Newsfrom Japan
Economy
Aug 27, 2025 12:14 (JST)
Tokyo, Aug. 27 (Jiji Press)–Major Japanese restaurant operators are venturing into offering dishes outside of their specialties, as they grapple with challenges such as rising ingredient prices and changes in demand following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attracting new customers through forays into new areas has become essential for eatery firms as they face limited growth potential in their existing businesses.
Matsuya Foods Holdings Co., a “gyudon” beef-on-rice restaurant operator, launched its first ramen shop, Matsutaro, in Tokyo’s busy Shinjuku district in July. It expects to attract employees at nearby companies as customers by offering soy sauce ramen at an affordable 680 yen per bowl.
Another gyudon restaurant chain, Yoshinoya Holdings Co., is actively acquiring regional ramen shops.
The efforts are aimed at diversifying risk, as the business of gyudon, which has few ingredients, is swayed heavily by rises in rice prices.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Jiji Press
AloJapan.com