Rapa Nui Honey arrives in Japan as a premium product through ProChile
The sale began at the honey-specialized store “L'ABEILLE”, based in Tokyo.
Chilean honey continues to consolidate its presence in international markets. Thanks to the joint work of the ProChile commercial office in Japan and in Valparaiso, an export of nearly 300 kilos of honey produced in Rapa Nui to the demanding Japanese market was achieved.
The honey from Rapa Nui is sold at L'ABEILLE, a specialized store offering over 80 varieties of honey sourced from 12 countries, as part of its "Premium Honey" line, comprised of a carefully curated selection of honeys notable for their exclusivity and high quality. Currently, it is available in limited quantities at the Azabudai Hills store in Tokyo, the official online store, and the Nagoya branch.
It is marketed as a premium 350-gram product presented in an exclusive box and is positioned within the highest category of the high-end honey market.
The exporter is Rodrigo Labra Cortes, one of the beekeepers from Easter Island and owner of the brand "Honey Meri". The trading became possible following the visit to Chile by the CEO, Yuji Shiranita, and his team of buyers, who were in the country thanks to the management of ProChile in 2024, after inviting them to participate in the "Food and Service" fair.
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Subsequently, the team visited Easter Island, where through business meetings with Rodrigo, they were able to deepen their understanding of the product quality, its manufacturing process, the initiatives developed at the local level, and the passion that drives his beekeeping work. This honey from Easter Island obtained, for the first time in history, the authorization to be exported abroad.
The exports of honey in 2025 reached US$21 million, according to ProChile with figures from the National Customs Service, where about 80% is concentrated in Germany and France.
The General Director of ProChile, Ignacio Fernández, comments that "this milestone for the export of Chilean honey to Asian markets such as Japan reflects the high-value-added offering that we possess and highlights the efforts we have made for years with the public and private sector for the diversification of honey shipments, with actions like the hosting of the international event Apimondia 2023 in Chile, where there was great interest from the Japanese market in Chilean honey, as well as bringing in importers and taking exporters from Japan and Chile".
The authority added that Japan is one of the main honey markets worldwide, due to limited local production and a stable domestic demand that associates honey not only with food, but also with preventive health and traditional medicine. Therefore, we hope this export - positioned in the premium segment - will open doors for other producers.
He also highlighted that honey is one of the Chilean products that benefited from the entry into force of the CPTPP, where since April 1, 2025, it reached a 0% tariff.
According to a study conducted by the trade office of ProChile in Japan, honey consumption in this market amounts to 40,000 tons per year, where the Asian market alone produces about 3,000 tons per year. In addition, according to surveys by Yamada Bee Farm and Rakuten Research, over 70% of Japanese consumers use honey at least once a month, and about 40% consume it weekly.
Features of Easter Island Honey.
Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Easter Island has an exceptional environment, considered one of the few places in the world where no diseases affecting bees have been recorded.
The honey comes from the nectar of a great diversity of flowers present on the island, including banana, avocado, guava, passion fruit, eucalyptus, and citrus species. According to the sensory evaluation carried out by "L'ABEILLE", it is characterized by a delicate and deep tropical aroma, with notes that evoke tropical fruits, dried fruits, hibiscus, and pineapple. To preserve the original aroma and taste that the beekeeper considers essential, the honey was not subjected to any heat treatment and was air transported to Japan.
For Rodrigo Labra, this was a job that took several years, as the visit from the Japanese representatives took place at the end of 2024, the harvest in 2025, and only in February of this year was he able to send the honey. "This is a project that we have been working on for several years. The Japanese people were not only interested in the product for its characteristics, but also in my personal story and in the history of the Island and how it connected with the honey. I thank the entire ProChile team in Valparaiso for their counsel and constant concern in order for this business to succeed. Also to the local offices on the island of INDAP, Sercotec and SAG," he said.
From this initiative, ProChile and L'ABEILLE plan to strengthen their collaboration to continue promoting the appeal of Chilean honey in the Japanese market.