FAQ

FOMAC is a B2B matching platform that connects Japanese food companies, manufacturers, and producers with overseas supermarkets, restaurants, and buyers. You can list product information, search for counterparts that meet your criteria, and begin discussions directly through messaging.

We currently focus on the United States, Canada, and Singapore. Registered businesses include Japanese grocery stores, Asian supermarkets, and Japanese restaurants — those that already carry Japanese food products or have a strong interest in doing so. We plan to expand to further countries over time.

FOMAC is intended for corporations, sole proprietors, and their representatives using the service for business purposes. Sole proprietors are welcome to register. Please note that FOMAC is not a service for individual consumers.

Account registration, company and store profiles, product listings, search, matching, and messaging are all free of charge. No credit card is required.

Fees apply only when you sign up for an individual service such as shelf rental (rack jobbing), trade fair participation, sales channel development support, an on-site inspection tour, or support with shipping and customs arrangements. Nothing is charged automatically without an application from you. We present pricing individually based on the scope, and the service begins only once you have agreed to it.

We do not charge a fee simply because a deal has been concluded. However, for projects in which we are closely involved in sales channel development or transaction support, we may charge a commission under a separate agreement. In such cases we explain the terms and obtain your agreement in advance.

Yes. In your profile you can select "Not yet export ready" or "Open to discussion" under export readiness. We never decline a registration because of a lack of export experience. FOMAC is designed with companies beginning to consider overseas expansion very much in mind.

Messaging on FOMAC is a three-party chat involving the Japanese company, the overseas store or buyer, and FOMAC Operations. If you have difficulty with an exchange, our team will support you, so please do reach out even if you are not confident in English. Please note that automatic message translation is not currently available.

No. Wholesale price, minimum order quantity (MOQ), and shelf life are optional fields, and you may list products without disclosing them. That said, products with more complete information tend to progress further with buyers, so we recommend entering as much as you are comfortable sharing.

You can set each item to public or private. Information you choose to publish becomes viewable by other registered users, so please set the scope at your own discretion. Message content is never visible to users other than your counterpart in that discussion.

Yes. FOMAC is available in Japanese and English, and you can switch languages from the top right of the screen. Chinese and Korean are planned for the future.

Minimum order quantities vary by product and are set by the listing company. Where an MOQ is stated on the product page, please refer to it. If none is stated, or if you would like to discuss terms, you can contact the company directly through messaging.

FOMAC supports these arrangements, working with partner logistics providers and licensed customs brokers. We obtain quotations tailored to the product, quantity, and destination and present them to you, so please feel free to ask us at any stage of your discussions. The transport and customs procedures themselves are carried out by licensed operators, and freight and customs charges are invoiced to you directly by those operators.

We currently use criteria-based matching drawn from registered information. Candidates are scored and presented based on factors such as the match between a product category and a store's categories of interest, the match between target sales country and store location, export readiness, compatibility with the store type, and profile completeness. AI-based matching is planned for future development.

This varies considerably depending on the product and the target country, so we are not able to promise a timeframe. The more complete your profile and product information, the more accurate your matching becomes and the more likely you are to come to a buyer's attention.

Messaging on FOMAC is a three-party chat involving the Japanese company, the overseas store or buyer, and FOMAC Operations. We stay across the content in order to prevent misunderstandings arising from differences in language and business practice, and to support discussions where needed. It also helps us prevent misuse. Access is limited to staff with the authority necessary for their duties, and we do not use message content for any purpose beyond this support.

The sale of goods itself is contracted directly between the Japanese company and the overseas store or buyer. FOMAC does not act as a party, agent, or guarantor in that sale. However, where you use one of our individual services — such as support with shipping and customs arrangements, or sales channel development support — you enter into a separate agreement with us covering that scope. That agreement is distinct from the contract for the sale of goods.

Transport and customs procedures are carried out by the logistics providers and licensed customs brokers we arrange, and we explain the extent of our support at the quotation stage. Food labeling compliance, permits, licenses and facility registrations in the exporting and importing countries, and the issuance of health or origin certificates remain the responsibility of the party required to obtain them, and fall outside the scope of our support. An "export ready" indication on a profile is based on registered information and is not a guarantee by us that export to, or sale in, any particular country is possible.

In principle, issues between users are resolved between the parties concerned. However, where we judge it necessary as the operator, we will provide support within reasonable limits, such as verifying the facts. Where an issue concerns transport or customs clearance that we arranged, we act as your point of contact and handle matters with the logistics provider or customs broker. Please contact our inquiry desk in the first instance.

Yes. For companies we meet at trade fairs or in business discussions, we may carry out the registration process on their behalf at their request or with their consent. In such cases the information is kept private until you have reviewed it and consented to publication. The account is handed over to you afterwards.

Please contact our inquiry desk. If you have unresolved discussions or outstanding payments, those obligations remain after withdrawal. The handling of registered information after withdrawal follows our Privacy Policy.