Last week, the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo, one of Asia’s premier industry events, was held in Tokyo.
Our CEO, Donna Fordyce, and Head of Trade Marketing, Adam Wing, attended the Expo to promote Scotland’s renowned seafood and demonstrate why Scottish produce is globally recognised for its quality. With over 22,000 visitors last year from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and other international markets, this event presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships with Asian buyers and trade partners.
This year, we were honoured to be joined in Tokyo by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, Kirsty McNeill MP. Seafood Scotland led a delegation of seven distinguished Scottish seafood companies to the Expo.
The Minister highlighted Scottish seafood—visiting our joint pavilion with Seafish and participating in a round table discussion with the All Japan Chefs Association, where collaboration opportunities and strategies to expand exports to Japan were explored.
This year also marked the 10th anniversary of Seafood Scotland’s participation in this important event. To celebrate, we launched our most comprehensive program to date, including:
– Sponsoring the International Sushi Cup, in which global sushi chefs compete under their national flags using Scottish salmon, trout, and mackerel.
– Hosting a Scottish seafood buyers’ reception at the British Embassy in Tokyo, in partnership with Scottish Development International.
– Collaborating with Japanese influencers to inspire chefs and consumers.
With the support of the Minister, we have been able to showcase Scotland’s exceptional seafood on an even larger stage in Japan, one of the world’s most dynamic and discerning seafood markets. We extend our thanks to Denholm Seafoods Limited, Hebridean Smokehouse Limited, Lunar Freezing & Cold Storage Company Limited, Orkney Crab, PDK Shellfish Limited, Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation Ltd, and Xyrex (EFH Technologies Group) for their participation at the Expo.