An event for foodservice professionals to discover Japanese rice and Japanese rice products was held in Melbourne last month.
The one-day meeting was organised by the Japan Rice and Rice Industry Export Promotion Association (J.R.E) at Crowne Plaza Melbourne.
A number of representatives from Japan were in attendance, exhibiting products including rice, sake, rice flour, and rice crackers.
Exhibitors also showed convenient products such as potato starch with rice flour, rice porridge, and rice cakes.
Exhibitors included:
• Senda Mizuho Ltd (rice)
Manufactures and sells rice for consumers as well as to manufacturers to make products including rice balls, crackers, and sake.
• Hyakushoichiba.co (rice)
The rice wholesale works directly with farmers and then distributes products globally.
• Hachidaime Gihey Co., Ltd (rice)
The company has a rice heritage and was founded in Kyoto. All employees have a ‘Rice Meister’ title and are highly skilled in blending, milling, and cooking rice.
• Iris Ohyama Inc. (packed cooked rice, mochi)
Iris Ohyama Inc. developed sliceable mochi that is ready to consume after only three minutes in boiling water. Also the developers of rehydrating Alpha rice that was initially an outdoor product but has been popular during disasters in Japan.
• Zen-Noh International Corporation (rice, sake)
The company exports different rice products including blended and pre-washed options to suit a range of different culinary applications.
• Namisato Corporation (rice flour, gluten-free tempura powder)
Different varieties of rice are used to produce rice flour. The company has been the number one rice flour share in Japan for the last 11 years and is known for its high-quality products.
• Morihaku Confectionery Ltd. (rice crackers)
Morihaku Confectionery’s rice crackers are made using whole rice grains, which results in a higher-quality, more flavourful product. Popular flavours include Tama Tama Tomato.
• Ninki Inc. (sake)
Based in the Fukushima Prefecture, Ninki Inc. makes handmade Gingjo sake. A popular product is a sparkling sake made from just rice and rice malt that is fermented in the bottle.
• Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. (sake)
The company is located in the sake-producing area of Nada, Hyogo Prefecture, and uses Yamada Nishiki rice to make sake. The sake is produced by Tamba Toji, who are a group of master sake producers.
A highlight of the event was Chef Ikuei Arakane’s live cooking demonstrations, which saw the chef use products from the exhibitors to create unique dishes.
Arakane is a Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador, which is a role that sees the culinary professional promote Japanese foods and collaborate with local governments.
Japan is well-known for its high-quality rice products, which is a credit to the country’s abundance of high-quality water, which is ideal for the production of rice.
Producers also have high-grade quality control systems in place to ensure customers receive a steady supply of quality and reliable products.
J.R.E hopes foodservice professionals will consider adding Japanese rice products to their menus.
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