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- Alt-Seafood Splash #5 - Azuma Foods Pioneer Plant-Based Sashimi in Japan
Alt-Seafood Splash #5 - Azuma Foods Pioneer Plant-Based Sashimi in Japan
Meet Azuma Foods, the pioneers making a market for konjac based sashimi in Japan.
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Happy Tuesday Market Shakers. Today we interview Azuma Foods, the pioneers bringing plant-based sashimi to Japan. It’s a fascinating exploration of how to hook Japanese consumers with faux fish. We also have expert commentary from Marc Matsumoto, chef and a GourmetPro expert F&B consultant. Believe us, you don’t want to miss this.
Today’s post by sub-headings
Introducing Azuma Foods
Alt-seafood recieves mixed reception from customers so far
Alt-fish flavour is a big challenge in Japan
Insights about the market for alt-seafood in Japan
Expanding the market for plant-based sashimi in Japan
Insights from GourmetPro’s Marc Matsumoto
Azuma Foods’ plans for the future of alt-seafood in Japan
Introducing Azuma Foods
Azuma Foods is a global Japanese seafood company. In 2021, they launched Future Fish (marude sakana in Japan) via their sustainable food platform, Azumarche. Future Fish is a range of konjac-based alternatives to tuna, salmon and squid sashimi.
Azuma Foods’ person in charge of plant-based, Ryuichi Kashima, tells us more.
Seven years ago our company realised something was off with the seafood market. Demand was going up but supply was going down. Prices started to increase and we found it hard to maintain a sustainable supply chain. Since then, this dilemma has only worsened. At the same time, we caught wind of the alt-seafood boom happening in the states from our American factory. On top of this, we saw rising flexitarianism across the US and Europe. With hints of plant-based meat taking off in Japan, we saw an opportunity. These factors spawned our plant-based sashimi.
Azuma Foods believes in the potential of the faux-fish market in Japan.
From our experience in global sales, we’ve identified a pattern. In F&B, trends tend to start in the U.S., then move over to Europe after 3 or so years, and then on to Asia. I would estimate getting to Asia from the states takes around 10 years. With a seafood crisis looming, Azuma Foods want to get a headstart with alt-seafood. We’ll pioneer the market so that when the trend arrives we’ll be well-positioned to grow.
Alt-seafood recieves mixed reception from customers so far
Feedback from taste tests and online reviews is really positive. Consumers enjoy the products when they try them. We’ve got good feedback about the taste and visual appeal. The texture is similar to konjac which was a bit of a disappointment in Japan. Consumers want fish alternatives to be quite authentic in that respect. Despite the positive feedback, when it comes to "would you buy the product", the prevailing answer is no. "Why would we when we have the real thing"?
Surely this would be disheartening.
We expect this of course. Our product is brand new for the Japanese market, so it will take time to develop consumer interest. We’re trying to grow our customers by finding the right channels and marketing strategies.
So far Azuma Foods has tried several marketing strategies. They started an Instagram, and collaborated with magazines and online media. Much like plant-based meat products in Japan, promotion is key to getting consumers curious. Social media presence and online media are gradually raising awareness, according to Ryuichi.
Their biggest campaign so far has been with the recipe website Kurashiru. Together they developed an alt-fish rice bowl recipe video using Azuma Foods’ products. They gave Kurashiru users the ingredients to make the recipe themselves and then provide feedback.
The campaign increased awareness of our product, and we got a lot of great feedback.
Alt-fish flavour is a big challenge in Japan
Many alt-seafood products try to replicate an authentic seafood flavour. According to Ryuichi, this is even more of a challenge in Japan.
A lot of overseas companies use seaweed or algae extract for umami flavour in their product. In Japan, consumers are very familiar with seaweed flavour. We found that it has the opposite effect on Japanese consumers. They feel like the alt-fish tastes of seaweed, not fish.
For this reason, we focussed on replicating the appearance of sashimi first. Japanese consumers are very sensitive to the visual characteristics of products. Then we focussed on texture. We’re not using any flavouring other than MSG. Yet, a large proportion of consumers say that, with a dab of soy sauce, our product tastes a lot like sashimi.
If you want to launch an alt-seafood product in Japan, don't ignore Ryuichi’s insights. Japanese consumers are connoisseurs of seafood. Adapting the flavour of faux fish products to the Japanese pallet is essential.
Insights about the market for alt-seafood in Japan
While working to hook more Japanese consumers, Azuma Foods already has a regular catch.
So far we have two main buyers online. Temples - as priests in Japan don’t eat meat or fish. Then there are people who buy for health reasons. Pregnant women, people who have to eat a low protein diet, and vegans, for example. These customers appreciate our product because they can finally enjoy seafood-like products.
We’ve mentioned the challenges of marketing alt-seafood’s health benefits in earlier articles. Yet, there’s a good percentage of people in Japan who can’t eat fish for health reasons. Azuma Foods is targeting these consumers as low-hanging fruit for alt-seafood. They've also had feedback that their product is appetizing for kids.
One interesting feedback we’ve had is from customers who say they can give our product to their kids. It’s not uncommon for kids to dislike the “fishiness” of seafood. Our product doesn’t have a strong fish flavour so it’s easy to stomach for kids.
