International Marketing Plan Dutch Raw Milk Cheese Project supported by Slow Food Japan

International Marketing Plan Dutch Raw Milk Cheese Project supported by Slow Food Japan Natalie Hoogerwaard (1038252) Hye Jin Lee (1055461) Agnieszka Ploszynska (1056047) Arthur van Riet (1038101) IBS1 Project 2 IBS2A Group 6 25 may 2012

Natalie Hoogerwaard (1038252) Hye Jin Lee (1055461) Agnieszka Ploszynska (1056047) Arthur van Riet (1038101) IBS2A Market research report Minor International Business Studies Windesheim University of Applied Sciences Zwolle The Netherlands J. Janssens 25 may 2012 Management summary 2

Based on the fact that we found the information about Japan and cheese in project 1, our marketing strategy will be made in project2. Before starting to introduce our strategy, we quickly review the results of the research report. Japan has 11 cities with more than 1 million inhabitants and a very high GNP. When it comes to their characteristic, they have a hierarchical society, collectivistic society, and focus on long relationships. More than 50% of the natural cheese in Japan is imported. Most of the imported cheese comes from Australia. Cheese is not integrated in the Japanese way of live, like it is in Europe, but there are people in Japan who really enjoy different kinds of cheeses. We call them the cheese gourmets. The strengths of Dutch raw milk cheese is that it s a high quality artisanal food and unique taste. The product is really taste sensitive, so the strong and unique taste is a weakness as well. The image that raw milk cheese is bad for your health is definitely a weakness. Opportunities for Dutch raw milk cheese in Japan are the growing cheese market, the fact that Japanese people are willing to pay a lot for quality foods and the image of the Netherlands, as a cheese country. Threads are the processed cheeses in Japan, that the average person in Japan seems to enjoy and the large amount of other imported cheese, which are competitors for Dutch raw milk cheese. Another thread is the high import tariff of almost 30% for natural cheeses. The marketing goals are separated in to 3 parts, knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Marketing goal for knowledge: Dutch raw milk cheese must be a familiar product to 75% of the Japanese people who regularly visit cheese shops (specialty shops) in one of the 10 biggest cities in Japan, within one year of being present on the market. Goal for attitude: 75% of the Japanese people that have knowledge of the existence (see previous objective, also 75%) of the Dutch raw milk cheese, must have a positive attitude towards the product in terms of being willing to try the product (or suggest is to a friend) within one year. Goal for behaviour: 90% of the people that have a positive attitude towards the product must have at least bought it once within one year The realistic estimation of the amount of Dutch raw milk cheese that could be sold in Japan is 18.32 tons. The price will be 7.08 euro s per 100 grams. 1 ton = 1.000 kilograms. 18,32 x 1000 = 18 320 kilograms of Dutch raw milk cheese. It is sold for 7.08 euro s per 100 grams. 18 320 x 10 = 183 200 grams. 183 200 grams x 7.08 euro s = 1 297 056 euro s, total turnover. Our target group has special features that are explained three things. First, they are living in 10 big cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and etc. Second, they really enjoy natural cheese and willing to go special cheese shop to buy natural cheese. Lastly, they can afford to buy raw milk cheese. The Dutch raw milk cheese, on the retail/trade level, can be sold in 4 channels. Through cheese specialty shops, in restaurants with an international/european cuisine, through distributors and on web shops. There are six influential groups in cheese market. First of all, Slow Food organization helps Holland farm to sell cheese and give a good information to customer. Second, Cheese shops have strong power to change the behaviour of customer. Third, Foodies show special way to enjoy cheese to others in magazine and on the Internet. Fourth, Restaurant critics offer some foods and make a new menu used cheese. Fifth, Food reviewers express their opinion about raw milk cheese in the public press. Lastly, Culinary magazines are included in Influential groups, because they introduce nice recipe with raw milk cheese as an ingredient. Raw milk cheese is very special and has high quality, so the price of raw milk cheese should be high. The most appropriate price based on competitions and quality is about 7.08 euro s. Compared to other competitors, the price of raw milk cheese is in middle-high, and the 3

quality is same or higher than France and Italy cheese. This will give a the premium image to customer. Since Dutch raw milk cheese is a specialty cheese, it is important to be noticed by people who like specialty cheese. That s why we want to have a little party or event to which we invite people who are important on the Japanese cheese market. We hope to reach a bigger public through these people. To promote the cheese event and the introduction of raw milk cheese, there will be special brochures designed and placed in cheese shops. Another way of promoting will be done by taking advantage of the well-known taste connection between wine and cheese. Aged artisanal gouda is very good with cabernet sauvignon. The two products will recommend each other and a special combination package will be sold. Another way to reach the target group is by placing advertisements in cooking magazines. The budget for these activities from 2012 to 2015 is 122 160. Table of contents 1 Introduction... 6 2 Short analysis of the current situation... 7 2.1 Economy... 7 2.2 Culture... 8 2.3 Life style... 8 2.4 Consumption of natural cheese... 8 2.5 Production of natural cheese... 8 4

