South Australia has rolled its produce onto one of the busiest e-commerce highways in the world. Through a government-backed campaign with Japan’s largest online retailer, Rakuten, the state is opening the door to a whole new market of Japanese customers hungry for premium food and drink. And it’s happening while global eyes turn to Osaka for World Expo 2025.
From April to October, over 400 South Australian products will feature in the ‘Tasting South Australia’ campaign on Rakuten. It’s a move that could mean big things for local producers, especially those already exporting to Japan—one of the state’s most valuable trade partners.
Rakuten is sometimes called the “Amazon of Japan”, but it’s very much its own powerhouse. With more than 100 million Japanese users and over 1.4 billion members globally, the platform accounted for a quarter of Japan’s e-commerce in 2020, or roughly $40 billion. Now, it’s set to play matchmaker between Japan’s curious food lovers and South Australia’s mix of seafood, wine, and premium beverages.
The campaign, supported by the Malinauskas Government, isn’t just a display window. It links directly to a digital checkout for international customers. At the same time, the government is rolling out a complementary online shopfront—‘Buy what you Try’—for those visiting South Australian-led events at the Expo. It means that attendees who sip a Coonawarra red or sample some Spencer Gulf prawns in Osaka won’t have to leave their impressions behind. They can go straight online and order more.
This move is more than a hopeful shot in the dark. It builds on two earlier campaigns on Rakuten that generated around $600,000 in 2023 and $700,000 in 2024. That momentum is reflected in the jump in Southern Bluefin Tuna vendors on Rakuten—up from around 10 to over 60 since the campaigns began. That’s a sixfold rise in suppliers of just one product line, hinting at the potential scale for others waiting to enter the Japanese market.
While World Expo 2025 is very much the stage, the long game is clearly about deepening and expanding trade ties with Japan. Food and beverage already account for more than 60 per cent of South Australia’s exports to Japan, and that figure could climb if this e-commerce push continues to gather steam. With many Japanese consumers turning to Rakuten for everything from electronics to edamame, there’s strong logic behind showcasing South Australian produce where their attention already is.
Industries back home could benefit in both direct and indirect ways. On the sales side, producers who were previously restricted by the cost or complexity of international distribution now have a route to consumers that’s fast, familiar, and digital. On the branding side, it gives South Australian produce a prime position in a highly trusted Japanese marketplace, where word of mouth can move quickly and loyalty to high-quality products runs deep.
Joe Szakacs, who has been closely involved in the campaign’s rollout, emphasised that this isn’t just about product placement—it’s about making the entire process easier for local exporters. “We’re bridging the gap for South Australian companies that want to sell their products in Japan through Rakuten—a massive online retailer,” he said. “By leveraging platforms like Rakuten, we’re boosting sales of South Australian products and building the broader reputation of SA’s produce in Japan.”
Timing has played a role here too. With Osaka hosting the World Expo until October, millions of visitors are expected to pass through and encounter a wide range of global showcases. For South Australia, having a food-and-drink focus connected directly to an online platform makes sense. The ‘Buy what you Try’ site turns Expo visitors into instant customers, removing the delay between experience and purchase.
The idea isn’t just limited to one-off transactions. If successful, the campaign could establish habits and relationships that outlast the Expo. Rakuten is designed for recurring orders, allowing customers to reorder a favourite olive oil, dessert wine, or seafood box with minimal friction. For smaller producers especially, that kind of sustained exposure could prove transformative.
Rakuten’s user base is also valuable in its demographic mix. The platform is widely used by households, individual shoppers, and increasingly by professionals looking for curated food and drink options. This means South Australian producers are not only reaching home chefs but potentially boutique retailers, restaurateurs, and even subscription box services in Japan.
The six-month window during the Expo will serve as a litmus test for this model of trade promotion. But the infrastructure being put in place suggests this is more than a short campaign. If the upward sales trends from the last two years continue, South Australia’s food and beverage industries could find themselves with a lasting foothold in a massive consumer market that values quality and provenance.
For the state government, this initiative also works on another front: making international trade feel accessible to smaller local businesses. Not every boutique vineyard or seafood co-op has the resources to break into Japan on its own. But with logistical support, digital storefronts, and a major retail partner like Rakuten, the barriers to entry are significantly lowered.
While much attention often lands on traditional trade routes—large shipments, restaurant partnerships, supermarket shelf space—this campaign signals a shift in thinking. The consumer isn’t waiting to walk into a shop in Tokyo or Kyoto. They’re already online, scrolling through listings, reading reviews, and clicking ‘add to cart’. Meeting them there is just common sense.
That doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing. Japanese consumers are famously discerning, and South Australian exporters will need to make sure their branding, packaging, and delivery logistics match the quality of the products themselves. The Rakuten platform, while highly effective, is also highly competitive. To stand out, SA products will need to look the part, taste the part, and arrive on time—every time.
Still, the early signs suggest the market is not only open but interested. Previous campaigns proved that when presented well, South Australian goods don’t just sell—they keep selling. From Bluefin Tuna to Clare Valley Riesling, the appetite is real.
What’s unfolding isn’t about replacing other export strategies, but layering on a new approach that’s agile, targeted, and built for today’s digital-first shoppers. It offers immediacy, reach, and the ability to react in real-time to trends, feedback, and consumer preferences.
For South Australians back home, the impact may start subtly—more orders coming in, a few new labels exported to Japan—but if the momentum builds as expected, this could become a model for engaging other markets too. Japan may be the first major test case, but platforms like Rakuten exist across Asia, and success here could set the stage for further partnerships.
For now, though, the focus is on Osaka, on the World Expo, and on a campaign built to convert curiosity into commerce. With the food and drink industry already playing a strong export role, this latest move gives it a modern, clickable boost.
Whether it’s sushi-grade tuna or boutique gin, the message is clear: South Australia is open for digital business.
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