On Tuesday, February 22 at 1 pm CST, the Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO), established by the Japanese government, will be sponsoring a virtual Town Hall event with the Retail Bakers of America. RBA’s Certified Master Bakers will showcase their rice flour recipes, and attendees to the virtual event will receive free samples of Japanese rice flour afterwards.

Japanese rice flour is a gluten-free ingredient. Rice has been produced in Japan for over 3,000 years, and there has always been a focus on bringing out the delicious flavor naturally possessed by the rice. Made with expert Japanese craftsmanship and boasting exceptional quality, Japanese rice flour has fine particles that are very uniform in size compared to rice flour produced in other countries, giving it certain qualities that make it especially well-suited for baking the products of a gluten-free bakery.

The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO) was established on April 1, 2017, within JETRO. JFOODO will devote its resources to the branding of Japanese agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products. To further boost the export of Japanese agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products, JFOODO will work to create a stronger platform for overseas B to C promotions and branding projects that stimulate international demand.

JETRO, or the Japan External Trade Organization, is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Originally established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad, JETRO's core focus in the 21st century has shifted toward promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium size Japanese firms maximize their global export potential.

The virtual Town Hall event is free to RBA members and $10 to non-members.