2.6 Consumers... 9 2.7 Competitors... 9 2.8 Attitude towards raw milk cheese and motivation to buy... 9 3 SWOT... 10 3.1 Explanation of the SWOT... 11 3.1.1. Strengths... 11 3.1.2. Weaknesses... 11 3.1.3. Opportunities... 12 3.1.4. Threats... 12 4 Marketing / communication goals... 12 4.1 Knowledge... 12 4.2 Attitude... 13 4.3 Behaviour... 13 5 Estimation of raw milk cheese sales and price level in the first year... 13 5.1 Natural cheese vs. processed cheese... 13 5.2 Dutch cheese... 14 5.3 Price level... 16 5.4 Conclusion... 16 6 Target Audiences... 17 6.1 Biggest cities of Japan... 17 6.2 Cheese gourmets... 17 6.3 Financial power... 18 6.4 Mr. Masaya... 18 7 Retail / trade level... 19 7.1 Shops... 19 7.2 Distributors... 20 7.3 Restaurants... 20 7.4 Online Shops... 21 8 Influential groups (NGO, press,)... 21 8.1 Slow Food... 21 8.2 Cheese shops... 21 8.3 Foodies... 21 8.4 Restaurant critics... 22 8.5 Food reviewers... 22 8.6 Culinary magazines... 22 9 Intended positioning of Dutch Raw Milk cheese... 22 9.1 X and Y-axis... 22 9.1.1 X-axis... 23 9.1.2 Y-axis... 23 10 Message / value proposition... 24 11 Communications mix... 25 11.1 Cheese event... 25 11.1.1 Who do we want to invite:... 25 11.1.2 The invitation... 28 The invitation for the cheese event can be found in the appendices... 28 11.2 Joint promotion... 28 11.3 Cooking magazines... 29 11.4 YouTube video... 30 11.5 Brochures in stores... 30 5

12 Planning the communication mix activities... 31 12.1 Overview of the planning... 31 12.2 Cheese event... 31 12.3 Joint promotion... 31 12.4 Cooking magazines... 31 12.5 YouTube video... 32 12.6 Brochures in store... 32 13 Communications Infrastructure... 33 13.1. People... 33 13.1.1. Public Relation Manager... 33 13.1.2. Event manager... 33 13.2. Budget... 34 14 Budget... 34 14.1 Overview of the costs... 35 14.2 Cheese event... 35 14.3 Joint promotion... 35 14.4 Cooking magazines... 35 14.5 YouTube video... 35 14.6 Brochures and posters... 36 15 Evaluation... 36 Appendices... 37 1 Project contract... 37 2 Cheese Event invitation... 42 1 Introduction This report is an international marketing communication plan, which includes the marketing strategy for Dutch Raw milk cheese in the period from 2012 2015. This report was written to help Slow Food with developing a marketing strategy for the entry of the Dutch raw milk cheese products on the Japanese cheese market. The market strategy is based on the findings from the previous period, the research report. This report consists of 14 chapters. The first chapter is the introduction, followed by a short analysis of the current situation. Next up is a SWOT-analysis about Slow Food and the raw milk cheese. Chapter 4 is about the marketing / communication goals designed for the Japanese cheese market. Chapter 5 is about the target audiences followed by chapter 6 6

about the retail / trade level. The influential groups and the intended positioning of the Dutch Raw Milk cheese will be discussed in chapter 7 and 8. Chapter 9 is about the message / value proposition and chapter 10 about the communications mix. The next chapters are all about the communications mix, to begin with the planning of the communication mix activities in chapter 11. Chapter 12 is about the communications infrastructure and chapter 13 about the budget for the communication activities. The final chapter consists of an evaluation. 2 Short analysis of the current situation This chapter consists of a short analysis about the current situation in Japan. The following elements will be discussed are economy, culture, life style, consumption of natural cheese, production of natural cheese, consumers, competitors and attitude towards raw milk cheese. 2.1 Economy Japan is the tenth biggest country in the world with a very high GNP (ranks third place among all countries). There are 11 cities with more than 1 million inhabitants. Tokyo, the capital, is by far the largest city with over 8 million inhabitants. 7

2.2 Culture According to the result of the Hofstede model, in the short words, the features of the Japanese culture are: hierarchical society, collectivistic society, masculine country, the most uncertainty avoiding country and long relationships. One thing needs to be highlighted: Japan is one of the most uncertainties avoiding country in the world. Some people in Japan might know the raw milk cheese as unsafe for their health. It is important to change the way of thinking that some Japanese have about the cheese, because they wouldn t eat it if it is bad for their health. When it comes to promoting the raw milk cheese, it must be made clear that cheese is safe food. The main advertising channels in Japan are television or newspapers. It is an unwritten rule in Japan that you shouldn t fluctuate the price of the product a lot in the first few years. The price of a product is less important than in the Western countries and they are less sensible for price differences. Prices are rarely showed in advertisements because the image and the ambience are more important. 2.3 Life style The lifestyle of the Japanese can be shortened with three key aspects: work, socializing and convenience. Homes and apartments in Japan are considerably smaller; people opt to entertain themselves outside of their homes. Hobbies and leisure activities play an important role in the culture. In fact, it is very uncommon to have dinner parties or get-togethers in Japanese homes. Japan is known for convenience living, giving rise to popularity in convenience food. The reasons are a fast-paced lifestyle, more women in the workforce, a rising number of single-person households, variety in foods, and low prices. This trend necessitates a range of easily prepared foods encompassing home meal replacements, shelf stable, and frozen food product options. Simplified cooking is prevalent. 2.4 Consumption of natural cheese When we look at data of the consumption of natural cheese in Japan from 2005 to 2009 the potential of the market exist. From 2005 to 2007 consumption had been growing. Two years of growth with resulted in approximately 164 tons in 2007; indicate a good condition of the sector. Is not as stable as the market of processed cheese. This can be seen by the decline in consumption of natural cheese in 2008. At that time, prices were on a very high level. However, in 2009, the direct consumption and amount of natural cheese used as a raw ingredient for processed cheese had increased. 2.5 Production of natural cheese In Japan, there are small farms that also produce natural cheese. The sizes of these cheese farms are getting bigger and the quality is very high. Most of the producers are located in Hokkaido and takes care for about 40% of dairy products. Cheese from Hokkaido is well known for its soft flavour. The Increase of imported cheese shows that the market in Japan has good perspective for the future but also that the competition is growing. Major import countries are Australia, U.S., and France. The Netherlands has the 6 th place. In 2012, the Japanese cheese market will increase its growth from the previous year, based on increasing household consumption and expanded uses of cheeses in food service, readyto-eat foods, and snack industries. 8

