U.S. Pork Is King in Japanese Tonkatsu Restaurant Chain

(Editor’s note: This is the second in an occasional series of articles featuring restaurants in international markets that focus on and actively promote U.S. beef and/or pork.)

Start with a fresh pork cutlet about one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick. Not just any pork cutlet. It must be from the heartland – pure U.S. pork. Coat it in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and deep-fry it until it’s crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Serve it on a bun or slice it into bite-size pieces for dipping in a savory sauce.

No, you’re not in a diner in Iowa. You’re sitting in Inaba Wako in Tokyo, one of 120 restaurants in the Inaba Group in Japan that serves the fried pork delicacy tonkatsu that is a favorite across the country.

For the Japanese, tonkatsu is the pork version of Americans’ beloved hamburger. There are an estimated 5,000 restaurants in Japan that serve tonkatsu, and about one-third serve nothing else. Inaba Wako is among the leaders.

Satoru Kumagai, Inaba Group director, explains his company's appreciation for U.S. pork

Founded in 1976, Inaba Wako has served 100 percent U.S. pork since 1994 when the chain’s founder, Mr. Takeshi Inaba, was introduced to it by USMEF.   He found it to be so delicious that he switched from using primarily Danish and Korean product, even though the change cost $1 million extra per year at the time.

“I love the quality of U.S. pork,” he told USMEF staff.

After the changeover, Inaba Group surveys showed that its customers found U.S. pork to be more tender and full of flavor than they expected, and the chain, with support from USMEF-Japan, began promoting the positive attributes of the U.S. pork it serves through point-of-sale signage and advertisements on commuter trains.

The collaboration between USMEF and Inaba Wako continues to this day, and U.S. pork is identified prominently in its 120 outlets.  Inaba Wako will proudly sell some 1.3 million pounds of boneless U.S. pork loins, tenderloins and pork bellies this year.

While tonkatsu is a Japanese favorite, trend-watchers at the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, the consumer Web site, recently issued their list of U.S. cooking trends for 2010.  Near the top of the list is tonkatsu. “As Japanese cuisine becomes more mainstream, tonkatsu will easily cross over to become this year’s imported darling,” they report.

Soon, you may be able to find tonkatsu at that diner in Iowa.

If you can’t wait, here’s the location of one of the most popular Inaba Wako restaurants in Tokyo’s busy Takashimaya shopping center that draws countless shoppers daily:

Inaba Wako
Shinjuku-Takashimaya outlet
5-24-2, Takashimaya Times Square 13F
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

USMEF-Japan Web Site Generates Internet Buzz

Recent upgrades to the USMEF-Japan consumer Web site – combined with an endorsement by an influential “power blogger” – have made the site a must-see destination for thousands of Japanese housewives every day.

While the USMEF-Japan consumer site has always been a popular spot for women seeking information about U.S. beef and pork, locations where the products are sold at retail, and delicious new recipe ideas, the site has been expanded with a number of new features that are drawing added viewers.

Catering to Japan’s Internet-savvy consumer, USMEF also has developed a special mobile Web site that consumers can use to link to recipes on the USMEF Web site merely by scanning advertisements or packaging with embedded links.

USMEF-Japan was involved in a special screening of the movie “Julie and Julia” in Japan earlier this month, and one of Japan’s influential food bloggers wrote about a USMEF special event that demonstrated preparation techniques of the beef Bourgogne dish that was served in the movie, sparking greater awareness of the USMEF site:  http://www.americanmeat.jp/index.html

An advertisement developed by USMEF that featured an endorsement of U.S. beef by highly regarded chef Zenyoji of the renowned Hotel Okura in Tokyo has also drawn added attention to USMEF and its Web site.

“I always read the (USMEF) recipe page,” wrote one Web site visitor earlier this month.  “Especially this time because YOME-chan’s (top Japanese food blogger) is on the USMEF homepage.  I have bookmarked the USMEF homepage.”

On a typical day in recent months, the USMEF-Japan consumer Web site would attract visitors who viewed 2,000 pages of content related to U.S. beef and pork.  That number has jumped to more than 13,000 with the added visibility and changes in the site’s content.

“We receive feedback from consumers who value the kind of information we offer on our Web site about U.S. beef and pork,” said Tazuko Hijikata, senior manager of Consumer Affairs for USMEF-Japan.  “The recipes are an extremely popular feature, and the programs we are running that expose the food industry power bloggers – those whose blogs draw 5,000 or more visitors per day – to U.S. red meat are helping to spread the news about the quality and versatility of these products.”

