Your future snack box dreams, or a kawaii sugary-fueled nightmare? Probably a bit of both.
So, you’ve been bitten by the Japanese snack bug (hopefully not the poisonous variety), and now you’re thinking, “Hey, I should share the love and start my own subscription box service.”
Maybe you've been inspired by the myriad Japanese snack subscriptions like Tokyo Treat, Japan Crate, and our very own Mascot Monthly Mix (which we later changed to Mascot Mix, because let's be honest: the former was a mouthful). That's right, Mix-Mix Mail started as a Japanese snack subscription box... where did you think our weird name came from?
We launched Mascot Monthly Mix in early 2020, and it was a wild, corona-filled adventure: from our first idea to our crowdfunding campaign, and everything after that. We're not going to get into all of it today, but if you’re brave enough to follow in our footsteps, let this lovingly written blog post serve as a guide.
Here's some tips that should help you with starting a Japanese snack subscription box!
Tip 1: Learn the Magic Word—Oroshi (卸)
Friendship ended with Mudasir. Now Oroshi is my new best friend.
Before you even think about sourcing Japanese snacks (why did you just think about sourcing Japanese snacks?! Stop that. STOP THAT RIGHT NOW.), you need to know the magic word: Oroshi (卸).
This means “wholesale” in Japanese, and trust us, it’s going to be your new best friend. Learn it. Love it. Copy and paste it. When you're Googling for suppliers, slap this word next to your search terms, and you'll unlock treasure troves of bulk snacks at better prices. This also means you’ll be dealing with businesses who might not exactly have “export to foreign snack box startups” at the top of their priority list, but more on that later.
Tip 2: Raid Rakuten and Amazon Japan
When you've been scrolling through Amazon Japan so long that you start to forget your own name.
At the start, Rakuten and Amazon Japan can be great places for sourcing those tantalizing Japanese treats. Rakuten, in particular, is a goldmine for regional specialties and bulk / bundled snack foods that will make your box stand out. Ever heard of Hokkaido’s famed white chocolate biscuits? Or Kyoto’s matcha-flavored everything? They’re all waiting for you on Rakuten, just a few clicks away.
But remember, you’re shopping like a local, not a tourist! So think volume, think variety, and think about sourcing Japanese snacks (that's right, you're allowed to think about it now. You've done well, holding back until now, friend.)
Oh, and don't forget to consider how you’re going to keep your subscribers coming back for more. Seasonal specialties are always in demand.
Tip 3: Tajimaya Oroshi—A Love-Hate Relationship
We have a wholesome theory that most wholesale suppliers are wholesale purchasing the whole of their supplies at wholesale prices from other wholesale suppliers.
If you’re looking for popular snacks and drinks that’ll make your customers swoon, you’ll want to get cozy with Tajimaya Oroshi. Oh yeah, remember that word from all the way back in Tip 1? Oroshi?
Aw yis.
Tajimaya Oroshi is one of the best wholesalers in the game, offering fantastic prices and a pretty easy UI to help you order a wide selection of foodstuffs --compared to the absolutely PREHISTORIC methods of most other Japanese wholesalers. You’ll need to create an account, and they require minimum orders of at least 10,000 yen every time you make a purchase, which is fair enough.
But --and this is a big UGLY but-- they only ship within Japan, so unless you're using a freight forwarder or have a warehouse in the country, be prepared for some challenges (by the way, we have a warehouse in the country and ship internationally... feel free to hit us up!).
Here's the downsides: Tajimaya’s communication can be spotty. Also, stock that appears available on their website sometimes isn’t actually in their warehouse, which might lead to some frustrating surprises. But hey, if you can navigate these hiccups, their service is usually top-notch, and you don't even need to have a registered Japanese company to source from them. It’s the kind of relationship that’s worth the occasional headache.
Tip 4: You'll Want to Use Japan Post (It's Going to Hurt)
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Shipping internationally from Japan is like trying to smuggle a greased-up octopus—especially when your package contains food. What does that mean? It means it's probably not going to be easy.
The big couriers like Yamato and Sagawa won’t touch your boxes with a nine-and-a-half-foot pole if there's a chance they contain anything consumable. That leaves you with the expensive options like FedEx and DHL... and also Japan Post, the old-school service that’s about as modern as a fax machine.
Japan Post it is then! Japan Post is your best bet because they don't demand FDA prior notice or extra customs documentation (most of the time), which is going to help a ton when you're just getting started.
However, as we've already mentioned Japan Post is incredibly analog—think manual labels, no pick-ups, and the possibility of dropping off your shipments at a local hub rather than your nearest post office. Oh, and you might have to sign and date every page of every label. Remember how much you used to hate spending time at the dentist's office? Get ready to relive that trauma every time you visit the Japan Post.
Tip 5: Prepare to Spend a Lot on Shipping
"Can I just give you my first-born child? No? You guy's stopped accepting that as a form of payment after the pandemic?"
Here’s the part that might just make you cry into your Pocky: shipping costs. International shipping is going to eat up the lion’s share of your budget. There isn't much more to say about this, so we'll keep it super duper short: shipping costs are probably going to be your single largest expense per box, so plan accordingly. You’ll need to factor this into your pricing strategy or risk losing money on every shipment.
Final Thoughts: Welcome to the Snack Hustle
Starting a Japanese snack subscription box is one hell of a *sugar rush*! Ohoho... alright, that's the last awful pun for this blog post :(
Starting a Japanese snack subscription box is a labor of love—emphasis on the labor. It’s a journey that’s filled with challenges, but also incredibly rewarding if you’re passionate about bringing unique flavors to the world.
From navigating the tricky world of Japanese wholesalers to wrestling with the logistics of international shipping, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart! Hopefully these tips ended up helping you a bit!
If starting a Japanese snack subscription box sounds like the kind of horribly painful adventure that your masochistic personality longs to try, consider making the experience considerably less painful by having Mix-Mix Mail handle your fulfillment needs! We’re pros at making sure your boxes get to your customers on time, without all the hassles of dealing with the complexities of Japanese logistics. We can even square things away with the FDA if you're shipping to the United States! Let us take care of the details so you can focus on what you do best—curating the most amazing snack experiences for your subscribers. Check out the rest of our site, or join now!