2.6 Consumers Because the Dutch raw milk cheese is not produced in massive numbers and because of the exclusive, high quality nature of the product, the strategy is to concentrate on big cities. Cheese consumers are divided into three groups according to their experience with the cheese: cheese beginners, cheese explorer and cheese gourmets (experts). The most relevant target group is the group of cheese gourmets. This group of consumers knows cheese products, recognize quality and is ready to pay a premium price for a higher standard cheese. Another group that should be taken into account are the expats from Europe and North America. It might be a successful segment. Proportion of Japan by Westerners in nationality Source: http://www.wa- pedia.com/gaijin/ foreigners_in_japan.shtml All Westerners in Japan only make up 0.01% of the Japanese population. However, 37% of the Westerners are to be found in Tokyo alone. The Southwest of Tokyo is the most favoured place by Westerners. 2.7 Competitors Competitors for Dutch raw milk cheese are other companies that offer natural cheeses. The following table presents the Japanese companies with their market shares, which are competitors on the Japanese natural cheese market. The two main cheese-producing companies are: Megmilk Snow Brand Co Ltd with 12,9% share of the market Morinaga Milk Industry Co Ltd with 9,7 % share of the market Japan imports almost 200,000 tons of cheese every year, and this makes it the 2nd largest cheese importer in the world. 50% of the import of natural cheese is from Australia, so this is a very big competitor for the Netherlands. Other import countries are New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, France, and the U.S. 2.8 Attitude towards raw milk cheese and motivation to buy The attitude Japanese consumers have towards cheese has 9

changed and every year, the number of people who enjoy natural cheese is increasing. It happens mainly because of the fact that there is more western style food in Japan, and the Japanese are very willing to enjoy a western lifestyle. Another reason is that they start to perceive cheese as a nutritional food. Thus eating cheese and using cheese is not unfamiliar or new anymore in Japan. Western people can generally recognize which cheese is natural and which is processed, but most Japanese people cannot do this so easily, since they have less experience with cheese in general. It means that choosing cheese much depends on the name of the cheese brand, the form of packaging, and where to use cheese. Consumers who buy natural cheese are cheese lovers who like this particular taste. They can recognize quality, natural cheeses, because they have more knowledge. 3 SWOT This chapter contains an SWOT analysis based on the branch analysis. The four elements that a SWOT analysis contains are: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. These elements were found through the internal and external analysis. The strengths and weaknesses are internal factors and the opportunities and threats are external factors. The following chart shows the SWOT, after the chart there is an explanation of each element of the SWOT-analysis. 10

Raw Milk Cheese Strenghts - Artisinal high quality food - Unique taste Weaknesse s - Strong / unique taste - Image of the cheese Opportunit ies - Growing cheese market - People are willing to spend a lot of money on food - Image of Dutch cheeses Threats - Substitutes - Competitores - Import regulations 3.1 Explanation of the SWOT 3.1.1. Strengths Artisanal high quality food Raw milk cheese is artisanal high quality food. Japanese consumers desire high quality, nutritious, tasty, and safe food at a reasonable price. They think cheese is healthy and safe to eat, so the Japanese show a great interest in the raw milk cheese, as it is considered an artisanal high quality food. Unique taste Raw milk cheese has in comparison with other cheeses are very strong and unique taste. People who love different cheeses like the cheese gourmets, will like this taste and buy it again because of its unique taste. 3.1.2. Weaknesses Strong / unique taste Raw milk cheese is as sad before a cheese with a very strong and unique taste. This is strength for the sales of cheese, but it can also be a weakness. Although a lot of people would like the taste, there will also be probably more people who dislike the taste. This is really a cheese for cheese lovers, who like different kind of cheeses with unique tastes. If you are familiar with the taste of processed cheese, you will probably think that the taste of raw milk cheese is too strong. Image of the cheese Raw milk cheese has been a lot in the news recently, because of the safety of the product. A lot of people said that the cheese was unhealthy for young children, the elderly, people with 11

