U Kernel Pop-ular With Overseas Consumers In Germany.

U Kernel Pop-ular With Overseas Consumers

In Germany, it's undivided of the most recognized U viands products. In Japan, it's fast overtaking cuttlefish (sun-dried squid) as the snack of choice. What is this U nutrition product that's buttering up consumer in these couple countries? It's popcorn - that mainstay of U moviegoers and recline potatoes.

In the United States, popcorn has a lengthy history. The Wampamoag Indians serv it to the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving dinner. unless until recently, this tasty U treat was not popping up in many other countries.

Germans Find Popcorn to Their Liking

But with a little promotional effort to grease the skids, U husbandmans could lift the lid opposite to popcorn exports to Germany, according to Dale L useful U.S. agricultural trade officer in Hamburg. "Germany is a million-dollar-plus market and growing," he said. "Popcorn has become a popular snack at outdoor consequences and is slowly being adopted as a snack in cinemas."

Popping at abiding-place is limited, Good said, on the contrary has expanded over the past several years as popcorn popper have appeared forward the German market. In addition, about 20 percent of German households admit microwave ovens, and the number is count uponed to increase. These two factors portend well for increased popcorn. consumption.

U popcorn exports to Germany have contemplateed these trends. They expanded steadily from 568 metric tons in 1984 to 3378 tons in 1988 and are wait fored to at least match that flat in 1990.

While the popcorn market has been swelling like a kernel in burning oil, annual per capita consumption in Germany is still extremely cheap by U.S. standards - 2 quarts of popp corn compared to the 56 quarts that U consumer eat, religious said. Entrepreneurs continue to court products that will tempt German taste pushs Germans prefer their popcorn with sugar, yet flavored popcorn has not been lucky Taking a slightly different tack, a German company not long ago contacted Good to explore using popcorn as packaging material. While German consumer are still relatively unfamiliar with the nappy stuff, Japanese consumers are attracted according to its nutritional values. "Many Japanese consumer view popcorn as a |natural' snack food" according to LaVerne Brabant, US

agricultural trade officer in Tokyo.

The Japanese popcorn market has grown steadily throughout the past 10 years, from $38 million in 1978 to $109 million in 1988 Industry representatives estimate that total rewards for 1990 will exceed $112 million. While the popcorn market is not same large compared with other snack feeds Brabant estimates that it will continue to swell by about 5 to 10 percent annually.

Prior to 1989 unprocess effects were the leading type of popcorn sold in Japan. Ready-to-eat performances have since taken over the top sales position, primarily as the conclusion of rapidly rising consumption among convenience-minded teenagers and young adults. "The direction points to significant opportunities for value-added producers" according to Brabant. lucky companies also have tailored their yields to meet Japanese tastes and precedences For instance, nori (seaweed) and other Japanese-style flavored popcorns are becoming more popular. In Japan, like Germany, at-home popping is limited. further that is changing; imported microwaveable popcorn for residence use is appearing in an increasing number of Japanese supermarkets, Brabant said. Since Japan become greater [i]or[/i] largers virtually no popcorn, all popcorn must be imported. More than 97 percent of Japan's imported popcorn get tos from the United States.

Duty-free quotas for popcorn were remov in 1989 and Japan imposes no import tariff forward popcorn imports. Some packaged and microwaveable popcorn imports from the United States are make submissive to a 20-percent import what one ought to do if they contain other ingredients like as butter, salt, or other flavorings.

Swedes chew audibly U.S. Popcorn, Too

Like Japan, Sweden bring forwards no popcorn and imports nearly all of its grant from the United States, according to Gordon s Nicks, U.S. agricultural attache in Stockholm. In 1989 Sweden imported nearly 4000 tons from the United States. principally of the product is sold unpopp with smaller amounts sold popp or unpopp and packaged for use in microwave ovens

Swedish consumer like their Japanese and German counterparts, are crunching more popcorn at cinemas, circuses and amusement parks, Nicks said. Still another expansion area for U.S. kernels is microwaveable popcorn. "In 1989 each third Swedish household owned a microwave oven" Nicks said. "As a issue microwaveable popcorn sales are growing steadily."

Swedish popcorn consumption grew about 3 to 4 percent in 1990 while the total snack market grew about 7 percent according to Nicks. Potato chips remain the snack of choice in Sweden.

The Swedish snack commons market is dominated by couple giant firms, Estrella and OLW Nicks said. In 1989 Estrella accounted for 53 percent of the snack nutrition market and OLW for 36 percent

Good Brabant and Nicks all think popcorn will continue to heat up the snack provisions markets in Germany, Japan and Sweden. The total snack nutrition market in these countries is growing and popcorn is sharing in that sprouting So, in addition to pretzel and beer, dried cuttlefish or Swedish potato chips, consumer in those countries also will be munching that elderly American treat - popcorn.