Jalux eyes Japanese wholesale market

Trading house Jalux Inc, affiliated with Japan Airlines Co and Sojitz Corp, will open the first Japanese fresh wholesale market in Thailand on June 9 to meet growing demand for fresh food among healthconscious consumers.

Jalux says its Thai joint venture, J Value Co, will launch the Japan Fresh Wholesale Market in Thong Lor to sell fresh seafood, vegetables, fruits and meat to hotels, restaurants, wholesalers and retailers.

The new market will operate in partnership with wholesalers in Tsukiji, Tokyo, such as Kamemoto Shoten Co, which deals in seafood; Nagamine Shoten Co (vegetables); and Sugimoto Meat Packing Co of Nagoya.

The Jalux group owns a 62.5% stake in J Value, established in March with registered capital of 44.4 million baht, while the three wholesalers hold a 12.5% stake each, Tokyobased Jalux said in a release.

Such products from Japan are mainly distributed directly from importers to retailers and Japanese restaurants in Thailand, according to the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro).

Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy after Indonesia, has emerged as one of Japan’s major export destinations for its agricultural and fishery products.

The number of Japanese restaurants in Thailand nearly quadrupled to about 2,800 in 10 years through 2017, Jetro’s Bangkok office said.