Niigata Regional Trading Company Directs 15 BtoB-Focused Items Based on 'On-Site Challenges'—A Huge Success at FOODEX 2026!

Key visual highlighting Niigata's bounty from the sea, mountains, and rivers, centered on the "onigiri" (rice ball) and the organization's commitment to solving challenges.

The regional trading division of the Niigata Industrial Creation Organization (Headquarters: Niigata City; hereinafter "NICO"), a public interest incorporated foundation dedicated to supporting ambitious local companies with the mission of "invigorating Niigata Prefecture's industries," exhibited at "FOODEX JAPAN 2026 / International Food and Beverage Exhibition" held in March 2026.

In the bustling environment of the exhibition, we focused on practical, real-world challenges such as the "barrier of food additives" and "operational limits due to labor shortages." Beyond simply gathering delicious Niigata products, we adopted a vision of "taking responsibility for what happens next" and carefully selected 15 items that serve as "immediate assets on the front lines." We presented a new form of partnership aimed at "solving the challenges" faced by domestic and international buyers and restaurant operators who are grappling with practical issues behind the global onigiri boom.

1. Identifying Market 'Challenges' and 'Creating' Commercial Flows

For this exhibition, while leveraging Niigata's regional characteristics, we worked backward from the serious issue of on-site labor shortages to select products such as "pre-cooked salmon products (e.g., 'salt-grilled' or 'grilled and pickled')" as well as onigiri fillings and side dishes. Furthermore, for the onigiri itself, we chose Uonuma Koshihikari rice, utilizing reliable technology like "nitrogen flushing and ice-temperature aging" to mitigate degradation risks during export, taking into account the realities of logistics and storage.

Practical salmon products that can be served simply by opening the package.

These proposals, which combine "reliable taste" with "reduced operational burden," attracted numerous inquiries from domestic and international buyers. We secured concrete business negotiations, including requests for specific specification checks and OEM adjustments, such as "potential compliance with Thai additive regulations," "feasibility of expansion into the Australian market," and "availability of OEM support for specific business formats."

Additionally, through interviews, we identified "what the bottlenecks were" on the spot. Immediately after the exhibition closed, we moved into the practical phase, including scrutinizing ingredient lists and coordinating OEM adjustments with manufacturing sites.

We believe this "speed of transition from dialogue to action" is a new form of accompaniment support that only we can provide, as we deeply understand the realities of both Niigata Prefecture's businesses and the market.

We find answers to your problems using all the options Niigata has to offer.

2. Translating Regional Potential into 'Business Forms'

The products handled by NICO's regional trading division are not limited to food.

From food and spatial design to traditional crafts—leveraging our role as an "industrial support organization" in Niigata, we grasp regional resources across the board. We aim to reconnect seemingly disparate "regional technologies" into "business opportunities" that meet market needs.

We continuously ask, "What can Niigata's regional resources provide?" in response to the "inconveniences" and "anxieties" occurring at the "next stage" of the commercial flow—the front lines where products are utilized—and we move toward concrete adjustments. This "ability to translate for market fit" is our identity.

3. [Call to Action] Seeking Partners for 'Brand' Co-creation

These 15 items were a dialogue with the market that began with the entry point of "onigiri."

However, as an organization with the mission of "invigorating Niigata's industries!", we specialize in "translation"—creating "business opportunities" that strengthen both "Niigata and the client's brand" through proposals that utilize all regional resources.

"I am looking for unique products that fit my company's project," or "I want to work together to create new products utilizing Niigata's technology." If you are a partner with such aspirations, please reach out to us, regardless of whether your genre is food or non-food. With the speed and practical perspective of a "business partner" that transcends administrative frameworks, we will accompany your business and shape the potential of Niigata together.

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