Why is plant-based food gaining attention now?
About Plant-Based Certification
We have compiled information on the ingredients and details of various plant-based alternatives such as ‘plant-based foods’ and ‘vegan foods’ available for sale in Japan.
※The ‘Plant-Based Expo’ page is currently available only in Japanese.
Plant-Based
In New York, when you order coffee in some cafés, it’s quite common to be asked, “What kind of milk would you like?” The point here is that many cafés in the United States can offer plant-based options for you. In Japan however, having many plant-based options is not yet so common.
In Japan, soy milk is the predominant plant-based choice but other options such as cashew milk, oat milk, coconut milk, and almond milk, are becoming increasingly popular.
In the United States, sales of these plant-based milks exceed 200 billion yen. In 2019, 41% of American households purchased plant-based milk, and the sales of plant-based milk accounted for 14% of the total milk sales.
A well-stocked plant-based milk section
in an American supermarket.
Plant-based choices are gaining popularity among American youth today. Many are adopting a plant-based diet for health reasons such as wanting to lose weight or aiming for a healthier lifestyle. In Japan, there has been a noticeable increase in labels like ‘plant-based’ or ‘plant-based foods’ recently.
Mos Burger's plant-based burger.
IKEA's 'plant-based' Ramen.
Plant-based cuisine is a similar term to 'vegetarian' and 'vegan,' but it is not precisely the same.
- “Plant-based” refers to food products primarily made from plant-derived ingredients.
- “Plant-based” may contain dairy or eggs as ingredients or may be entirely free of them.
There is also a dietary approach known as the ‘plant-based diet,’ which has a distinct definition. Please refer to the separate explanation on this site for more details.
We have categorized plant-based into the following two types:
Made entirely from plant-derived ingredients and does not contain any dairy or eggs.
Mostly made from plant-derived ingredients but may contain some dairy or egg-derived components.
At the core of veganism, which is the practice of complete vegetarianism, lies philosophies such as compassion and environmental conservation. Some individuals may choose a vegan diet influenced by religious norms. We are committed to fostering an environment that respects and embraces this diversity in dietary choices.
Other Information for Vegan Certification
(Under construction)
We are gradually posting classifications and ingredient listings for each plant-based and vegan product on the website.
* The linked page is in Japanese only.
The plant-based boom presents a fantastic opportunity for businesses. However, at the same time, we kindly request the promotion of an ‘environmental setup’ that respects and embraces people’s beliefs in order to uphold trust in “Japan” quality.