Is There Demand for Dried Vegetables in Dubai?

With the backing of Kyoto Prefecture, we exhibited at the Kyoto booth within the Dubai trade show held this past February. We took part in this exhibition through a connection, on the hypothesis that dried vegetables could work in the Middle East—a region with little image of agriculture, apart from Israel, given that deserts cover most of its land.

Response at the exhibition

It was largely within our expectations, but we mainly received questions about applications shaped by differences in food culture, and about food safety, such as organic standards. Since differences in food culture are hard to bridge through messaging alone, we believe product development is essential for overseas exports.

In addition, while some Japanese products do not meet organic standards, we believe that addressing this properly can open up new sales channels. To that end, we want to work with producers going forward and explore ways to appeal to food safety from a different angle.

Event overview

Exhibition: JAPAN TRADE EXHIBITION in DUBAI 2025

Dates: Monday, February 10 – Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre

Organizer: JAPAN TRADE EXHIBITION in DUBAI 2025 Executive Committee

Exhibitors… robotics, anime, health, beauty, food, art, and more

Visitors… from VIPs such as companies and embassies across the UAE and Gulf region to the general public

Dietary restrictions such as halal certification

In Islamic countries, clearing the hurdle of halal certification is crucial for exporting food. While some companies struggle to certify Japanese seasonings and the like, dried vegetables pose no problem, since they are simply dried vegetables. We also see potential in another dietary segment—the vegetarian market—where we likewise see potential.

Differences in food culture

On the other hand, products that require cooking, such as dried vegetables, face challenges from local companies and cultural differences when sold overseas. If it is just a matter of drying vegetables, local production or products from nearby countries like India and Egypt have advantages in both price and physical distance. And because there is no concept of dashi as in Japan, straightforward appeals to cooking are also difficult.

The Middle Eastern market is an unknown territory with little available information, but we sense there is potential in a country where deserts cover most of the land. We will continue to actively gather information and conduct test marketing.

For cross-border e-commerce development, consultations on overseas expansion, product development using vegetables, and requests beyond wholesale supply of dried-vegetable raw materials, please feel free to contact us.