By Tommy Hamamoto, USGC Director in Japan

The U.S. Grains Council’s distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) promotion program in Japan has made significant strides using sector-specific marketing strategies to promote the feed ingredient across the Japanese livestock and feed industries.

Annual seminars have continuously provided information from animal nutrition experts and research scientists that recognize the concerns and needs of each sector of Japan’s DDGS market. For Japan’s layer sector, Council-hosted workshops have demonstrated how concentrated xanthophylls, found in DDGS, can deepen egg yolk from its natural yellow color to an orange pigment.

Although this preference is unique to the layer sector, it currently accounts for almost 60 percent of total DDGS imports, which translates into almost 20,000 metric tons per month.

Sector-specific promotional programs, like the Japanese layer sector, have led the Council to maximize niche marketing opportunities and innovatively develop industries to their potential.