TOKYO, Oct. 4 – Cool Japan Fund (CJF), a public-private fund for boosting overseas demand for Japanese products and services, announced on October 3, 2017, a plan to support the opening of a series of Japanese restaurants and grocery stores equipped with open kitchens in Europe. It plans to open the first grocery store in London during the first half of 2018, and possibly, second and third ones in Paris and Milan shortly after. The expansion into Europe will hopefully allow the fund to deliver the Japanese food culture to more consumers, sell groceries from all over Japan in overseas markets, and promote the export of agricultural products from Japan.
In the U.K., CJF will establish a new company “Ichiba UK Limited” jointly with Japan Center Group (JCG), a UK-based corporation that owns Japanese grocery stores and restaurants. CJF will invest up to 3 million pounds (approximately 400 million yen) in the plan.
The new grocery store in London is going to have a dining space where people can enjoy a selection of Japanese food including sushi, ramen, and tempura. It also has a grocery store that sells agricultural products such as rice and beef, Japanese seasoning including soy sauce and miso, as well as sake. In order to help European customers to learn how to use some of the unfamiliar items like traditional seasoning, the store has an open kitchen for cooking demonstrations. Such first-hand experience will hopefully help increase the fan of Japanese food.
According to CJF, “Japanese corporations so far have hesitated to make a step forward into the market,” as London imposes strict real estate-related regulations, for example, on those trying to make entries. That’s why CJF decided to stand up for the companies with a small chance of solely exploring new trading channels and support the launch and the expansion of their exports.
“We want to support small businesses with excellent food and food culture making entries into new markets,” CJF said. The fund is going to sell a wider variety of agricultural products, in addition to those handled by JCG.