Retailers in Japan ramping up eel sales ahead of Day of Ox

Supermarkets and department stores are trying creative ways to attract consumers who are thrifty due to persistent inflation, offering diverse lineups ranging from luxury to affordable products and even including super-extralarge eel dishes, which are good for sharing.

Aeon Retail Co. has procured a record 110,000 extra-large and super-extralarge eels. "We've curbed procurement costs by buying in bulk," a company official said.

Despite rising costs, Aeon maintained the price for super-extralarge grilled eels weighing 250 grams, enough for two or three people, unchanged from last year at 3,866 yen.

Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co. is offering eel dishes in a wide price range at its flagship Daimaru Tokyo store. Customers can choose from high-end meals priced at 5,000 yen to affordable options, such as rice balls with tempura fried eel priced at 1,118 yen.

Catches of juvenile Japanese eels are reportedly abundant this year, the first such occurrence in five years. However, the increase in supply will not be reflected in retail prices until autumn, according to an official of a major retailer.

For now, prices of eel "bento" boxed meals have risen roughly 10 pct year on year, partly due to rising rice costs.

Fast food chain operators are also launching unique eel-based products.

Lotteria Co. has introduced its first eel offering, a teriyaki eel-on-rice burger, priced at 990 yen.

Restaurant chain Royal Holdings Co. is offering seven Western-style eel dishes through its Royal Host outlets, including eel and egg pilaf priced at 3,608 yen. "We want younger generations and visitors from abroad to enjoy them too," a company official said, expressing hope that the dishes appeal to a wide range of customers.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]