Kansai Food Tech: Taking Food Innovation to the World

Summary

• The Kansai region holds significant potential as a global hub for food tech, integrating rich food culture with cutting-edge technologies.
• METI-KANSAI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Kansai Bureau) has published “KANSAI × FOOD TECH”, a booklet that showcases this potential and highlights leading players in the region.

What is Food Tech?

Food tech is a coined term that combines “food” and “technology,” referring to new technologies in the food sector—from production and processing to distribution and consumption—as well as the business models that leverage these technologies.

As global population growth, increasing interest in the SDGs, and more diverse consumer values reshape the food landscape, there is growing worldwide interest in creating new food tech-driven businesses that can meet diverse food needs while accelerating solutions to social challenges.

The Potential of the Food Tech Industry in Kansai

The Kansai region consists of areas with diverse backgrounds, including Osaka, which has developed as a commercial center and a hub of land and sea transportation connecting regions across Japan; Kyoto, the ancient capital that flourished for over a thousand years; and Hyogo, where Western-style food culture spread through the international trading port of Kobe. Against this historical backdrop, a rich and distinctive food culture has developed in Kansai, shaped by both domestic and global influences.

Kansai has food production bases blessed with rich agricultural, livestock, and marine resources. The region also has strong technological and branding capabilities that create high added value, a large market as Japan’s second-largest economic area, and logistics infrastructure that enables efficient access in all directions. These elements together form a solid supply chain for the food industry.

Kansai is also home to a concentration of leading universities and research institutions that generate cutting-edge technologies in fields such as AI, robotics, and biotechnology. These technologies are increasingly being applied to the food industry.

Publication of “KANSAI × FOOD TECH”

METI-KANSAI has published a booklet titled “KANSAI × FOOD TECH”, which introduces the current state and future growth potential of the food tech sector in Kansai, as well as initiatives by related companies, universities, and other organizations.

The booklet outlines the unique characteristics and strengths of Kansai’s food tech sector while presenting a wide range of case studies featuring players developing advanced technologies and innovative business models. It is designed as a resource for overseas companies, investors, and research institutions to better understand collaboration opportunities in the Kansai region, with the aim of fostering new business creation and promoting international partnerships.

<Case Studies>

FUKUSHIMA GALILEI CO. LTD.

MILAB – A place where new connections spark food innovation

FUJI OIL CO., LTD.

“MIRACORE®” –technology that makes plant-based foods as “satisfying” as the animal-based foods

Hutzper Inc.

High-precision AI solutions that turn cutting-edge technology into reliable labor sources

Thinker Inc.

“Pre-Touch Sensor”: Evolving Robot Hands into Thinking Fingertips

Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Osaka

Consortium for Future Innovation by Cultured Meat

Looking ahead, METI-KANSAI will leverage the “KANSAI × FOOD TECH” booklet to promote the technological and business potential of Kansai’s food tech sector to the global market, with the aim of creating collaborative projects between Kansai and overseas partners in the field of food tech.

Download

https://www.kansai.meti.go.jp/3-1toukou/invest_in_kansai/e_foodtech_kansai.html　

Contact

International Investment Promotion Division

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Kansai Bureau

Email: bzl-invest-japan-kansai[@]meti.go.jp