi, and industry leaders do not shy away from pushing the boundaries to expand their product lines.
Discount stores like Don Quijote as well as sweets stores in city centers, on the other hand, target foreign visitors looking for souvenirs. Inbound travelers spent on average over seven thousand yen on confectioneries, with retailers catering to shopping tourism with tax-free programs and a wide product assortment.
Japanese snack foods – a flavorful adventure
Product availability in the vibrant snack food market changes rapidly, with new flavors and variations appearing seasonally, and in some cases even monthly. The intense competition between domestic and international brands is a driver for innovation. Product lines are built around a selection of basic flavors, like chocolate, green tea, and red bean paste, and expanded with limited time products, with KitKat produced by Nestlé and Pocky made by Ezaki Glico being the most prominent examples of this strategy. Convenience stores are a key player in the distribution of snacks in Japan. High inventory turnover and customer frequency enables stores to stock products with a limited sales period and, simultaneously, reach a large consumer group. Small dagashiya are unique to the Japanese market and stock mostly bite-sized and shelf stable sweets. They resemble bulk confectionery stores and target mainly school children with low prices.Discount stores like Don Quijote as well as sweets stores in city centers, on the other hand, target foreign visitors looking for souvenirs. Inbound travelers spent on average over seven thousand yen on confectioneries, with retailers catering to shopping tourism with tax-free programs and a wide product assortment.
