No.3519
Ready-to-Eat Food & Cooked Rice Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2024
Daily Delivered Deli & Cooked Rice Market and Processed Deli & Cooked Rice Market for FY2023 Projected to Attain 9,940,000 Million Yen (102.5% YoY) and 1,159,400 Million Yen (102.7% YoY), Respectively
Yano Research Institute (the President, Takashi Mizukoshi) has conducted a survey on the domestic ready-to-eat foods & cooked rice market, and found out the trends by product segment, by retail channel, by market players, and future perspectives.
Market Overview
The processed deli & cooked rice market and daily delivered deli & cooked rice market in FY2023 were expected to generate 1,159,400 Million Yen (102.7% YoY) and 9,940,000 Million Yen (102.5% on Year-on-Year basis), respectively, based on the retail price.
Along with the increase of single and double-income households, the demand for delis and takeouts are growing. While the consumption tax was raised to 10% in October 2019, to apply the former rate as 'food items', suppliers commercialized ready-to-eat foods for takeout (including intended as foods for at-home drinking) one after another. In FY2020, restaurants also began to focus on takeouts from the standpoint of preventing coronavirus infections. Meanwhile, the demand for processed rice grew among local governments that distributed aseptically packaged rice to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 at-home as a part of their measures against spread of COVID-19 infections. This provided an opportunity for consumers who had no previous experience with ready-to-eat rice to experience the quality and convenience of the product, spurring the demand for processed foods and rice. Although the provision of aseptically packaged rice was terminated following the reclassification of COVID-19 to Category 5 disease under the Infectious Disease Act, the experience has widened people’s recognition and deepened their understanding of ready-to-eat rice.
Noteworthy Topics
Trends of Frozen Bento & Deli Market
Consumer demand for frozen bento has been growing in recent years because of its convenience and long shelf life. Frozen foods can be preserved for long time, as they are usually frozen at -18°C, the temperature that inactivates microbes. This allows food processors to avoid extra use of additives or strong seasonings on bento for extending its shelf life and focus on taste. Frozen bento is favorable for distribution channels (retailers) as well, since they can shelve products without worrying about expiration date, and consequently reduce food loss on their end. In view of such high social needs and consumer demand for stockpiling, ready-to-eat food processors foresee demand growth, and thus rushing to commercialize frozen bento and frozen delis.
Future Outlook
Against the backdrop of lifestyle changes associated with the increase of single and double-income households, new words like “taipa” and “chouri teinen” spread*. These words symbolize the new era that values convenience in cuisine, actively accepting the use of premade foods to save time and efforts as opposed to cooking everything from scratch. In accordance with the changes in lifestyle, ready-to-eat foods and cooked rice are increasing presence in the food market. By FY2030, the size of processed foods & cooked rice market and the daily delivered deli & cooked rice market are forecasted to grow to 1,362,500 million yen (117.5% of that of FY2023) and 11,260,600 million yen (113.3% on the same basis), respectively, based on the retail price.
*Translator’s note: “Taipa” is a coined term for “time” and “performance”, a Japanglish expressing the degree of effectiveness for the time spent and the degree of satisfaction for the time spent. “Chouri teinen” means retirement ('teinen') from cooking ('chouri'), particularly home cooking that involves making everything from raw materials.
Research Outline
2.Research Object： Companies related to business of ready-to-eat foods and cooked rice, government agencies, industry associations, etc.
3.Research Methogology： Face-to-face interviews by our expert researchers, survey via telephone and questionnaire, and literature research
<What is the “Daily Delivered Deli & Cooked Rice Market”?>
In this research, the “daily delivered deli & cooked rice market” is defined as the market of pre-cooked/processed foods or takeout foods, which includes Japanese-style deli, Western style deli, Chinese deli, cooked rice (such as bento box, a single-serving packed meal), meals served in bento box by meal service providers, savory breads, fast foods, and ready-to-eat noodles. Such foods do not last long and are meant to be consumed on the date of purchase or within few days. The market size is calculated based on the retail price.
Please note that foods that can be stored for relatively long time, such as frozen foods, chilled foods, retort foods, and microwave foods, are excluded.
<What is the “Processed Deli & Cooked Rice Market”?>
The “processed deli & cooked rice market” indicates the foods that can be stored for fairly long time, which includes delis in food pouches, frozen bento, frozen deli, aseptically packaged cooked rice, frozen cooked rice, and retort cooked rice. The market size is calculated based on the retail price.
＜Products and Services in the Market＞
◇Daily delivered deli & cooked rice: Deli delivered daily (from food processor), fast foods, rice balls, meals in bento boxes served by meal service providers, savory breads, ready-to-eat noodles, and other takeout bento ◇Processed deli & cooked rice: Deli in food pouches, frozen bento, frozen deli, aseptically packaged cooked rice, frozen cooked rice, and retort cooked rice
Published Report
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