Introducing 'Sustainable Oats from Europe': Appealing to the Japanese Market through Tastings and Business Negotiations

The Nordic Oats Consortium participated in "FOODEX JAPAN 2026," which began on March 10th this year, as part of the "Sustainable Oats from Europe" campaign, themed "Diverse choices expanding from European quality; infinite possibilities from a single grain."

At the venue, a variety of European oat products were displayed, including rolled oats, flaked oat ingredients, and "oat rice," which features a shape and texture similar to rice. Furthermore, tastings of oat-based products were held, providing an opportunity for many attendees—including those from the bakery and confectionery industries, food manufacturers, wholesalers, and import trading companies—to verify the taste of the products and deepen their understanding of the quality, functionality, and sustainability initiatives of European oats.

As the theme "Infinite possibilities from a single grain" suggests, the exhibit showcased the full potential of oats, including nine types of oatmeal alone—such as large-grain, rolled, flaked, and steel-cut oats—as well as oat bran, oat flour, whole grain oats, oat protein, and oat bran fiber.

During the event, five member companies from the oat industry visited Japan to introduce and promote high-quality European raw materials and products from Sweden and Finland. They served five types of menu items, which were well-received by attendees. Visitors who sampled the products commented on their "ease of consumption and health benefits" and the "appealing chewy texture of the pancakes," showing high interest in recipes and product applications.

· Japanese-style Steel-cut Oat Salad

· World Champion Oatmeal

· Gluten-free Pancakes

· Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Oat Rice

· PrOatein Smoothie

Against the backdrop of rising health consciousness and plant-based demand in recent years, numerous inquiries were received regarding product development, manufacturing opportunities, and raw material supply using oats, reaffirming the high level of interest in Nordic oats in the Japanese market. Reflecting on the activities at FOODEX JAPAN 2026, representatives commented as follows:

"We had a very fruitful few days. This is an important opportunity for the long-term business relationships we wish to build between Sweden, Finland, and Japan. We look forward to continuing the dialogues we established with Japanese companies at FOODEX JAPAN 2026." (Christian Knutsson, Sales Manager, Food Ingredients, Lantmännen Biorefineries AB)

"As part of this unique EU cooperation campaign, I am very pleased to have been able to introduce Nordic oats at FOODEX JAPAN 2026. This campaign demonstrates the quality, sustainability, and innovation of European oat producers, and conveys how Finland and Sweden are delivering healthy and sustainable Nordic ingredients to the global market. Together, we are sharing the story of Nordic oats with the world." (Shan Ruolin, EU Project Manager, Finnish Food Information Association)

The "Sustainable Oats from Europe" campaign, under the initiative of the European Union, will continue to strengthen its partnership with the Japanese market, promoting safe, high-quality, and sustainable European oats...