Decline in sugar sales volumes due to unsettled summer weather and lower sales to mass retailers

「Foodservice sales were strong due to special demand associated with Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai and robust demand for seasonings from autumn onward, but were affected by lower unit selling prices following a reduction in shipping prices implemented in November.」

「In Japan, household sales were affected by weaker consumer sentiment caused by continued food price increases. Foodservice sales were strong in the Kansai region due to special demand associated with Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, but demand, mainly for beverages, declined as people refrained from going out because of this summer's nationwide extreme heat.」

「Domestic refined sugar sales were affected by weak household demand as a wave of food price increases driven by soaring raw material prices and other factors dampened consumer sentiment. However, foodservice sales grew, particularly for beverages and frozen desserts, as record heat continued nationwide from the end of the rainy season through September.」

「Domestic refined sugar sales were affected by weaker consumer sentiment amid a wave of food price increases. However, sales exceeded those in the corresponding period of the previous year, supported by the recovery in inbound demand, this summer's record heat and continued sales of summer products such as beverages and frozen desserts due to the subsequent warm autumn.」

「Domestic refined sugar sales were affected by weaker consumer sentiment amid a wave of food price increases. However, sales exceeded those in the corresponding period of the previous year, supported by the recovery in inbound demand, this summer's record heat and continued sales of summer products such as beverages and frozen desserts due to the subsequent warm autumn.」

「Domestic refined sugar sales were affected by weaker consumer sentiment amid a wave of food price increases driven by soaring raw material prices and other factors. However, sales were at the same level as in the corresponding period of the previous year, supported by the recovery in inbound demand and increased consumption of beverages due to this summer's record heat.」

「Domestic refined sugar sales were affected by a succession of food price increases due to surging raw material prices and other factors, which weighed on consumer sentiment and led to weak demand for confectionery and other products. However, revenue exceeded the level in the same period of the previous year due to the recovery in inbound demand following the easing of entry restrictions.」

「Domestic refined sugar sales for household use remain sluggish as repeated food price increases have dampened consumers’ willingness to purchase, while sales to restaurants and souvenir businesses are recovering, partly due to government measures to stimulate tourism demand.」

「Domestic refined sugar sales benefited from strong demand for restaurants and souvenirs due to the first Golden Week holiday in 3 years without restrictions on activities, the shortest rainy season on record, and the subsequent extreme heat.」

「In domestic refined sugar sales, orders remained sluggish despite the full lifting of the state of emergency and the absence of government economic recovery measures or other supporting factors. However, demand for souvenirs and restaurants gradually recovered as foot traffic increased toward year-end.」

「In domestic sales, demand for souvenirs and restaurants remained sluggish due to the impact of requests to refrain from going out amid the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, orders driven by stay-at-home consumption remained firm, partly because the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, held from July, were conducted without spectators, particularly in the Tokyo metropolitan area.」

「In terms of sales, household-product shipments temporarily recovered due to various government measures to support the recovery of economic activity after the state of emergency was lifted in May 2020, as well as stay-at-home consumption that emerged during the period of voluntary restraint. However, the second state of emergency caused commercial-use demand for souvenirs and restaurants to decline again. Despite efforts to maintain stable operations in production, the business posted lower revenue and profit.」

「Subsequent requests to refrain from returning to one's hometown due to the resurgence of COVID-19 infections, along with requests for restaurants to shorten their operating hours, prevented commercial-use demand for souvenirs and restaurants from fully recovering.」

「In terms of sales, the impact of COVID-19 remained significant, and domestic shipments of commercial-use products for restaurants and beverages declined due to the cancellation of summer events and requests to refrain from returning to one's hometown. Shipments for both commercial and household use began to recover in late September, aided by various government measures to balance economic activity with infection control, but had not yet reached a full recovery.」

「In terms of sales, demand for commercial products such as souvenirs and restaurant use declined sharply because people refrained from going out amid the spread of COVID-19, resulting in sales volume substantially below the level in the same period of the previous year. Although sales volume gradually began to recover after the state of emergency was lifted nationwide at the end of May, it has not yet recovered fully.」

「In terms of sales, shipments to beverage customers were weak due to unseasonably cold weather during the rainy season and prolonged summer rains, while delays in plant operations in the fourth quarter also had an impact, bringing total sales volume below the previous fiscal year's level.」

「In terms of sales, shipments for commercial use remained strong, but household-product sales volume to mass retailers declined toward the year-end peak-demand period, resulting in sales below the level in the same period of the previous year.」

「In terms of sales, shipments for confectionery and bakery products remained strong, but shipments to beverage customers were weak due to prolonged rains in early July, resulting in sales volume below the level in the same period of the previous year.」

「In terms of sales, demand temporarily increased due to the 10-day Golden Week holiday and the celebratory mood surrounding the change of era, and shipments to confectionery and bakery customers were strong. However, shipments to beverage customers remained sluggish due to a reactionary decline from mid-May and unseasonably cold weather during the rainy season, resulting in sales volume below the level in the same period of the previous year.」

「In terms of sales, the impact of the heavy rains in western Japan and Typhoon No. 21, as well as the contraction in year-end demand for small household packs, resulted in sluggish shipments, with total sales volume slightly below the previous year's level.」

「In production and sales, sales volume for household use declined during the year-end peak demand season, although commercial shipments remained strong, and revenue for the period was broadly in line with the plan. However, profit declined due to higher fuel and logistics costs, higher manufacturing fixed costs including depreciation from equipment renewals to maintain stable operations, and relatively high-cost raw material inventories resulting from the sustained low level of overseas raw sugar prices.」

「Shipments in the Kansai and Chugoku-Shikoku regions remained sluggish due to the impact of the torrential rains in western Japan, while Kobe Plant was damaged by Typhoon No. 21 in September. Although the damage was not extensive, operations were nevertheless affected, and sales volume ultimately fell below the same period of the previous year.」

「Year on year, the sugar business posted lower profit as anticipated factors emerged, including downward pressure on domestic selling prices against a backdrop of weak raw sugar prices, higher freight and fuel costs, and a temporary decline in sales volume at a subsidiary due to weather conditions. However, shipments of products were relatively strong, and overall performance was broadly in line with the initial forecast.」

「In terms of sales, shipments for prepared foods and processed foods remained strong, but shipments to beverage customers were sluggish, while lower household-product sales at mass retailers also had an impact. Overall sales volume fell below the level in the same period of the previous year.」

「Unseasonable summer weather resulted in sluggish shipments to beverage customers, while lower sales to mass retailers also had an impact, bringing total sales volume below the level in the same period of the previous year.」