Abstract
Fruit and vegetable demands are characterized by regional dietary patterns, except for globally standardized fruits of multinational companies (MNCs), such as bananas. On the other hand, recently, fresh pineapples, a traditional plantation crop like bananas, have shown a significant presence in the global market, although its trend differs in main importing regions like Japan and the West. For a comprehensive understanding of the MNC behavior, it is necessary to clarify this new demand pattern. This study conducted an interview survey at the Dole Japan Co. Ltd., which has a significant share of Japan's pineapple market, and a questionnaire survey on Japanese consumers, to reveal the structure of Japan's domestic pineapple distribution. The main findings are as follows: (1) pineapple distribution in Japan follows an oligopolistic structure and importer behavior significantly influences the market, and (2) although consumer preferences follow importer behavior, the traditional variety is still popular. This presents a unique consumption trend among developed countries.
