By Elena Rando Lahoz, Export Manager, Aceitunas Losada S.L.
Participant in "Get Ready for Japan" 2019 training programme

The Programme "Get Ready for Japan" was our opportunity to keep working after Foodex 2019, following up our contacts and getting a greater approach to the market. Our achieved goals during the programme were a better understanding of the Japanese culture and key rules whilst doing business, a deeper knowledge of the market, market access challenges, as well in a direct market research, and of course new commercial contacts. It was a valuable experience, and we would remark the importance of two weeks staying in Japan and sharing our time with the EU staff, Japanese managers, teachers and of course participants, that has given us a real and alive experiences that contribute to assimilate the lectures during the programme.
The preparation of the programme by staff and support during our stay has been excellent. Now my responsibility is to inform my company, to transmit and convince my colleagues about my findings during the programme. New lead times and business philosophy must be explained and integrated in our company on all the responsibility levels, as a new way to work.
After the programme Aceitunas Losada started its export business with a Japanese company. Although our relation is still incipient, the feedback of our products is pretty good, the sales staff's opinions are quite positive in regards with quality, appropriate size for gift packs and Losada branding image. Our feedback about taste is fantastic, and our long shelf-life quite appreciated, so mostly positive reactions. The Covid context did not allow us a new approach through Foodex 2020, but we are confident about contacts made during the programme and we will keep working thinking to 2021.