Niigata Regional Trading Company Directs 15 BtoB Specialized Items Calculated Backward from 'On-site Issues'! Huge Success at FOODEX 2026!
The regional trading division of Niigata Industrial Creation Organization (NICO) exhibited at FOODEX 2026, presenting 15 BtoB products specifically curated to solve restaurant operational challenges like labor shortages, gaining significant traction from global buyers.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 22:00
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (56 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 08:00 (585h 4m after Collected)
The regional trading company division of the Niigata Industrial Creation Organization (Headquarters: Niigata City, hereafter 'NICO'), a public interest incorporated foundation that supports challenging companies in the prefecture with the mission of 'Invigorating Niigata Prefecture's industries', exhibited at 'FOODEX JAPAN 2026 / International Food and Beverage Exhibition' held in March 2026.
We focused on practical issues flying around the glamorous exhibition floor, such as the 'additive wall' and the 'limits of operations due to labor shortages'. We held a vision of 'taking responsibility beyond' just gathering delicious products from Niigata, and carefully selected 15 items to be 'immediate assets in the field'. Behind the global onigiri boom, we presented a new form of accompaniment aimed at 'solving problems' for domestic and international buyers and restaurant operators facing practical issues.
1. Identifying 'issues' in the market and 'creating' commercial flow
In this exhibition, while leveraging Niigata's regional characteristics, we calculated backward from the serious labor shortage in the field and selected ingredients and side dishes for onigiri, led by 'pre-baked salmon processed products (such as grilled with salt or pickled after grilling)'.
Also for the onigiri itself, considering the reality of logistics and preservation, we chose Uonuma Koshihikari rice, covering the risk of deterioration due to export with the reliable technology of 'nitrogen filling and ice-temperature aging'.
These proposals, which achieve both 'reliable taste' and 'reduction of operational burden', gained numerous inquiries from domestic and international buyers. We were able to secure specific business negotiations, including specific spec confirmations and adjustment requests for OEM support, such as 'potential for compliance with Thailand's additive regulations', 'potential for deployment in the Australian market', and 'availability of OEM support for specific business types'.
Furthermore, we identified 'what the bottleneck is' on the spot through hearings. Immediately after the closing, we transitioned into practical phases such as detailed examination of ingredient tables and OEM adjustments with manufacturing sites.
We believe this 'speed of transition from dialogue to action' is a new form of hands-on support that only we, who deeply understand the realities of both Niigata prefecture businesses and the market, can provide.
We focused on practical issues flying around the glamorous exhibition floor, such as the 'additive wall' and the 'limits of operations due to labor shortages'. We held a vision of 'taking responsibility beyond' just gathering delicious products from Niigata, and carefully selected 15 items to be 'immediate assets in the field'. Behind the global onigiri boom, we presented a new form of accompaniment aimed at 'solving problems' for domestic and international buyers and restaurant operators facing practical issues.
1. Identifying 'issues' in the market and 'creating' commercial flow
In this exhibition, while leveraging Niigata's regional characteristics, we calculated backward from the serious labor shortage in the field and selected ingredients and side dishes for onigiri, led by 'pre-baked salmon processed products (such as grilled with salt or pickled after grilling)'.
Also for the onigiri itself, considering the reality of logistics and preservation, we chose Uonuma Koshihikari rice, covering the risk of deterioration due to export with the reliable technology of 'nitrogen filling and ice-temperature aging'.
These proposals, which achieve both 'reliable taste' and 'reduction of operational burden', gained numerous inquiries from domestic and international buyers. We were able to secure specific business negotiations, including specific spec confirmations and adjustment requests for OEM support, such as 'potential for compliance with Thailand's additive regulations', 'potential for deployment in the Australian market', and 'availability of OEM support for specific business types'.
Furthermore, we identified 'what the bottleneck is' on the spot through hearings. Immediately after the closing, we transitioned into practical phases such as detailed examination of ingredient tables and OEM adjustments with manufacturing sites.
We believe this 'speed of transition from dialogue to action' is a new form of hands-on support that only we, who deeply understand the realities of both Niigata prefecture businesses and the market, can provide.