Japan's Aeon aims to serve eco-certified sushi in time for Olympics (updated)
21/01/2020 08:39
(Adds Kura Sushi opening a new restaurant)
TOKYO, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Japanese supermarket chain Aeon Co
Ltd 8267.T , Asia's biggest retailer by sales, said it aims to
start selling eco-certified sushi this year amid growing demand
for sustainable seafood and in time for an expected surge in
tourists during the Tokyo Olympics.
Japan is one of the world's biggest consumers of seafood.
While its consumers are known for paying a premium for
high-quality food products, and for setting global food trends,
Japan has lagged behind Europe and the United States in adopting
policies on traceability and sustainable fisheries.
"I would say awareness has really improved in recent years,"
Kinzou Matsumoto, general manager in charge of Aeon's seafood
merchandising planning, said on Tuesday as the company unveiled
an expansion of its eco-certified lineup of seafood to include
oysters approved by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
"Right now, certified items make up around 15% of our entire
seafood products. Ideally we want to bring it to around 20%," he
said, adding that it would soon have enough types of certified
fish to assemble assorted sushi packs.
"We want to sell certified sushi to visitors coming to the
Olympics, too... and that would have to be by June."
The MSC said Aeon's scale would help expand recognition for
sustainable seafood among Japanese consumers, and encourage
fisheries.
"A commitment from Aeon is critical in driving change," said
MSC's Asia-Pacific regional director Patrick Caleo.
Japanese businesses including beer makers and hotels are
making preparations to cater for record numbers of foreign
visitors to Japan this summer as Tokyo hosts the Olympic Summer
Games beginning in late July.
Kura Sushi 2695.T , among Japan's largest conveyer belt
sushi chains, is opening its biggest branch this week - a store
with 272 seats expected to draw 2,000 customers a day.
It forecasts that the number of foreigners visiting its
restaurants in Tokyo to rise by about a third compared to a
usual year.
Kura Sushi President Kunihiko Tanaka also defended the
safety of seafood in Japan, including those from Fukushima, the
site of the 2011 nuclear disaster.
Government data shows Fukushima seafood is "absolutely"
safe, Tanaka said, adding that Kura Sushi planned to open a
restaurant in Fukushima.
South Korea's Olympic committee said in December that it
plans to buy radiation detectors and ship homegrown ingredients
to Japan for its athletes because of its concerns over food.
(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando and Ju-min Park; Additional
reporting by Maki Shiraki; Editing by Christopher Cushing and
Susan Fenton)
((Ritsuko.Ando@reuters.com; +81 3 6441 1743;))