In today’s blog post, we journey to Japan to review the latest food and beverage trends and changing consumer behaviour following the devastating earthquake of March 2011.

Keeping cool

In the aftermath of the disaster and the subsequent damage to the nuclear power plants, the whole nation committed to reducing electricity consumption in an effort to avoid major blackouts. All businesses and households were asked to curb their electricity usage by 15 percent and, during the summer months, to minimize air conditioner (AC) usage. Room temperatures both in the workplace and at home were 2-4Cº higher than normal and people turned to the cold drinks to try and keep cool in the hot and humid Japanese summer.

Beverages that are perceived as “refreshing”, “thirst quenching” or “cooling” flew off the supermarket shelves. Traditionally, the top four sub-categories for bottled beverages in Japan were Japanese tea, mineral water, sports drinks, and English tea. But in 2011, the popularity of sparkling drinks surpassed English tea due to their “refreshing” and “cooling” qualities. Many beverage manufacturers launched new products in the carbonated drinks category, including fruit-flavored water, sports/energy drinks and even carbonated green tea. With fruit flavors gaining momentum in the Japanese marketplace, cranberry beverages attracted plenty of consumer attention.

‘Tis the season to eat cranberry

Cranberry ingredients also continue to be popular in the winter months, due to their association with the Western cuisine and culture that goes hand in hand with the Japanese celebration of Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Japanese consumers see the vivid red color of cranberry inclusions as emblematic of these seasonal festivities – and sales soar. Savvy manufacturers are tapping into this trend, with heart-shaped sweet treats marketed as romantic gifts for loved ones on Valentine’s Day or cranberry-adorned Yule logs offering a fresh twist on a sweet Christmas staple.  For example, last year the leading US coffeehouse outlet added four new cranberry products to its festive winter menu in Japan – with cranberry mocha proving a big hit.