SA goes big on Japan’s largest e-commerce platform

Local businesses will have access to millions of new customers through a Malinauskas Government supported partnership with e-commerce giant Rakuten – known as the “Amazon of Japan”.

Coinciding with the duration of World Expo 2025 Osaka from April to October, the ‘Tasting South Australia’ campaign on Rakuten will feature more than 400 South Australian food, wine and beverage products.

This campaign builds on the success of previous campaigns in 2023 and 2024 which generated approximately $600,000 and $700,000 respectively.

Since the introduction of these campaigns on Rakuten, vendors selling Southern Bluefin Tuna on Rakuten have increased 6-fold, from around 10 to more than 60.

To further capitalise on South Australia’s presence at World Expo, the State Government is supporting an online shopfront for attendees at South Australian events to ‘Buy what you Try’, enabling them to purchase the premium produce they taste and experience.

Rakuten boasts more than 100 million Japanese users and is home to more than a quarter of all Japanese e-commerce – equivalent to $40 billion in 2020. Globally, Rakuten has more than 1.4 billion members.

South Australian food and beverages are already a major export to Japan, accounting for more than 60 per cent of the state’s total exports to Japan in the year ending April 2025.

Visit the Rakuten ‘Tasting South Australia’ website here and visit South Australia’s ‘Buy what you Try’ website here.

Quotes

Attributable to Joe Szakacs

We’re bridging the gap for South Australian companies that want to sell their products in Japan through Rakuten - a massive online retailer.

By leveraging platforms like Rakuten, we’re not only boosting sales of South Australian products but we’re also building the broader reputation of SA’s produce in Japan.

This latest campaign is strategically timed to make the most of the World Expo, which will draw the attention of millions of people and runs until October this year.