In addition to continually updated recipes, consumers will find food safety and nutritional information on U.S. beef and pork, photos and descriptions of life in the American West, and notice of USMEF special events in Japan.

The Web site is supplemented by a magazine, “American Meat Café,” that is distributed monthly to people who subscribe through the USMEF Web site.  The magazine reinforces many of the elements of the Web site, providing recipes, restaurant information, discussions about seasonings that go well with U.S. beef and pork and other details.

“Both U.S. pork and beef have a very dedicated following in Japan,” said Hijikata.  “U.S. pork is the No. 1 choice among all imported pork.  And U.S. beef is extremely popular even though access remains limited.  As consumers learn more and have the opportunity to sample these products, they will return to our Web site for new and creative recipes to prepare meals for their families.”

Holiday Campaign Raises U.S. Beef Profile with Japanese Consumers

A pair of USMEF promotional campaigns this holiday season is designed to boost U.S. beef sales through both retail outlets and restaurants and help offset a year-end effort by the Australian beef industry to capitalize on that nation’s current low beef prices.

Point-of-sale signs promote U.S. loin cuts

A partnership with the extremely popular Gourmet Navigator Web site running through Dec. 27 will bring together restaurants in both the Tokyo and Osaka areas for a Christmas menu promotion of U.S. beef middle meats, including roast beef and steaks.

Gourmet Navigator, Japan’s most well-known restaurant Web site, draws more than 850 million visitors per month.   The Gourmet Navigator promotion can be seen at:  http://pr.gnavi.co.jp/promo/usbeefchristmasfair/.

A second promotion, developed with support from the Beef Checkoff, will pair USMEF with a number of national and regional retailers to specifically promote loin cuts through the end of December. Due to the economic downturn, many regional retail chains in recent months have concentrated on the sales of thin meats or economical cuts, sacrificing the quality aspect of U.S. beef.   With the stronger Japanese yen, however, USMEF has successfully worked with those regional retailers to upgrade the quality of the beef products by featuring ribeye, strip loins and other higher quality cuts which they seldom feature for the year-end-sales.

USMEF has developed special point-of-sale materials for each participating store, and is supplying trained sampling staff for key high-traffic outlets.

Ohio  “Pork and Beans” Support
Promotes U.S. Pork Ribs in Japan

Support from Ohio pork and soybean producers is helping USMEF introduce pork ribs to a wider range of consumers in Japan, which is traditionally the U.S. pork industry’s highest-value export market.

In conjunction with Market Access Program funding, Pork Checkoff support from the Ohio Pork Producers Council (OPPC) has been used throughout August and September to promote U.S. pork ribs at more than 100 Ito Yokado supermarkets in the Tokyo area. Ito Yokado is Japan’s second-largest retail grocery chain.

An important aspect of the promotion is the use of “kitchen stations” at 13 key Ito Yokado locations where customers can sample U.S. pork back ribs and receive tips on how to prepare and cook them. Pork ribs are a relatively new item to the Japan market, but they are quickly gaining traction with Japanese consumers.

Kitchen stations in Japan’s Ito Yokado supermarkets allow customers to sample U.S. pork ribs and to obtain recipe ideas and cooking tips

“Japan has been very important to our industry because they purchase so many loins,” said Randy Brown of Morral, Ohio, who serves on the OPPC board of directors. “But I think it’s very important that we promote new cuts in the Japanese market. The more cuts we get over there, the better it is for our pork producers – that’s for sure.”

Jean Bell, a Zanesville, Ohio, pork producer who chairs OPPC’s demand enhancement committee, agreed.

“Exports are just so critical for pork producers, and that’s why OPPC decided to make the investment in this promotion,” she said. “We felt it would be a very good thing for the entire pork industry to educate consumers about a product that has not traditionally been a big seller in Japan. Funding these cooking demonstrations and educational materials is a great way to promote U.S. back ribs and increase our pork exports.” 

Further support from Ohio agriculture will allow the rib promotion to continue into the fall months. Soybean checkoff funding provided by the Ohio Soybean Council will allow USMEF to extend the Ito Yokado pork rib promotions through October and to explore other retail opportunities for U.S. pork ribs.

“Pork producers are tremendous customers for the Ohio soybean industry, and we know how important this export market is to their profitability,” said John Lumpe, executive director of the Ohio Soybean Council. “We are very proud to participate in this effort to expand the presence of U.S. pork in Japan.”