Addressing demand for processed foods amid Japan’s declining birthrate, aging population, and reduced home cooking
First written in FY2016. 13 of 21 entries say "Restated". Latest entry: FY2026.
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- FY2026Materialization of chicken supply constraints and a surge in meat market pricesAnnual report
「In the meat industry, prices generally remained high. Chicken prices rose sharply as demand increased amid consumers' preference for lower prices, while supply constraints in exporting countries such as Brazil and Thailand persisted. High local prices for U.S. beef also contributed, and difficult procurement conditions continued.」
In addition to previously high prices and worsening procurement conditions, the description specifically identifies supply constraints for chicken from Brazil and Thailand and high local prices for U.S. beef. - FY2026-H1Specific factors behind persistently high meat prices: lower domestic pork shipments, higher U.S. beef prices and reduced chicken importsAnnual report
「In the meat industry, domestic pork shipments declined due to last year's extreme heat, causing prices to fluctuate sharply. With feed prices remaining high, meat prices generally stayed elevated due to factors including high local prices for U.S. beef and reduced chicken imports, resulting in difficult procurement conditions. In sales, although inbound demand and demand for returning home during the Obon holidays benefited the food-service industry, consumption continued to shift toward relatively low-priced meat due to consumers' thrift-consciousness, and the overall meat market remained weak.」
In addition to the previous impact of volatile exchange rates, high feed prices and swine fever, the description explicitly identifies lower domestic pork shipments due to extreme heat, high local prices for U.S. beef and reduced chicken imports. Meat prices remain elevated, and demand continues to shift toward lower-priced meat. - FY2025-H1Procurement worsens due to volatile exchange rates, high feed prices and swine fever, while demand shifts to lower-priced meatAnnual report
「The meat industry faced difficult procurement conditions due to volatile exchange rates and persistently high feed prices, as well as the impact of sharply higher domestic pork prices caused by last year's extreme heat and outbreaks of swine fever. In sales, although inbound demand has recovered, consumption has shifted toward relatively low-priced meat amid broad-based price increases. The difficult business environment remains, with the meat market as a whole lacking momentum.」
In addition to the previous recovery in dining out and thrift-consciousness, the description now explicitly identifies volatile exchange rates, persistently high feed prices, a sharp rise in domestic pork prices caused by extreme heat and swine fever, and a shift in demand toward lower-priced meat. - FY2024-Q1Recovery in dining out coexists with thrift-conscious consumers and restrained meat consumptionAnnual report
「The consumption environment is recovering, particularly in dining out and hotels, on the recovery of inbound demand and the emergence of pent-up demand. However, labor shortages and higher meat prices continue to suppress meat usage. Consumers are also becoming more thrift-conscious as real income declines. Meat consumption has recovered to some extent, but the difficult business environment continues to lack momentum.」
While demand for dining out and hotels is recovering, reduced meat usage due to labor shortages and higher meat prices coexists with thrift-conscious consumers amid declining real income. The description has changed to indicate that the recovery in meat consumption lacks momentum. - FY2023RestatedAnnual report
「The meat industry is expected to face a difficult business environment ahead, including declining demand for meat due to population decline and aging, rising raw material and energy prices, higher prices for domestically produced beef, and intensifying sales competition.」
The full-year outlook continues to indicate a difficult business environment characterized by declining demand due to population decline and aging, rising raw material and energy prices, higher prices for domestically produced beef, and intensifying sales competition. - FY2023-Q2Additional mention of rising energy costsAnnual report
「In the meat industry, meat consumption has begun to stabilize, while import prices for meat, feed prices and energy costs continue to rise. The difficult environment persists.」
In addition to the previous stabilization of meat consumption and increases in import and feed prices, rising energy costs are now explicitly identified as part of the business environment. - FY2023-Q1Meat consumption stabilizes and the transition to normalized economic activityAnnual report
「In the meat industry, meat consumption has begun to stabilize, while import prices for meat and feed prices continue to rise. A difficult environment is expected ahead, requiring close monitoring of developments.」
The description has shifted from the previous focus on rapid changes in demand for dining out and at-home consumption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to an environment in which meat consumption is beginning to stabilize while import and feed prices continue to rise. - FY2022RestatedAnnual report
「In the meat industry, demand for dining out remained sluggish due to the impact of COVID-19, while at-home demand remained firm. In addition, procurement and sales conditions for individual products have fluctuated significantly amid the global spread of COVID-19, and the business environment remains highly uncertain.」
The business environment is being reassessed in light of sluggish demand for dining out, firm at-home demand, and fluctuations in procurement and sales conditions caused by the spread of infectious disease. - FY2022-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the meat industry, demand for dining out remained sluggish due to the impact of COVID-19, while at-home demand remained firm. In addition, procurement and sales conditions for individual products have fluctuated significantly amid the global spread of COVID-19, and the business environment remains highly uncertain.」
