Brands, Investments, Latvia, Markets and Companies

Workshop-studio Ameri produces fine as well as thick structure knitwear (and crochets) of merino, cashmere, cotton, silk, linen, viscose and others. Ameri representatives first visited Japan in November 2008 when LIDA organized a contact exchange in Osaka within the framework of the Riga-Kobe friendship days. During the visit, Ameri established contacts with a Japanese trade company from Osaka.

The talks continued for six months, and this past March Ameri received the first order from Japan. "The Japanese were looking in Europe for something special, something that China or India do not offer," informs Ameri board member Ginta Amerika. Latvia's clean environment, style, elegance and quality were the factors that worked very well in Japan, she said.

The ecological cosmetics producer Madara Cosmetics Director and Co-owner Lotte Tisenkopfa-Iltnere said that the company established contacts with its cooperation partner in Japan, Mitoku Co. during an ecological cosmetics fair in Germany last year. The actual cooperation between the two companies began this past spring.

Presently Madara products are sold at Japanese department stores and ecological cosmetics outlets. The Japanese customers prize Madara products for their quality and design.

Japan is the country from which Madara has received the most distribution offers. "We preferred to work with an experienced and professional partner. Japan is one of the key export markets for the company. Together we will develop Madara into a successful and popular brand of natural cosmetics in Japan in the long term," stressed Tisenkopfa-Iltnere.

Angel Glass Design in 2004 launched the "An&angel"brand. "An&angel" is a brand of innovative and functional design objects made of glass and crystal. The company first presented its product at the "Design Tokyo 2008" fair. The company used this opportunity to study the Japanese market and create a new line, "Black&White", in accordance with the Japanese market studies.

This past June, during the "Interior Life Style 2009 Tokyo", the company agreed on cooperation with a major Japanese delicacies producer that was looking for top-quality design solutions for its products. After a three-month talks period, the company received the first order from Japan, and now "An&Angel" products can be viewed at Japanese department stores' sections selling delicacies.

"Any brand must be based on strong and interesting idea. Then it will have no cultural, linguistic or ethnic barriers. I would recommend my compatriots considering the Japanese market to get ready for a long and patient job. During our cooperation we observed that the little-known and small Latvia seems something exclusive and attractive to the Japanese," said Munio Candela Co-owner Elina Cima.

The hand-made Munio Candela candles are made of natural all-soy wax, lead-free all-cotton wicks and herbs from the Latvian countryside.

"The work on the contacts win Japan, that we established during the "Interior Lifestyle 2009 Tokyo" fair, has been long and solid. Every company and resident of Japan want the work process and the development of relations be very individual. At the beginning it may seem to be a waste of time and unnecessary information exchange, but the Japanese acquaint themselves with every brand from A to Z, sometimes they even ask for rather personal or confidential information," commented the company's co-owner, Ieva Dekstere. The LIDA offices in Japan helped the company to choose from several distributors in Japan.

Besides these four, there are also other Latvian brands present on the Japanese market, for instance, Stendera ziepju fabrika soap, Natalija Jansone's garments and others.

Presently LIDA offices in Japan, via the Latvian Embassy in Japan, are working on the promotion of a few other Latvian brands on the Japanese market. The LIDA offices in Japan are headed by Dmitrijs Belousovs.

November 2 to November 5, "EU Gateway to Japan Interior Lifestyle" will be taking place in Japan, where several Latvian companies will participate: Studio Naturals, Vivax Communication Group, Angel Glass Design.