Halifax chocolatier attending major trade show in Japan to gauge Asian market’s interest

The owners of Halifax’s Rousseau Chocolatier are in Tokyo where they are attending a major food and beverage trade show.

One of the largest and most influential food and beverage trade shows in the Asia Pacific region is on right now, and one Maritime business is in attendance.

Foodex Japan brings together more than 2,800 exhibitors and 76,000 visitors from 80 countries over four days.

Business and life partners Nathalie Morin and Julien Rousseau-Dumarcet from Halifax’s Rousseau Chocolatier were invited to the major event by Invest Nova Scotia.

They are in attendance as “walkers” and are walking the trade show to get information about the potential for markets in Asia.

“We already have an incredible market, especially in the luxury hospitality across Canada and luxury retail, so I think that, for us, it’s kind of like our next step if we wanted to go a little more global, there’s definitely big market here,” Morin told Your Morning Atlantic’s Crystal Garrett.

“Lots and lots of population, and they do love their high-end quality chocolates and sweets, so why not, if there’s an opportunity for us.”

Rousseau-Dumarcet says the experience has been going well so far, with two more days to go.

“We discovered what Japanese people would like as a chocolate bar, and they are all about quality and not quantity, so that was very interesting to learn, and we have to reduce some of the packaging to really please the consumer here,” he said.

Rousseau has recently been working to upgrade their packaging, with the goal of becoming 100 per cent plastic free, which appeals to the Asian market as well.

Morin says they’ve gotten tons of compliments on what their products look like, their recent awards and, most importantly, the taste.

“Everybody that’s tasted it really understands the quality and understands and respects that we use a lot of ingredients in the earth in Nova Scota,” she said.

“So botanicals and herbs and partners with distilleries and wineries and things like that. It stands out and it’s appreciated.”

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