Representatives from Riordan Grain Servies (RGS) travelled to Japan in September 2024.
Leigh Burgess, Brad Hogan, Andrew Lang, Hamish MacDonald and Holly Roache met with key customers, toured import and processing facilities, and gained a better understanding of the future needs of this important export market.
RGS has built its export capacity for Canola, Barley and Wheat to Japan over the last four years and are looking forward to expanding on opportunities into 2024/25. The trip provided a valuable opportunity to connect with customers face-to-face and strengthen relationships that will support improved engagement for both sides.
The tour group included members from Riordan Grain Services, logistics, Storage and Handling and Accounting divisions. Principle host for the week was our major import partner, Itochu Australia Limited. RGS Staff were impressed by the scale of operations, the cleanliness of facilities, and the attention to detail shown by the end users.
Throughout the tour, there was a strong emphasis on the importance of quality and cleanliness of imported Australian Grain and Oilseeds, with direct comparisons made to competitors such as Canada and USA. Generally, Japanese customers value the quality and price of Australian Grain and Oilseeds and are keen to understand supply dynamics variety updates and the latest information on quality and seasonal performance characteristics of imported product.
Not dissimilar to many developed markets, food manufacturers in Japan are being challenged with achieving global decarbonisation targets. As a result, suppliers such as RGS will be tasked with providing traceability information and certification for sustainable sourcing. There was general agreement that systems and partnerships will have to be developed quickly to capture this opportunity.
Overall, the trip was a valuable relationship building and learning experience. It was great for RGS staff to see first-hand where our Grain and Oilseeds are ending their supply chain journey, and the size and scale of operations that we are supplying.
The customers were very appreciative of RGS making the effort to visit Japan and bolster the relationship for many years to come.