weakened immune systems and pregnant women. This is because of the way the cheese is made. Raw milk means milk, which has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization kills all the bacteria, so in raw milk cheese could be some bacterium. This could stop people to buy the product. 3.1.3. Opportunities Growing cheese market The Japanese cheese market continues has grown with 227,000 tons since 1960. The reasons for this large increase are the increase in the consumption of cheese in household and the expand uses of cheese in food services, ready-to-eat foods and snack industries. People are willing to spend a lot of money on food Food is very important for the Japanese. Also in difficult economic times, Japanese consumers continue to buy high quality food. The Japanese consumers desire high quality, tasty and safe food products for a reasonable price. They are willing to pay more for high quality products, since food is really important in their lifestyle. Image of Dutch cheeses You can already buy Dutch cheeses in Japan. Especially Gouda cheese is well known in Japan, because of its soft cheeses. People, who eat the Gouda cheeses or other Dutch cheeses, will tend to buy the raw milk cheese, because of the image they have on the other types of cheeses. If they like for example Gouda cheese, they will buy raw milk cheese because it is also Dutch cheese. 3.1.4. Threats Substitutes The cheese market is divided in two segments, namely natural cheeses and processed cheeses. Raw milk cheese is part of the natural cheese market, which makes the product of the processed cheese market substitutes. Competitors There are a lot of competitors in the Japanese cheese market. Japan is one of countries in the world that imports the most cheeses. The competitors exist of international competitors and Japanese competitors. Import regulations There are a lot of import regulations for the raw milk cheese. The import tariff is almost 30% and there are strict rules for the import process and the labelling of the product. All this makes the product more expensive as the Japanese variant and this could be bad for the sales. 4 Marketing / communication goals To sell the raw milk cheese in Japan, the communication target group has to have a certain knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards the product. It is interesting and effective to set objectives for this, because then, you know what you want to achieve. This makes it easier to work on effective strategies, which is impossible without a goal. 4.1 Knowledge Dutch raw milk cheese must be a familiar product to 75% of the Japanese people who regularly visit cheese shops (specialty shops) in one of the 10 biggest cities in Japan, within one year of being present on the market. 12

It is very hard to come up with a good objective for knowledge. Because at the core, what is your target group? It s very hard to say how large that group is. Thus, by knowing for sure that the target group visits cheese shops to buy cheese, we can use that fact to set a realistic objective. 75% might seem like a fairly high percentage, but it is not unrealistic in our eyes, because specialty cheese shops are usually small shops with customers who are interested in cheeses. In this case, it is hard to overlook a (new) type of cheese. 4.2 Attitude 75% of the Japanese people that have knowledge of the existence (see previous objective, also 75%) of the Dutch raw milk cheese, must have a positive attitude towards the product in terms of being willing to try the product (or suggest is to a friend) within one year. Not everybody that knows about the existence of the Dutch raw milk cheese will automatically have a positive attitude towards the product. They may not like similar cheeses (or raw milk) and therefore have a negative attitude towards the Dutch raw milk cheese. So 75% of the 75% of people that know about the product must have a positive attitude towards the product within one year. 4.3 Behaviour 90% of the people that have a positive attitude towards the product must have at least bought it once within one year. To be clear: 90% of 75% of 75% leaves about 50%. So in total, of all the people that know about the Dutch raw milk cheese, 50% must have bought the product once within one year. The strategy to achieve these objectives can be found further in this report. 5 Estimation of raw milk cheese sales and price level in the first year In this chapter, we will look at the potential sales numbers of the Dutch raw milk cheese in Japan. This is of course an estimation, but attention has been paid closely to various sources from the research report to make the estimation as realistic as possible. 5.1 Natural cheese vs. processed cheese When we want to estimate a realistic number of raw milk cheese that could be sold in Japan, a distinction has to be made between processed cheese and natural cheese. This is important because when you estimate a potential sales number, you can only base the number to competitors and similar products that sell in Japan. In this case, we have to compare the Dutch raw milk cheese to other natural cheeses and not with processed cheese because it s a different market segment. Also, the Dutch raw milk cheese is exported to Japan, so it s even better to compare the product to other imported, natural cheeses. In the table below we find the total number of imported natural cheeses for direct 13

consumption in Japan in tons. The total amount in tons in the full year of 2009 is 120 707 tons and has grown 7% compared to 2008. It is likely that this number has grown somewhat from 2009 until now. 2008 was a bit of recession in cheese consumption, but the number grew again in 2009. We estimate that the amount of natural imported cheeses now (2012) is around 133 000 tons. This number however is for Japan in total, not the 10 biggest cities that we suggest for selling the product in. The 10 biggest cities combined have around 24 307 000 inhabitants. Japan in total has 126 475 664. So not all of this 133 000 tons is sold in the cities that we choose. Still, we think that 75% of the 133 300 gets exported to the biggest cities, because the market there is simply the biggest. 75% of 133 300 = 99 975 tons. 5.2 Dutch cheese The distinction of natural and processed cheese is not enough, because it is very hard to say how much of the 99 975 of imported natural cheese could be the Dutch raw milk cheese. It is perhaps best to compare the Dutch raw milk cheese to other Dutch cheese being sold in Japan. In the following table, you can see that of the total sum of cheeses (natural and processed) 3% comes from the Netherlands. 14

Again we cannot say that this 3% counts for natural cheese only as well. Actually, when you look at the current most important competitors in the natural cheese market, you can see that the Netherlands is quite well represented. These cheeses are the main competitors in the natural cheese market. Of course there are more competitors, but these are the most important ones. You can count and see that there are 29 on this list. 4 of them are from the Netherlands. 4/29 x 100 = 13.8%. Unfortunately, it is impossible to check how much these cheeses are being sold in Japan. One type might be more popular than the other. Although this is true, it is safe to say that the percentage of Dutch natural cheeses in Japan is higher than the percentage of all Dutch cheeses in Japan. The estimation, based on the 13.8, is 8%. 8% of the 99 975 tons of natural cheeses is 7 998 tons of estimated Dutch natural cheese sold in Japan. In the previous list, we saw that there were 4 Dutch cheeses included. We guess that the total number of Dutch cheese types sold in Japan is 9. The cheeses which probably have the highest share in the 7 998 tons are the Gouda and the Edam cheese. 15

