Japanese sushi chain ends Chiikawa rollout after staff caught selling freebies online

Japanese sushi chain Kura Sushi was compelled to terminate its Chiikawa marketing campaign following the revelation that its employees had stolen the free merchandise and resold it online. The campaign, launched on August 21, involved distributing limited branded items such as pouches and plates as well as offering customers a chance to win trinkets by playing prize-winning games.

Kura Sushi spokesperson Hiroyuki Kosaka expressed regret for causing inconvenience to customers. Shares of Kura Sushi fell by 2.5% on Monday. The Chiikawa phenomenon, created in 2020, has gained immense popularity despite its characters' grim lives depicted in their films and merchandise.