June 25, 2007

 

Burger King Japan to use only New Zealand beef

 

 

International fast-food chain Burger King is re-launching its use of all New Zealand beef in entering Japan anew.

 

Burger King, the world's second largest fast-food hamburger company, entered the Japanese market in 1996 with 25 outlets in Tokyo before it pulled out in 2001 after losing the business war with McDonalds and other fast food chains.

 

The 113-gram beef patties used in Burger King Japan's Whopper burgers will all be made from New Zealand grass-fed beef and supplied by Kiwi Pacific Foods Ltd. of Auckland. The Whopper burgers will sell for Y370 (NZ$4.00, US$2.99) while the Double Whoppers will sell for Y520 (NZ$5.60, US$4.20). Burger King Japan is also using fish and cheese from New Zealand in its product range for the Japanese market.

 

The chain has re-entered Japan with the opening of its first outlet in the high-market Shinjuku district of Tokyo earlier this month.

 

The use of New Zealand beef has been welcomed by Meat and Wool New Zealand Chairman Mike Petersen.

 

He added that the president of Burger King Japan Co. Shinichi Kasa is quoted in the Japanese media saying he believes consumers are willing to spend more money on good quality products.

 

The company has highlighted New Zealand beef at a time when diversification into Asia or any other better paying markets is welcome he said.

 

Burger King has opened its second outlet in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district on Friday, June 22 and is aiming to have 50 outlets operating in Japan within three years and 100 within five years.

 

Meat & Wool New Zealand's Japan office has worked closely with Burger King Japan before its re-launch in the market. The venture has incorporated the new Japanese-language logo - developed for New Zealand grass-fed beef - into its first print run of 50,000 tray mats.

 

Meat & Wool New Zealand Japanese representative John Hundleby said the use of New Zealand grass-fed beef by Burger King is an indication of the Kiwi's strong beef presence in the Japanese hamburger market. The two leading companies in the sector, McDonalds Japan and Mos Food Services, use New Zealand and Australian beef.

 

Japan is currently New Zealand's third largest export beef market in volume and second largest by value. In the 2005/06 year the country exported 42,280 tonnes of beef worth NZ$277.79 million to the Asian country.

 

Before the ban on US beef on mad cow disease in 2003, New Zealand beef was not popular as its Australian counterparts in Japan but has increased its profile and presence in the market during the absence of US product. As US beef only started reappearing in the market in relatively small volumes in the latter half of 2006 and is gradually increasing, New Zealand¡¯s beef market share has more than tripled from 2.1 per cent in 2003 to 8.5 per cent in 2006.