Internationalization Ecosystem of North Karelian Forestbioeconomy and Unique Food BIOSYS Japani

The goal of the project managed by ProAgria Eastern Finland is to support the development of North Karelia's food and food tourism exports to East Asia. The goal is also to open channels for retail trade, create structures for promoting export, to seek partnerships, to increase understanding, knowledge and skills of companies interested in the market, and to increase the awareness of industries and products and services in the target markets.

The target group is North Karelian food and food tourism companies interested in East Asian food trade and export opportunities. The project will benefit the food and food tourism industry more broadly by increasing the awareness of the area and related actions also in East Asian markets.

The project lowers the barriers for international growth and increases the knowledge and skills of food and food tourism companies. The project enables small companies to pursue international growth, increases visibility and strengthens companies' market access, and increases the supply of products and services in the East Asian markets. The project evolves new cooperation projects, opportunities for joint development and piloting.

The project will carry the following action packages:

TOP 1 Development of export and internationalization skills of food and food tourism companies

TOP 2 Promoting the local trade of North Karelian food from East Finland and food tourism companies in East Asia

TOP 3 Increasing the awareness of North Karelian food from East Finland and food tourism products in East Asia

The project implementation period is 11/2023 - 31.11.2025

Project budget: €172,702

Financed by: Regional Council of North Karelia

We will post about the project's current events, trainings and other issues on the website and on the project's LinkedIn page (link below).

Looking for cooperation opportunities

Are you interested in importing unique, pure and natural ingredients, food and beverages from Finland? Please do not hesitate to contact: jaana.puhakka(at)maajakotitalousnaiset.fi.

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Top chef Zaiyu Hasegawa visited North Karelia in August 2024Mr Zaiyu Hasegawa, well-known chef in Japan and widely in Asia, visited North Karelia in August 2024. Chef Hasegawa of the two-Michelin-starred DEN restaurant and his Team got to know the North Karelian food culture, restaurant and catering education at Riveria, met local entrepreneurs and went foraging mushrooms and fishing during their four-day visit. And of course also experienced sauna. More about the visit and his thoughts can be found below.

"I would go foraging mushrooms and fishing, and may would never leave!"

This and many other statements praising North Karelia's nature, hospitality and raw materials were heard from the Japanese master chef Zaiyu Hasegawa during his visit in North Karelia.

The Team DEN led by chef Zaiyu Hasegawa experienced Karelian food culture, learned about local food companies and products and restaurant and catering education, nature tourism services and met several local chefs during their visit August 20-23rd 2024.

Known as a passionate fisherman and keen mushroom forager, Hasegawa catched a pike and other fishes and picked mushrooms. And of course, learned how to bake Karelian pies. At the end of the visit, North Karelian chefs and cooks got to see, experience and hear an unique lesson on the knife technique of master chef Hasegawa's fish handling and followed the preparation of the tasting portions of the 2 Michelin star DEN restaurant under the leadership of sous chefs Rei and Joy.

The visit ended in Lahti, where Hasegawa e.g. visited Rapala's product development unit and went fishing. Organizing this unique visit also opened up interesting cooperation opportunities with tourism and development organizations in the Lahti region.

The follow-up actions of the visit have already been planned, although some of the effects of this influential visit will be seen few years from now. However, the near future development activities are already being agreed, regional food culture and local produce will be presented in the workshop in Tokyo in November, and of course participants will have a change to try baking traditional Karelian pies. Masterchef Hasegawa said that he already has an idea how to make a Karelian pie in the Japanese way. We will be waiting for this with great interest. The Karelian food culture and food tourism will also be introduced in Sapporo and Seoul, South Korea.

When saying goodbye to the guests, we agreed not to say "Sayonara" but rather "Mata ne" (see you soon).

See you in Tokyo in November!

North Karelian food attracts top Japanese chef

Zaiyu Hasegawa, owner / chef of DEN restaurant, which was chosen as the best in Asia in 2022, will visit North Karelia at the end of August.

Zaiyu Hasegawa's Tokyo restaurant Den just turned 16. The restaurant has two regular and one sustainable green Michelin star and was named the best restaurant in all of Asia in 2022. Hasegawa also has a restaurant in Bangkok and the newest one is opening in New York, possibly also in London. He travels the world meeting young chefs and chefs, networking and learning about the local food culture. On his travels, he discovers new ingredients and cooking methods, and gathers influences to blend the best of them into his signature dishes. Hasegawa is a passionate fisherman and Finnish company Rapala fishing equipment fan, and the highlights of his trips are specifically related to fishing.

Interest in North Karelian food culture and local food in Japan
Hasegawa's visit is part of the BioSYS Japan project promoting premium food exports and food tourism to Japan and South Korea. Mr. Markus Hirvonen, mayor of the North Karelia personally invited Mr. Hasegawa on March 2023 to visit North Karelia and the Saimaa region celebrating the jubileum year 2024 of European Region of Gastronomy.

The purpose of the visit is to promote North Karelian and Finnish food culture and food tourism in Asia, to highlight local ingredients, natural resources and cooking methods, and to exchange information and know-how related to Japanese and Finnish food culture. The aim is also to increase the attractiveness of the restaurant and tourism industries, while encouraging young students and those already working in the industry to be proud of their roots and at the same time brave enough to learn new things. The project also includes visits of North Karelian companies and representatives of the BioSYS Japan project to Japan and South Korea in 2024 and 2025.

For more information: Hasegawa mediatiedote english julkaisuvapaa

How to succeed in Japan with a good brandstory - webinar materials

Please find here the webinar recording and presentation for How to succeed with a good brandstory for Japan -webinar held 28th May 2024.