October 19, 2012

Rise of Japan eateries boosts demand for Australia beef

The number of casual eateries in Japan that provide beef menus have rose significantly in recent years, boosting demand for beef from Australia.

A recent report by the Japan Franchise Association tallied 4,014 franchised foodservice outlets for curries and gyudon (beef rice bowl) as of March 2012, up 6% from last year and 56% more than the same period in 2003. Interestingly, the number of hamburger stores declined from 6,501 in March 2003 to 5,572 in 2012, while sales during the Japanese fiscal year 2011 (JFY, April 2011 to March 2012) increased 13% from JFY 2002 (April 2002 to March 2003).

While the outlet numbers reported by the association cover a large proportion of the Japanese foodservice sector, it does not cover the entire industry and therefore should only be used as an indicator of trends. However, the main finding of the report confirms the trend that more Japanese consumers are seeking low priced, convenient and satisfying beef meals when dining out.