Food communication magazines are blossoming everywhere in Taiwan, China, while Japan's pioneering format has set off a publishing whirlwind
In July 2013, Japan's first food information magazine with attached ingredients, Tohoku Food Communication, was launched. By mailing out a magazine and ingredients each month introducing ingredients, production areas and producers, readers could join a members-only Facebook group to communicate directly with producers, thereby shortening the distance between production and sales. In just two years it spread across Japan, and now 38 prefectures in Japan publish a food communication magazine belonging to their local area.
And in February this year, Hiroyuki Takahashi, founder of Tohoku Food Communication, was invited to Taiwan to share Japan's food communication experience, and people around Taiwan began to shout: "Let's make a Taiwan edition of Food Communication together!" In the second half of this year, Traveler Food Communication, Rice Communication, Eastern Food Communication and others will be published one after another. In addition, Northern Taiwan and Central Taiwan Food Communication have also begun holding "initiator walking meetings," and the "food communications" are blooming everywhere in Taiwan, growing into a different look.
Tien Feng further added that basically each issue of Rice Communication, in addition to including "rice," also comes with primary- and secondary-processed rice food products. "In the case of Yilan this time, because Yilan small farmers make their own fermented bean curd and soy sauce, those two processed foods were included." As for what will be included in each subsequent issue, it is still unknown, and it will only be clear once it is known how the local area will process rice foods.
But Tien Feng also admitted that, considering the pressure on producers, it is not ruled out that the number of copies printed will be reduced later. "Print itself is no problem, but this time asking farmer mothers to make 500 portions of fermented bean curd and soy sauce seems a bit of a stretch." In the future, the number of portions will be adjusted according to the producers' situation.
Japan's Food Communication emphasizes CSA community exchange, and interaction with producers is the focus
"A Taiwan edition of Food Communication will definitely grow one day!" Although it has not joined the Food Communication alliance, Gu Wei still expressed deep confidence in the prospects for publishing a Taiwan edition of Food Communication; Jian Jiaying also said that the Japanese Food Communication team will come to Taiwan next month for in-depth discussions with teams interested in founding a publication, "The Japanese Food Communication team is willing to support Taiwan as much as possible in publishing a Taiwan edition of Food Communication."
That said, Jian Jiaying still could not help reminding that although the Taiwan edition of Food Communication is still in the trial publication stage and discussions are mostly focused on magazine editing and preliminary work, "but if it is to move forward, the founders should think about how to proceed in the future."
But exactly how should they think, and how should they proceed, so that the Taiwan edition of Food Communication stays on track as much as possible and does not deviate from the spirit of Japan's Food Communication of "valuing CSA community exchange, linking production and consumption, and revitalizing local industries"? Jian Jiaying believes that Food Communication should not merely remain in e-commerce sales, but should place more emphasis on the back end of "face-to-face interaction with producers."
Jian Jiaying further stated that strengthening the relationship between producers and consumers is not just a matter of finishing the publication, but should involve more detailed back-end operations. "For example, Japan's Food Communication holds events inviting consumers and producers to drink together, and also asks consumers to help producers deliver goods..." Only interactions like these can enhance mutual trust and understanding.
Local Revitalization Minister's Award winner and author of Japan Food Communication Hiroyuki Takahashi to visit Taiwan in September
(This article is sponsored by the Jianzhen Environmental Education Foundation for personnel expenses, but it does not interfere at all with news topics or interview writing, ensuring news independence.)