japanese food

Seijo Ishii is the jewel in Lawson’s crown. Where next for the gourmet retailer?

Japan, Market entry, Retail / By

Lawson is one of the big guns in the Japanese convenience store channel. It boasts close to 15,000 outlets domestically, second only to 7-Eleven. Lawson has not sailed untarnished through the pandemic. Its shopper traffic dropped, it sold fewer impulse items and as a consequence the profitability in its core CVS business declined. In 2014 …

Seijo Ishii is the jewel in Lawson’s crown. Where next for the gourmet retailer? Read More »

Hamayuu is the first authentic Japanese restaurant to open in Chester, and it’s booming!

Ethnic food, Export, Japan / By

Last weekend I visited old friends in Chester, England. Chester is one of the country’s historical gems, originally settled by the Romans; an old city wall which still encircles the city, a stunning cathedral and an eclectic range of shops. This year the city welcomed its first Japanese restaurant. It’s called Hamayuu. It was impossible …

Hamayuu is the first authentic Japanese restaurant to open in Chester, and it’s booming! Read More »