The 13th “JAPAN'S FOOD” EXPORT FAIR WINTER, a specialist exhibition connecting Japanese food and beverages with overseas markets, will take place at Tokyo Big Sight from November 11 to 13, 2026.
The event is organized by RX Japan GK, co-organized by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and supported by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The organizer expects approximately 400 exhibitors across the event and the concurrent JFEX exhibition. Please check the organizer's latest visitor information for the hall allocation.
The official visitor information introduces agricultural and seafood products, processed foods, beverages and ingredients, alongside “OEM / Private Label,” as categories for overseas buyers.
Food Development Expo 2026, held in October, focused on health ingredients, manufacturing technology, analysis and quality control.
Moving beyond the question of how to develop a product, the November export fair brings another question into focus: how can finished products and Japan's manufacturing capabilities connect with overseas markets?
It is also an exhibition of interest to businesses involved in health food and supplement OEM and ODM manufacturing.
Plan for overseas markets during product development
Some food and health food businesses finish a product for the Japanese market before considering how to export it.
However, permitted ingredients, food classifications, labeling requirements, supporting documents and import procedures can differ by country or region.
For a product intended for overseas sales, it is therefore important to identify the target market as early as possible and work backward from that market when designing the product.
Even an ingredient commonly used in Japanese health foods may require confirmation of its status and conditions of use in another market. Conversely, an ingredient commonly used overseas may need separate checks when manufacturing a product in Japan.
The starting point is to consider both whether the product can be manufactured in Japan and whether it can be marketed in the intended destination.
OEM and private label as routes to overseas markets
Overseas expansion includes exporting a Japanese company's own brand, as well as manufacturing products in Japan on an OEM or ODM basis for overseas businesses.
An overseas brand owner or distributor might ask:
- “We want to sell Japanese-made supplements under our own brand.”
- “We want to develop a product using Japanese health ingredients.”
- “We want a private label product that highlights Japanese quality.”
In these cases, product design needs to reflect the destination market, target customers and price range.
Ingredients, daily intake, dosage form, pack size, packaging, minimum order quantity (MOQ) and target cost all need to be organized as the manufacturing conditions in Japan are aligned with the sales conditions overseas.
The official site identifies OEM and private label as categories for overseas buyers, illustrating the commercial relevance of Japan's manufacturing capabilities as well as its finished products.
Buyer discussions depend on information beyond the product
Taste, design and selling price alone do not necessarily determine whether a transaction will proceed.
Discussions can also cover the manufacturing facility, MOQ, supply capacity, shelf life, ingredient information, quality documentation and export terms.
Health foods and supplements often combine several ingredients, making the organization of ingredient information particularly important.
In addition to specifications and certificates of analysis, buyers may ask about ingredient origins, manufacturing processes and allergens.
Preparing for overseas business therefore means being ready to provide the information a trading partner needs, as well as preparing the product itself.
Requirements vary by destination
Food export requirements differ across markets. Taiwan, China, Korea, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America each involve different considerations.
For health foods, ingredient eligibility, quantities, food classification, labeling and advertising claims may need to be checked for each destination.
Halal compliance may also be a commercial requirement in some markets.
When assessing certifications or registrations, confirm their scope, the relevant product or facility, their validity and their relationship to the destination's requirements. A certification or registration alone does not establish that a product can be imported and sold in every market.
Overseas buyers need products that meet practical trading and import conditions, as well as products with Japanese appeal. This makes it useful to organize both regulatory information and transaction requirements before a meeting.
Conditions to organize before a business meeting
When meeting overseas buyers or potential partners at an exhibition, preparing at least the following information can make discussions more productive:
- Intended countries and regions of sale
- Own-brand sales or OEM/private label
- Product category and dosage form
- Desired MOQ
- Target price range
- Shelf life
- Available quality documentation
- Scope of packaging and labeling support
- Delivery within Japan or overseas delivery
- Production capacity for ongoing supply
With these conditions clarified, an initial expression of interest can move toward quotations, prototypes and a review of export terms.
If the destination, quantities and price range remain undecided, manufacturers may find it difficult to make a concrete proposal.
Preparation before the exhibition has a significant effect on the discussions that follow.
Balance market appeal with export feasibility
Products for overseas markets need to be considered from both a commercial and an operational perspective.
A product may look attractive to customers but face export difficulties because of its ingredients or labeling. Conversely, a product that can legally be exported may struggle to achieve sustained sales if it does not fit local price expectations or eating habits.
Overseas product development therefore requires an integrated view of:
- Market needs
- Product design
- Manufacturing conditions
- Regulatory and labeling requirements
- Quality management
- Logistics
- Selling price
For health foods, adding more ingredients or increasing their quantities is not automatically the best approach.
Higher inclusion levels can increase costs and affect tablet or capsule size, the number of units taken per day, taste or solubility.
International distribution also requires consideration of shelf life, packaging materials, temperature conditions and transit times.
Working backward from the final sales market supports product development that can be sustained over time.
Connect Japanese food and manufacturing expertise with overseas markets
Japan has specialist businesses across the food supply chain, including food manufacturers, health ingredient suppliers, OEM factories, packaging companies, testing organizations and logistics providers.
Bringing a product to an overseas market requires coordination across these businesses and areas of expertise.
At JSH, we support consultations on product planning, ingredient selection, OEM and ODM, prototyping and manufacturing, particularly for health foods and supplements. This also includes product development with overseas markets in mind.
Planning-stage discussions can cover exporting Japanese products, developing OEM products in Japan for overseas companies, or organizing ingredients, dosage forms and manufacturing conditions around a specified destination market.
For products or ingredients discovered at an exhibition, it is important to clarify which market they will serve, what product will be offered and under what conditions it will be delivered.
The “JAPAN'S FOOD” EXPORT FAIR is an opportunity to consider how Japanese food, product development expertise and manufacturing capabilities can support continuing overseas business.
Event overview
- Event: The 13th “JAPAN'S FOOD” EXPORT FAIR WINTER
- Dates: Wednesday, November 11–Friday, November 13, 2026
- Hours: 10:00–17:00
- Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan (check the organizer's latest hall information)
- Organizer: RX Japan GK
- Co-organizer: Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
- Support: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan
- Concurrent exhibition: JFEX WINTER, the 9th International Food & Beverage Expo
The organizer expects approximately 400 exhibitors including concurrent exhibitions. Visitor registration is open.
Official information
- Event overview (Japanese)
- Visitor information and registration (Japanese)
- Visitor information for overseas buyers
JSH does not plan to exhibit at this event. This article provides information on the overseas expansion of Japanese food and health food businesses, OEM and private label, and related industries. For the latest event details, exhibitor information and registration requirements, please consult the organizer's official website.