The business environment is being reassessed in light of sluggish demand for dining out, firm at-home demand, and fluctuations in procurement and sales conditions caused by the spread of infectious disease. - FY2022-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the meat industry, demand for dining out remained sluggish compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic, while at-home demand remained firm. In addition, procurement and sales conditions for individual products have fluctuated significantly amid the global spread of COVID-19, and the business environment remains highly uncertain.」
The business environment continues to reflect sluggish demand for dining out, firm at-home demand, and fluctuations in procurement and sales conditions caused by the spread of infectious disease. - FY2021RestatedAnnual report
「Consumers are expected to further adopt new lifestyles and strengthen their preference for saving amid the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring companies to respond to changing consumer needs.」
The business environment continues to reflect lifestyle changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a stronger preference for saving and the need to address at-home demand. - FY2021-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the food industry, consumption patterns are changing rapidly under new lifestyles, particularly as demand for dining out declines while demand for at-home consumption expands. Companies are required to respond to this new business environment.」
The shift in consumption patterns, with demand for dining out declining and demand for at-home consumption expanding, has continued. - FY2021-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the food industry, consumption patterns are changing rapidly as people adopt new lifestyles, with demand for dining out declining while demand for at-home consumption expands. Companies are required to respond to this new business environment.」
The business environment is being reassessed as consumption patterns shift rapidly from dining out to at-home consumption amid the COVID-19 pandemic. - FY2021-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「The food industry faced a business environment requiring a response to unprecedentedly rapid changes in consumer behavior, as demand for foodservice contracted due to requests to refrain from going out while demand for at-home consumption expanded.」
The description of the business environment has shifted from the previous long-term transition from home cooking to prepared and processed foods to the situation in which COVID-19 rapidly caused foodservice demand to contract and at-home consumption demand to expand. - FY2020-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In Japan, the birthrate is declining and the population is aging, and meat demand is expected to remain only marginally higher. In addition, consumption of meat is expected to shift from home cooking toward purchasing and consuming prepared foods and processed foods.」
The company has reaffirmed sluggish domestic meat demand due to the declining birthrate and population aging and the shift in consumption from home cooking to prepared and processed foods. - FY2020-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「During the cumulative period of the second quarter, the environment surrounding the food industry saw continued improvement in income conditions and a gradual economic recovery, while consumers continued to favor low food prices. The outlook for food consumption after the consumption tax rate increase also required close monitoring.」
The company has reaffirmed consumers’ preference for low food prices and the need to monitor the outlook for food consumption after the consumption tax rate increase as features of the business environment. - FY2019RestatedAnnual report
「In recent years, as Japan’s domestic market has trended downward amid the declining birthrate and population aging, consumers have continued to favor low food prices and become increasingly inclined to economize. At the same time, consumers tend to spend freely on products offering functions such as health benefits and shorter preparation times, and demand is increasing for higher-value-added foods.」
The company continues to identify the shrinking domestic market, consumers’ preference for low prices, and demand for value-added foods offering health benefits and shorter preparation times as features of the business environment. - FY2019-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the meat industry, demand for relatively inexpensive imported meat has been increasing due to consumers’ preference for low prices. However, imported meat faced difficult profit conditions amid intensifying sales competition, while rising logistics and labor costs due to labor shortages added to the pressure, resulting in a continuing harsh business environment.」
The rising demand for imported meat driven by consumers’ preference for low prices, sales competition, and higher logistics and labor costs caused by labor shortages continue to characterize the business environment, necessitating a response to demand for processed foods. - FY2019-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「Although meat demand continues to grow, demand is tending to increase for relatively inexpensive imported meat and domestically produced chicken, reflecting consumers’ preference for low prices.」
While meat demand is growing, the company has reaffirmed a trend toward demand shifting to inexpensive imported meat and domestically produced chicken against a backdrop of consumers’ preference for low prices. - FY2018RestatedAnnual report
「As Japan’s domestic market trends downward amid the declining birthrate and population aging, consumers continue to favor low food prices and are becoming more inclined to economize. At the same time, consumers tend to spend freely on products offering functions such as health benefits and shorter preparation times, and demand is increasing for higher-value-added foods.」
While reaffirming the shrinking domestic market and consumers’ preference for low prices, the company identifies specific demand for value-added products offering health benefits and shorter preparation times. - FY2016First statedAnnual report
「In Japan, the birthrate is declining and the population is aging, and meat demand is expected to remain only marginally higher. In addition, consumption of meat is expected to shift from home cooking toward purchasing and consuming prepared foods and processed foods.」
The company describes sluggish growth in domestic meat demand and the shift in consumption from home cooking to prepared and processed foods as structural changes in the business environment.