Sushi wars roll into America as Japan’s top chains face off
As Sushiro re-enters the US, it joins a crowded market where sushi trade has grown more mature in recent years
As Japanese conveyor-belt sushi giant Sushiro prepares to open its flagship US outlet near Times Square in October, the country's sushi market is growing more mature. Sushiro, aiming to tap a mass-market segment, will offer a mix of takeout sushi and higher-end dining experiences. The chain first attempted to enter the US market in 2015 but withdrew due to mixed reviews.
Now, backed by hundreds of restaurants in Asia-Pacific, Sushiro plans to launch a three-story, 9,000 sq ft eatery featuring digital ordering screens, fast lanes, and private rooms. The sushi market in the US is valued at about US$22 billion, with about one-fifteenth of restaurant menus featuring the dish. Kura Sushi, another major casual sushi chain, has over 96 conveyor-belt restaurants across 24 US states and is planning more.
While demand for raw fish sushi is growing by 6% annually, most of it comes from non-specialty food service establishments. Major supermarkets like Kroger and Safeway also sell grab-and-go sushi. Sushiro CEO Masahiro Yamamoto sees the move as an opportunity to capitalize on the normalization of sushi in America, targeting over half of its revenue from overseas sales by 2035.
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