In our search for information about natural Dutch cheeses in Japan, the Gouda cheese was basically the only cheese that repeatedly came up. Gouda and Edam cheese combined have an estimated share of 80% of the 7 998 tons of Dutch natural cheese in Japan. This leaves 1 600 tons for the other cheeses. The average market share of the 7 other cheeses is 229 tons per type. Dutch raw milk cheese is a new product, so it s not realistic that the Dutch raw milk cheese could also have a market share of 229 tons (in the first year). 8% of the 229 tons would not be a too optimistic estimation. 8% of 229 tons = 18.32 tons. 5.3 Price level The price level for the Dutch raw milk cheese is based on the other natural cheeses sold in Japan. These prices are listed in the Japanese yen per 100 grams. We think that the Dutch raw milk cheese could be sold for about 750 JPY, compared to the other cheeses. We believe that the cheese is more special than the Dutch Gouda cheese for example, which is sold for 525 JPY. Specialty cheeses have a higher price, which adds the perception of the cheese really being special. 750 JPY = 7.08 euro s. 5.4 Conclusion 18.32 tons of Dutch raw milk cheese in Japan. 7.08 euro s per 100 grams. 1 ton = 1.000 kilograms. 18,32 x 1000 = 18 320 kilograms of Dutch raw milk cheese. It is sold for 7.08 euro s per 100 grams. 18 320 x 10 = 183 200 grams. 183 200 grams x 7.08 euro s = 1 297 056 euro s. 16

6 Target Audiences Amongst various consumer groups, the specific group that is characterized by living in big cities, enjoying natural cheese, and can afford to buy raw milk cheese was chosen. These are the main reasons why this group is suited for Dutch raw milk cheese. 6.1 Biggest cities of Japan First, our targets live in the 10 biggest cities of Japan. The biggest city in Japan is Tokyo with 8,164,000 people, and the other 9 cities also have 16,143,000 people in Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Kawasaki, and Saitama. The big cities are so important for distribution, because the cheese products can be offered to a lot of customers fairly easily this way. 6.2 Cheese gourmets Secondly, our targets really enjoy natural cheese which taste is very different from regular cheeses. Compared with western countries, there aren t more people who enjoy (natural) cheese, percentage wise, but there is some demand for natural cheese in Japan. Especially by the so-called Cheese gourmets. Cheese gourmets have a relatively large experience in eating different types of cheese. They are knowledgeable about cheese types and their qualities, they usually know what they want, and they are willing to pay for it. They eat a variety of cheeses with different and authentic tastes. Because this group has had much experience with eating cheese, the age of this group is between 35-65. They are willing to 17

buy various natural cheeses in specialty cheese stores. They usually eat cheese as a side dish. 6.3 Financial power Lastly, natural cheese is more expensive than processed cheese, so the target group needs to have enough financial power to buy the Dutch raw milk cheese. Taste and flavour of cheese are much more important than the price of cheese for this target group, because they do not care much about the price, and they are most likely in a higher social class between upper middles and upper uppers. 6.4 Mr. Masaya Of the target group for Dutch raw milk cheese in Japan, Mr. Masaya was chosen to represent them. Background information; He is a 49-year-old man, who studied Economics and Politics in Japan. He developed his love for high quality food and knowledge about cheese when he studied in France for 2 years, and carried it back to his homeland. He currently works for an organization that stimulates organic agriculture. He is very motivated for his job. Masaya is married and has 2 daughters. They live in a decent-sized house. He loves his family like he loves his job. Masaya has a good social life and likes to eat at restaurants with friends. Social contacts, his job, family and quality food are important in his life. The way to enjoy cheese; Masaya often eats organic and artisanal European food. He and his friends regularly come together to eat specialty cheeses and drink wine. It s a relaxing activity. The purpose of this activity is to enjoy the taste of the quality foods and also to talk/have social contact with his friends It s a select group of people who really enjoy the specialty cheeses, but the people who do, really love it and regard it almost as their hobby. This also causes the fact that Masaya knows a lot about the specialty cheeses and also something about Dutch raw milk cheese. He would buy Dutch raw milk cheese because he is curious towards specialty cheeses and likes their taste. Another reason why he would buy the raw milk cheese is to show it to his friends/colleges. Masaya usually uses social media to communicate with friends, but also to get information about organic foods, like cheese. Because he is a part of a cheese lovers group on Twitter and Facebook, he gathers information about developments of cheese there. Also, he gets information about a lot of quality foods online as well, because he works at an organization that stimulates organic agriculture. In specific, he watches the news on television and also reads the paper. He has experience working with Twitter and Facebook and uses it for getting information and sharing information. 18

7 Retail / trade level Raw milk cheese can be sold to special cheese shops, shops with imported products, restaurants with an international cuisine and who are healthy and organic oriented. It is also interesting to trade on the B2B level, in other words to cooperate with companies which distribute cheese within Japan. Suggested trade destinations are divided in four different categories. 7.1 Shops 1. Ferier Atago Shop Atago AS Bldg. 1F, 1-5-3 Atago, Minato-ku, Tokyo, tel. 03 5776-7722, https://shopping.fermier.fm (available in English) The most popular and well-known cheese shop in Tokyo. It might be very important client because of its wider access to many restaurants where already many imported ingredients are sold. Fermier has facilities to continue aging the cheeses until they reach their peak. It is an obligatory place to visit by cheese lovers. 2. Cerfeuil Harajuku / Retail, Jingumae 5-10-1, Gyre B1F, Tokyo, tel. : 5468-2868 It s gourmet store where imported and high-end regional food can be found. Demanding client visit this shop thus it s a vastly important place where raw milk cheeses should find its place. The shop also offers other artisanal cheeses. 3. Seiyu GK, Seijo Ishii Co, Supermarket chain. www.seijoishi.co.pl 4. Casa de Queijo Ebisu 2-8-7, Tokyo, tel. 3473-5525 19

