Keeping Business Rolling

Popular conveyor belt sushi chain Sushiro seeks continual expansion in Hong Kong and Asia following opening of four outlets in the city.

With over 35 years of experience, Sushiro transformed from a traditional sushi shop in Osaka to one of the leading Kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurants in 1984 with over 550 branches in Japan. Famous for its budget-friendly sushi with fresh ingredients directly imported from Japan, Sushiro began its overseas expansion in 2011, and currently operates close to 40 outlets out of its home country, including Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.

High population creates opportunity for F&B

Sushiro arrived Hong Kong in 2019 and shortly within one year, the chain has expanded to four outlets in the city. Kazuo Aratani, President of Sushiro Hong Kong, said that the city has offered a huge market opportunity for Sushiro. “When we were looking for a place for expansion, we would pick regions that share the common rice culture with Japan,” Aratani said. “Therefore, we come to Hong Kong.”

He added, “the city is densely populated with a high eating out frequency. While sushi is extremely popular in Hong Kong, we also realise that Hong Kong consumers are very willing to spend on high quality food. That’s why this place is a top choice for our expansion.”

High quality consumer base and sophisticated logistics hub

Aratani has also noticed that Hong Kong market is highly sensitive to dining trends, and such market characteristic is beneficial for Sushiro. In order to attract and retain customers, Sushiro offers new or limited edition dishes on a monthly basis in addition to its extensive regular menu with over 80 items. “Moreover, Hong Kong’s low tax and excellent logistics has made food import very convenient. We can easily import fresh ingredient from our headquarters and maintain the same authentic taste from Japan,” he added.

According to Aratani, Sushiro’s sales in Hong Kong is relatively high among other overseas shops. “We have already reached our maximum capacity in our current outlets, and we are looking to open more shops in the city,” he revealed. “We hope to keep up with this momentum, establish a strong sushi brand in the market, and grow steadily in Hong Kong. Our target is to open four to six outlets per year here for the next five years.”

Sushiro currently employs 13 back office staff in Hong Kong with around 440 frontline employees. Aratani is impressed with the talent quality here: “we never had hiring problem in Hong Kong. The talent is of high quality with great work ethics and professionalism, and I am very satisfied with their performance.”

Aratani is also happy with the support from InvestHK. “When we were starting out, InvestHK has offered great help to connect us with different service providers. Their services have been very useful for business owners from helping us to understand the local market and culture, to providing market information and expanding our network,” Aratani concluded.