"Japan Food & Drink Report Q2 2015" Published

Japan, the region's second largest economy, will likely climb out of recession over the next few quarters, but will continue to flounder. We forecast economic growth stand at 0.9% in 2014 and 0.8% in 2015, which will do little to change our downbeat view for the economy over the coming years. We continue to believe that 'Abenomics' will do little to change the trajectory of the economy and that it is in fact making it worse.

One of the key factors directly affecting consumers over the coming years will be the government's plans to double the sales consumption tax - from 5% to 10% - by 2015. Together with increasing prices, as inflation returns and a weaker yen pushes manufacturers to pass on higher costs of imported inputs, we believe that private consumption will remain largely stagnant over the forecast period.

Full Report Details at
- http://www.fastmr.com/prod/977520_japan_food_drink_report_q2_2015.aspx?afid=301

Headline Industry Data (local currency)

* Per capita food consumption (local currency) growth (y-o-y) in 2014: +0.2%; CAGR to 2018: +0.4%.
* Alcoholic drinks value (local currency) sales growth (y-o-y) in 2014: +0.5%; CAGR to 2018: +0.7%.
* Soft drinks value (local currency) sales growth (y-o-y) in 2014: +3.6%; CAGR to 2018: +3.4%.
* Total mass grocery retail value (local currency) sales growth (y-o-y) in 2014: +0.4%; CAGR to 2018: +0.3%.

Key Industry Trends

Suntory Aims To Increase China Exposure : In March 2014, it was announced that Suntory, one of Japan's largest beverage companies behind Kirin and Asahi, would enter into a joint venture with Chinese soft drinks producer China Huiyuan Juice Group. This move continued Suntory's overseas expansion strategy, as the Japanese beverage continued to face stagnation. In our view, the move makes strategic sense for both companies, with each standing to gain from greater geographic exposure (predominantly in the case of Suntory), and new products (Huiyuan). Huiyuan is the leading producer of juice drinks in China, controlling more than 50% of the market by sales volume. Suntory would be able to leverage...

The Japan Food & Drink Report features BMI Research's market assessment and independent forecasts for food and drink expenditure, consumption, sales, and imports/exports and forecasts for the mass grocery retail sector. The report also includes analyses of major regulatory developments, the background macroeconomic outlook and competitive landscape comparing national and multinational companies by leading products and services, sales, investments, partners and expansion strategies.

BMI's Japan Food & Drink Report provides industry professionals and strategists, sector analysts, business investors, trade associations and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on the food and drink industry and the mass grocery retail market in Japan.

Key Benefits

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