Unusual from other cheese shops, is also called cheese bar. Despite a variety of cheese in this shop, pizza, wine and beer can be found here as well. Special events take place there with the arrival of new imports. 5. Seijo Ishii Ebisu-Minami 1-5-5, Atre Ebisu 3F, tel. 3448-1070 Variety products from all over the world including cheeses. 6.National Den-en Tamagawa-Denenchofu 2-6-21, tel. 3721-4161 Part of an international supermarket chain National Azabu, different kinds of imported food. 7.2 Distributors 1. Ken International Inc. 3-6-13 Hoden, Nishi-ku, Osaka, tel. 81-6-65854444, Fax. 81-665851222, http://www.ken-int.co.jp Japanese company belongs to an expert Mr Hisada, imports an artisan cheese, which than sells to almost 20 shops, and cooperates with U.S. 2. First International Corp. 1-24, Asagaya-minami 3-chome, Suginami-ku, Tokyo Importer of dairy products. 3. Sekai Cheese Shokai Inc. 4-11, Kachidoki, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, tel.03-35314236, Fax 03-35314236, www.sekai-cheese.co.jp Company imports cheese products from Europe. 4. MK Cheese Co. Ltd. 1206, Fukaya, Ayase, tel. 81-467-70-5903, fax 81-467-78-3150 Imports cheese and products such as honey, jam, caramel from U.S, New Zealand, Australia, Canada. 7.3 Restaurants 1. Roast Chicken House 3-3-1, Shin-Tokyo Bldg. B1F tel. 5220-5588 Slow dining restaurant with organic ingredients not because of very healthy without pesticides features, but because of its superior flavour. In their kitchen, cheese is used as well. 2.White Fox tel. 6903-6696 Owner of few top-tier restaurants in the UK and France has run a restaurant in Tokyo. Characteristic thing is the tapas menu, very high quality of food in justified prices. Probably cheese is also used because of the tapas menu. 3. D-ray Grill and Bar Kichijoji Honcho 1-10-3, B1F, tel. 0422-21-7171 Bar with international menu, also cheese pizza. 4. Addis, Nakane 2-3-15, tel. 6421-4302 Pastas, pizzas, meat and seafood and sandwiches. 5. Tony Roma's, tel. 3408-2748 Restaurant offers fried cheese. 6. Chelsea Market, Kanda Hanaokacho 1-9, Atre 2 Akihabara 2F, tel. 5256-7155 In menu are pizzas, pastas including cheeses. It s described as Gourmet New York dining 7. Eat More Greens, Azabu-Juban 2-2-5, tel. 3798-3191 Vegetarian food offers pastas, veggie tapas, vegetarian pizzas and lasagne and organic wines. 8. Frijoles, Roppongi 6-6-9, Piramide Bldg. 1F, tel. 6447-1433 Vegetarian gourmet food such as burritos, fajitas made from organic ingredients. 20

9. Vegematto, Roppongi, tel. 6804-3791 Use organic products from farms around Japan. As a main course restaurant offers among of others cheese fondue. 7.4 Online Shops 1. www.amazon.jp 2. www.theflyingpig.com 3. www.store.alishan.jp 4. www.themeatguy.jp 8 Influential groups (NGO, press,) There are always influential groups who are really important for the sale of raw milk cheese. This chapter consists of these influential groups. 8.1 Slow Food Slow Food is important for the sales of the Dutch raw milk cheese. Slow Food is the nongovernmental organisation that helps the raw milk cheese farmers in Holland. Customers will ask where the products come from and that s why Slow Food plays an important role in the sales of the cheese. If the customers are told that Slow Food is the NGO taking care of the Dutch raw milk cheese farmers, they might want to know more about it. The impression they obtain about Slow Food can be from much value for the sales of the cheese. If they like the organization, they will be more likely to buy the product. 8.2 Cheese shops The cheeses shops are one the most important influential groups for the sales of the raw milk cheese. The cheese will only be sold in the specialty shops and that is why the relaters in the store are very important. It is their job to promote the raw milk cheese in a good way and to make the customers enthusiastic about the product. They must know everything about the product to help the customers as good as possible. They can influence the behaviour of the customer by the way they sell the raw milk cheese. 8.3 Foodies Foodies are also a part of the influential groups. Foodies are people who loves food and who loves to drink. They like it to taste new things and to eat other products than the average persons do. They are not afraid to taste new products and they don t mind it to spend a lot of money on food. They would probably like the raw milk cheese and they are also willing to spend some money on it. The foodies are an important part of the target group for the cheese and therefore an important influential group. They can also stimulate other people to try the raw milk cheese. 21

