The bakery products market is described as being led mainly by overseas players, with no Japanese companies listed by name. Supply in Japan is said to be established through partnerships with major Japanese companies and via local subsidiaries.
This article points out the limited presence of Japanese companies among those entering the bakery products market. The companies listed are mainly from North America, Europe and Asia, and Japanese companies are reportedly not included. Direct entry into the Japanese market is limited, and overseas companies generally supply the market through major Japanese baking-industry companies or domestic subsidiaries. As a result, Japanese customers are said to obtain a wide range of products through overseas supply chains.
In comparisons between overseas and domestic players, overseas companies lead in technology and quality, while domestic companies are noted for their agility in pricing and service. Overseas companies are said to have strengths in areas such as frozen dough, long-term preservation technology and premium finishing techniques, while domestic companies differentiate themselves through locally focused service and lower prices enabled by mass production.
As for domestic demand, Japan's sweet bread and dessert market is expected to grow due to the increase in dual-income and single-person households and the expansion of online sales channels. While supply is expanding mainly through offline convenience stores and supermarkets, new channels such as official online shops and advance sales through e-commerce are also being adopted.