More than 25,000 visitors to an annual Japanese food festival were able to sample PGI Welsh Lamb, as exporters look to get a foothold in the country.
The Hitsuji Festival, staged in Nakano Central Park in Tokyo, was back this year to celebrate all things lamb for the first time since 2019 - and PGI Welsh Lamb made an appearance.
The festival is part of Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) post-Brexit trade strategy that seeks to open new doors and build on previous gains in the global marketplace.
Japan has been identified as a key target market for the Welsh red meat sector, with the country being one of the world’s largest beef importers.
The Asian country opened its doors to imports of UK beef and lamb in January 2019 following its 1996 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) ban.
This year’s Hitsuji Festival brought together suppliers and restaurants from the UK, US, Australia, Iceland, New Zealand and Japan.
It offered dishes such as lamb chops, stews, spices, mutton skewers, fried noodles - and a variety of sake and craft beers to pair with dishes.
Laura Pickup, HCC’s head of strategic marketing, said Wales had a 'world-leading product' and so it was vital for Welsh producers to share it with the world.
She added: “This is a unique festival in that it is a huge celebration of lamb and lamb alone and that makes it a fantastic opportunity to bring our succulent Welsh Lamb to a new national table.”
Around the world, UK red meat exports were worth more than £1.45 billion in 2021 – up £33 million on pre-pandemic levels despite a challenging year for exporters.
Many markets increased imports of UK red meat, in particular in Asia, despite a number of factors impacting trade last year.