8.4 Restaurant critics The Dutch raw milk cheese will not only be sold in specialty cheese stores, but also in restaurants. The restaurants critics will taste the cheese when they are dining in one of these restaurants. Their opinion about the cheese is very important for the sales. If they like the cheese and they write about it in a very positive way, there will probably become more and more people who would like to try the cheese. This can have a positive effect on the sales of the raw milk cheese. This can also be a disadvantage because if they dislike the cheese, this can have a negative effect on the sales. 8.5 Food reviewers The food reviewers have the same value as the restaurant critics but in a different way. The food reviewers buy the cheese themselves and don t buy it in a meal in a restaurant. They taste the cheese at home and make their opinion about it public. This can have a big influence on the customers, because their opinion can be very important. The raw milk cheese has a quite unique and strong taste and this may deter people from buying the product. 8.6 Culinary magazines Culinary magazines belong also to the influential groups for the Dutch raw milk cheese. There are some culinary magazines in Japan, more information about them can be found in chapter 10. The recipes in these magazines can be from much value for the sales of raw milk cheese. The target group also reads magazines and if they find a nice recipe with raw milk cheese as an ingredient, they will buy the cheese, which stimulates the cheese sales. 9 Intended positioning of Dutch Raw Milk cheese This chapter consists of an indication of how to position the raw milk cheese against the competition and how this perception needs to be indicated in the eyes of the target groups. Raw milk cheese exported from Holland is special and with a high quality, in that the number of people who enjoy natural cheese is increasing and they want to experience various natural cheeses. The more people have an experience of western style food, the larger cheese market will become. For these reasons, there are a lot of competitors in the Japanese cheese market. Among various competitors, the main countries are Australia, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Netherland, Norway, Spain, and USA. 9.1 X and Y-axis To position the raw milk cheese against the competitors it is necessary to make X and Y-axis. The X-axis standard is the price of cheese, and the Y-axis standard is the quality of cheese. 22

9.1.1 X-axis Before to choose the appropriate price of raw milk cheese, it is essential to check the price of the competitors. Cheeses in Japan are not sold by weight, but the price of plastic packed in vacuum from 80g or 100g is between 300-1400 yen per 100g. The leader in the raw milk cheese market in Japan is France. The France cheeses are Moubier, Cental and Comte. These are also quite expensive and with high quality, just like the Italian cheeses. These cheeses are almost between 1000-1200yen. The Italian raw milk cheese is also expensive, but the range of cheese price is quite wide between 700-2000 yen per 100g. One example is Camembert. Camembert has adopted a tank round vacuum, that is inserted in a cardboard box, and the forms are 100g and 125g. The Dutch cheeses sold in Japan are Gouda, Edam, Parano and Yogouda. These are the potential competitors for our raw milk cheese. Price level for the Dutch raw milk cheese is based on the other natural cheeses sold in Japan. These prices are listed in the Japanese yen per 100 grams. We think that the Dutch raw milk cheese could be sold for about 750 JPY, compared to the other cheeses. We believe that the cheese is more special than the Dutch Gouda cheese for example, which is sold for 525 JPY. Specialty cheeses have a higher price, which adds the perception of the cheese really being special. 750 JPY = 7.08 euro s. When all situations are considered to choose the appropriate price of raw milk cheese, 7.08 euro is the best choice for raw milk cheese price. (This is already mentioned in the chapters before.) 9.1.2 Y-axis This standard is quality of cheese. This part is hard to be calculated, because it could be different according to each person and experience. What we need to focus on is general image of specific cheese. When Japanese think A cheeses in their mind, someone have a good and high quality about specific cheese. Also, others might have a low quality of B cheeses compared to price. In general, Japanese tend to think that the price and quality is almost same. It means if a product is expensive, they can feel high quality about the product. As it is mentioned in project1 report, it is very important for Japanese that the product has high quality or is famous in that field. For example, Japanese consumers are buying into the benefits of higher priced organic and fair-trade products. And, consumers visit a variety of food outlets in order to purchase the highest quality food products. When some brands have good and high quality image that could have high possibility to succeed in market. Therefore, raw milk cheese from small Holland cheese farm needs to be set high quality strategy for success in cheese market. To summarize, the price and quality of raw milk cheese should be high to make cheese consumer have a high quality image. Through the premium price and image, raw milk cheese could be placed in special point in positioning chart. The chart shows where raw milk cheese should be compared to other competitions. The price of raw milk cheese is in middle-high, and the quality is same or higher than France and Italy cheese. Through this positioning, Japanese consumer could accept the raw milk cheese is good and special product compared to similar price product. 23

10 Message / value proposition Dutch raw milk cheese is a true artisanal cheese, produced by local farmers who carry generations of knowledge and craftsmanship. It gives you a unique and luxury taste, thanks to the 100% natural ingredients. True quality is scare, but abundant in the Dutch raw milk cheese. 24

11 Communications mix The communication mix consists of instruments used to contact the customers. This mix is connected to the target groups, objectives and strategy of the product. Examples of marketing communication instruments are: advertising, public relations, trade fairs, direct marketing, brochures and client days. In this chapter, the communication mix will be given and explained. 11.1 Cheese event To enter the Japanese cheese market, it is important to be noticed. Since Dutch raw milk cheese is a specialty cheese, it is important to be noticed by people who like specialty cheese. That s why we want to have a little party or event to which we invite people who are important on the Japanese cheese market. We hope to reach a bigger public through these people. We also welcome other people to join and get knowledge of the Dutch raw milk cheese. We decided that the (first) gathering/event/party will be in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. At this event, we let the visitor taste all kinds of Dutch raw milk cheeses and educate them about their origin and how they are produced. Some nice drinks, like wine, are served as well and classical and piano music will play on the background, to add the feeling of an exclusive party and exclusive products. Invitations will be send to cheese shop owners in Tokyo, restaurants that serve European cheeses and Slow Food Japan. Also, brochures to promote the event will be put in the cheese shops in Tokyo so that the costumers are also aware of the event/party. Visitors of the party can try and taste the cheeses for free. Visitors of the party who we do not invite, they have to get the knowledge of the party by reading the brochures in the cheese shops. Then, on the brochures, it says that they have to go on Facebook to our Facebook page. Then they have to like the page in order to see the invitation posted on the Facebook wall. They must print the invitation and bring it to the party to get access. 11.1.1 Who do we want to invite: Shinya Takasaki Wine Salon Miyuki Murase, one half of Japanese team which took second place in the international cheesemonger s competition, is holding one day workshops which will teach participants cheese knowledge such as the marriage of cheese and wine, and how to correctly store cheese. This is the perfect course for those wanting to start out with the basics. 25

