Japan Meat Products Market Size to Generate $25.3 Billion by 2031

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The Japan Meat Products Market Size is predicted to be valued at $25.3 billion by 2031, surging from $18.9 billion in 2021, at a noteworthy CAGR of 3.1%.

Impact Analysis of COVID-19 on the Japan Meat Products Market

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the entire meat industry mainly lowering meat production. An increase in supply chain complexities and volatility in import-export trades resulted in an increase in meat pricing. In addition, prices for meat and meat products increased owing to a decrease in output and an increase in demand due to panic buying. Furthermore, food service sales in Japan at restaurants and hotels declined owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, imports were slightly impacted by global shipping delays, a decrease in air cargo capacity, and rising cargo prices, though the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) claims that the country's food supply is safe. Such factors severely hampered the Japan Meat Products market share growth in the pandemic time.

Japan Meat Products Market Analysis

Japan has always been a seafood-consuming country, but in recent years, meat consumption among Japanese people has gradually increased. The shift in the meat consumption pattern in Japan has been majorly due to growing urbanization, increased per capita earnings, and modifications & opening of the food supply chain like supermarkets and hypermarkets, across the country. According to a report published by United Nations University, in 2019, Tokyo observed highest meat consumption rate in the history.

Further, to cater to the rising demand for meat products in the country, the Japanese government has increased the import of meat and meat products from other countries. Apart from this, people in Japan are rapidly adapting to the shift from seafood to ready-to-eat meat in their daily diet. This change is drastically being driven by consumers’ changing lifestyles. In the past few years, tremendous increase has been observed in the number of working men and women. Rate of working women in Japan has increased considerably compared to earlier times, which has accelerated the country’s economic growth further.

Furthermore, convenience stores and supermarkets have also analyzed that their ready-to-eat or processed food section earns them maximum profits as people tend to purchase more processed foods for their convenience. For instance, according to an article published in Food navigator-Asia, in 2021, Japanese retailers have identified ready-to-eat (RTE) and private-label products as key areas to maximize revenues, and they strive to increase the amount of these products on the shelves. As per their profit revelation in 2021, ready-to-eat meat products helped the retailers to increase their profits by 31.8% approximately. These factors are further likely to drive the Japan Meat Products market growth in the future.

Japan Meat Products Market, Segmentation

The Japan meat products market is segmented based on processed meat type, meat type, and packaging.

Processed Meat Type:

The processed meat type segment is further classified into hamburger, sausage, kebabs, and nuggets. Among these, the sausage sub-segment had a dominant market share in 2021. Sausage is a sort of meat product that is often manufactured with ground meat, mainly pork, beef, or chicken, along with salt, spices, and additional seasonings. As extenders or fillers, additional components like grains or breadcrumbs may be used. Uncooked meat sausages are widely used in the preparation of patties. Sausages are a convenient breakfast option. There have been recent developments made in the form of meat-based breakfast bars and protein focused bars.

Meat Type:

The meat type segment is further classified into beef, pork, chicken, mutton, and others. Among these, the pork sub-segment held a dominant position in the market in 2021. Japanese pork producers place a strong emphasis on the meat's texture, which is primarily influenced by taste, succulence, and tenderness. Enhancing the flavor and melting sensation of fat, which are essential components in creating a tasty dish, has been a major focus in Japan. Pork is unparalleled in its ability to be both flavorful and springy, tender, and succulent in texture owing to a moderate quantity of fatty meat. The pork fat contains oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that does not elevate cholesterol levels. Also, Japanese pork is rich in protein and vitamin B1. Hence, it has gained huge popularity in Japanese cuisine being both nutritious and delicious.

Packaging:

The packaging segment is further classified into chilled, frozen, and canned. Among these, the frozen sub-segment is anticipated to have a dominant market share. Frozen meat has many benefits, including longer shelf life and increased food safety. The demand for organic frozen foods among consumers is predicted to boost the market for meat products. This is linked to rising health concerns and better knowledge regarding the advantages of organic meat products. Additionally, frozen meat products are simple to prepare and help to prevent food waste. In Japan, there has been significant demand for consumers frozen meat products such as frozen beef, frozen chicken, frozen pork, and so forth which drives the growth of this sub-segment. Additionally, the supply chains are becoming more intricate which has led to an increase in demand for frozen meat products across the world.

Key Players in the Japan Meat Products Market

Some of the leading Japan meat products market players are

• NH FOODS LTD
• ITOHAM FOODS INC.
• NICHIREI CORPORATION
• JOHNSONVILLE JAPAN LLC
• STARZEN CO. LTD.
• MARUBENI CORPORATION
• SOJITZ CORPORATION
• SANKYOMEAT INC.
• LACTO JAPAN CO. LTD.
• TYSON FOODS INC.

The market players constantly strive to come up with business strategies to withhold their position in the market. For instance, in September 2022, United Super Market Holdings (USMH) added Beyond Meat products to its Green Growers private label brand including minced ground beef. This partnership would entail USMH to strengthen its product line and specifically design products according to Japanese consumer tastes and preferences.