How to sell sweets to Japan? A story of a brave Ukrainian sweets producer. Part 2.

About this episode

Dmytro Shvets interviews Olena Tokar about Lol&Pop's successful entry into the Japanese market despite significant challenges.

Join Dmytro Shvets as he interviews Olena Tokar, CEO of Lol& Pop, about their "magical" entry into the Japanese market. Learn how a chance meeting at a trade show led to a major distribution deal, despite initial doubts and major hurdles. Discover the rigorous testing required in Japan, how Lol&Pop overcame blackouts in Ukraine, and why quality and persistence are key. Listen to the first part of the interview in the episode #42. Key Highlights : Unexpected success story of a Ukrainian candy maker in Japan. Deal with a major Japanese distributor and placement in 350 stores. Challenges of rigorous testing in Japan. Importance of resilience, adaptability, and quality. Practical tips for SMEs and exporters. Focus on the Japanese market specifically. Building trust and reputation. Joining industry alliances. Speakers LinkedIn Profiles: Dmytro Shvets https://www.linkedin.com/in/dshvets/ Olena Tokar https://www.linkedin.com/in/alonatokar/ Listen to Start Global Insights on all major podcast platforms. Don't forget to subscribe for more global business insights. Spotify: https://rebrand.ly/SGISpotifyRSS Apple podcasts: https://rebrand.ly/SGIAppleRSS YouTube…

People in this episode

Host: Dmytro Shvets

Guest: Olena Tokar

Topics covered

• international business
• market entry
• resilience
• quality assurance
• export strategies
• Japanese market

Keywords

• sweets
• Japan
• Ukrainian producer
• distribution deal
• testing
• resilience
• SMEs
• exporters

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lol& Pop

Places: Japan, Ukraine

More episodes of Start Global Insights: Global Sales, Local's Expertise, Actionable Case Studies

• International Hiring Strategy: How to Find, Contract & Onboard Your First Employee Abroad · June 3, 2026 · 33 min
• Negotiating with Ukrainians: Relationship First, Contract Second | Part 2 · April 29, 2026 · 39 min
• Understanding Ukrainians: A Business Cultural Guide | Part 1 · April 15, 2026 · 39 min
• How to Export to Australia: Market Entry Secrets with local expert · February 18, 2026 · 35 min
• How to Navigate Complex B2B Sales Qualification in Global Markets · January 21, 2026 · 35 min
• Intercultural Communication Decoded: The Global Anatomy of Trust · December 3, 2025 · 31 min