Cheese for Beginners Tips for Enjoying Cheese Course Date: Fri Dec 4, 7:30pm 8:30pm Sun Jan 10, 3pm 4pm Fri Jan 17, 5pm 6pm Address: 3F Atago AS Building, 1-5-3 Atago, Minato-ku Telephone: (0120)362 026 Website: www.tasaki-shinya.com/ Seibu Ikebukuro Honten Cheese Shop Come here to see the other half of the second place winning Japanese team, Yuko Inoue, in action. At the International Caseus Awards, contestants are judged on eight different categories such as creating a cheese display, and cheese cutting and tasting. In addition to clinching the overall second-place spot, Inoue and Murase took first place for their display and cheese hygiene techniques. The Seibu Ikebukuro shop will give you a feel for what it takes to be recognised amongst the highest in world standards of cheese craftsmanship and knowledge. Address: 1-28-1 Nishi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku Phone: (03)3981 0111 Open: Mon-Sat 10am 9pm, Sun & nat. holidays 10am-8pm Website: www2.seibu.jp/usrinfo/ Fermier Opened in 1986, this was the first store in Japan dedicated to imported natural cheeses. Fermier (French for farm-made ) stocks artisanal cheeses; each week the shop receives over 200 different kinds of cheese from Paris and Milan. The Atago store also has a salon where customers can enjoy beverages and light meals such as an assorted cheese platter, wine by the glass and espresso coffee. Address: Atago AS Bldg, 1-5-3 Atago, Minato-ku Telephone: (03)5776 7720 Open: Mon-Sat 11am-6:30pm, closed Sun and national, New Year, and summer holidays Website: shopping.fermier.fm/ Sekai Cheese Shokai This wholesaler of world cheeses has a monthly clearance sale of cheeses that are nearing their used-by-date. The sale is so popular that people line up to ensure they don t miss out. The next sale is on November 27 starting at 11:30am; die-hard cheese fans usually begin to line up from around 10:30am. Get there early most of the bargains are gone by midmorning. Address: 2-4-11 Katsudoki, Chuo-ku Telephone: (03)3531 4236 Open: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, closed Sat-Sun and nat. holidays Website: www.sekai-cheese.co.jp/ Ginza Candle Established in 1950, this long-running restaurant featuring western cuisine was frequented by famous writers such as Yukio Mishima and Yasunari Kawabata. One menu highlight: 1950 s Shrimp and Macaroni Gratin has been around since the restaurant opened and is made with a generous serving of specially selected Edam cheese. The gratin s grilled cheese aroma is to-die-for. 26

Address: B1 Ariga Shashin-kan Bldg, 7-3-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku Telephone: (03)3573 5091 Open: Mon-Fri 11:30-11pm (LO 10pm), Sat 12noon-11pm (LO 10pm), Sun & nat. holidays 12noon-10pm (LO 9pm) Website: www.ginza-candle.com/ginza-candle/ Marche Aux Vins Yamada Just like at a sushi restaurant, this French restaurant has counter seating in front of a display case allowing customers to see the cheeses on offer. Approximately 20 cheeses are on available and customers are recommended cheeses to complement their food and wine. Address: 5-19-3 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku Telephone: (03)3441 9979 Open: Mon-Sat 6pm-4am (LO 12midnight) Website: r.gnavi.co.jp/g148402/ Signifiant Signifie Enjoy bread, cheese and wine at this Boulanger. In the tasting space, customers can enjoy an assortment of five cheeses, which can be ordered as a set served with wine and bread, with second helpings of bread available. Address: 2-43-11 Shimoma, Setagaya-ku Telephone: (03)3422 0030 Open: from 11am (days and times are variable, call ahead) Website: artandcraft.jp/ss/top.html Dr Goods A specialist shop for cooking utensils, this cook s emporium is located close to the entry of Tokyo s kitchen town of Kappabashi, near Asakusa. Head here for cheese knives, cheese slices and other specialty cheese gear. Address: 1-4-8 Nishi Asakusa, Taito-ku Telephone: (03)3847 9002 Open: Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat 9:30am-6pm, closed Sun, nat. holidays and every third Sat Website: www.dr-goods.com/realshop/ Le Cordon Bleu Daikanyama This French cooking academy established its Daikanyama post in 1895. Cheese making classes here are fully supported by the Tokyo Professional Cheese Association. There are courses for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of cheese making, designed so that students can systematically learn all aspects of the art from farm to table. Those who complete all three levels will be eligible to receive an official Cordon Bleu Diploma in Cheese. Address: ROOB-1, 28-13 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku Telephone: (03)5489 0141, free dial (0120)454 840 Website: www.cordonbleu.co.jp/index.cfm?fa=frontendmod.homepage Cheese club in Tokyo Cheese lovers rejoice. Browse, nibble and shop while you enjoy cheeses brought in from around the world. The number of cheese lovers in Japan has slowly grown as access to gourmet cheeses has increased throughout the country. In the cafe, have a glass of wine while you sample their wide selection. You can buy by the piece, or place orders to your specifications. 27