Azuma Foods are working on a strategy to reach an even broader range of consumers too. This includes developing a whole new line of really exciting, innovative alt-seafood products. You can read more about this at the end of today’s post, but first, let’s hear their plans for…
Expanding the market for plant-based sashimi in Japan
Ryuichi explains the sales channels for their products in Japan are e-commerce, wholesalers, and sushi chains. The product is also sold to sushi restaurants in Vietnam, and they expect to reach Australia in August this year.
We started selling D2C. Now we’re looking to get our products on store shelves. We’re in several supermarkets across Japan now. Placement of alternative fish in supermarkets is key I believe. At the moment, we sell our product frozen. The ideal placement is in the fresh produce section alongside regular sashimi trays. This sends an important message: our product is another option in the sashimi category.
With Azuma Foods developing the market for plant-based seafood, we sat down with a GourmetPro expert to hear their opinion about expanding konjac sashimi in Japan.
Insights from GourmetPro’s Marc Matsumoto
Marc Matsumoto, chef and GourmetPro F&B consultant, joined us to share his insights about Azuma Foods’ products and the potential for other plant-based seafood in Japan.
Introducing Marc Matsumoto
Marc Matsumoto is a chef and F&B consultant based in Tokyo, Japan. Working at the intersection of food, media, and marketing, he leverages his experience and network to help global F&B brands enter the Japanese market while working with Japanese F&B brands to reach product-market fit abroad. When he's not developing new opportunities for his clients, Marc hosts Bento Expo on NHK World, introducing the world to the delightful art of Japanese bento box lunches. He also publishes the food blog and YouTube channel NoRecipes, where he teaches everyday cooks how to elevate their meals using easy-to-follow recipes that focus on the why behind basic cooking techniques, not just the how.
How can plant-based sashimi be positioned in Japan to appeal to a broad range of consumers?
For starters, I’ve heard from friends who have gone plant-based that they miss sushi and sashimi the most. So konjac-based sashimi should be pretty appealing for them.
To reach a broader audience than just vegans and vegetarians, Marc sees two options for Azuma Foods’ plant-based sashimi.
The first is to position the product as a low cost-alternative to tuna and salmon (similar to how kanikama - imitation crab - is positioned). The second option is to sell this as a modern style of konjac that can be eaten without preparation or used in various ways.
There’s already an established market for konjac in Japan. Having sampled Azuma Foods’ product, Marc explains that it’s a much more flavorful alternative to traditional konjac.
It could appeal to younger consumers looking for a low-calorie food that’s easy to prepare and delicious. Depending on the price point, it could also appeal to price-sensitive consumers looking for cheaper alternatives to real fish (like the market for kanikama).
Where is the best placement for Azuma Foods products in supermarkets?
Slicing the blocks of konjac-based sashimi and making sushi rice might be a tall order for most consumers. But, if Azuma Foods sold small packs of frozen nigiri sushi with their product on top of sushi rice, I could see it selling well. Especially if the price point undercut similar offerings made with real fish.
How would you incorporate this product into recipes?
We asked Marc to share his culinary expertise about how he would use the product in dishes.
There are so many possibilities here! The product is already pretty well seasoned, so it would be a delicious way to bulk up salads in place of things like ham or kanikama.
With a little modification to the texture and appearance, this could be a compelling lunch meat alternative as well. It would be delicious, thinly sliced and used like smoked salmon on bagels or in sandwiches.
Another possibility is a variety of donburi such as chirashizushi or poké.
In fact, Azuma Foods already has plans to develop their konjac-based seafood by
using it in complete meal products.
Azuma Foods’ plans for the future
We predict that we’ll see a rise in hybrid alt-seafood products in Japan. For example, plant-based unagi made with eel extract and plant-based ingredients. Such products have been on the rise in Japan. They contain part of the authentic product but are generally cheaper. It's an easier stepping stone for Japanese consumers than 100% plant-based fish.
"Pure" alt-seafood will gain traction though as fish stocks deplete. The result will be higher-priced seafood. Japanese consumers are price sensitive so cheaper alt-products will start to appeal. As stocks continue to deplete, the government may tax fresh fish to deter overfishing. This will incentivise players to double down on alt-seafoods.
Azuma Foods doesn’t plan on just waiting for fish prices to push consumers to alternatives.
We’re currently developing several new alt-seafood products. Salmon roe, eel and a squid alternative made with an ingredient that isn’t konjac.
There is great potential for salmon roe alternatives. Prices for the regular product have climbed off the back of low supply. Company canteen supplier Nikko Trust already launched an alt-salmon roe this year. Azuma Foods will use their existing expertise in faux fish to capitalize on the opportunity.
We’re also excited about our eel product because it’s a ready meal. It's a plant-based kabayaki (a barbequed eel rice bowl), flavoured with authentic kabayaki sauce. Consumers will feel a sense of authenticity from the flavourful sauce. There's also rising demand for easy-to-prep meals in Japan.
This is the best short to mid-term strategy for alt-seafood in Japan. It’s a lot easier for consumers to accept and enjoy a meal, rather than an ingredient. There’s more to experience with a meal, and we have more options with flavour.
Azuma Food's story is an inspiring tale of innovation in Japan's plant-based space. The alt-seafood trend is some way off in Japan. But Azuma Food's early pioneering means they are discovering key insights about consumer preferences. When faux fish does take off in Japan, Azuma Food's early effort will put them in a strong position.
That’s all folks
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Azuma Foods and Ryuichi for interviewing with us. We’re excited about their upcoming alt-seafood product launches.
See you next Tuesday for an exclusive interview with OmniFoods about the recent launch of their canned alt-tuna in Japan.
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