Success for “Shizusan” too, local flavor. What are the advantages of a local brand? The image of “local brand (in Hanamaru’s case, Sanuki udon) from the home of udon” that Hanamaru Udon is trying to obtain by relocating its headquarters is something that all udon chain companies, in particular, want to have. This is because “having the support as the authentic taste” in a certain region = having good customers in terms of both taste and service. For consumers, it is a safe choice, and for restaurants, it allows them to differentiate themselves from other restaurant chains. In recent years, Shisan Udon, founded in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, has expanded into the Kanto region in its 50th year of business. In the case of Shisan, however, over the past dozen years, every time they have expanded to Fukuoka City, Kyushu, and Osaka City, huge lines of 100 people have formed, and in 2024, an event aimed at gaining media exposure at an antenna store in Kanda, Tokyo, drew huge crowds. The company plans to continue this momentum by expanding to Yachiyo, Chiba Prefecture, and then to Tokyo. It is safe to say that Shiseido is making the leap from the “Taste of Kitakyushu” brand to the “Taste of Nationwide” brand. However, one company that is struggling to maintain a relationship with local brands is Marugame Seimen, which has the largest number of udon restaurants in the industry. The use of “Marugame” as the name of a place in Kagawa Prefecture is one thing, but the fact that Marugame registered the name as a trademark in the U.S. and took action that could be seen as pressure to withdraw from other restaurants that call themselves Marugame has drawn a lot of criticism, and the trust of Kagawa Prefecture has been severely damaged. Marugame Seimen has expanded into Kagawa Prefecture, but only one of its three restaurants remains. The company has always had a strong interest in eating out, and it was soon out of the spotlight in Takamatsu City, where the advance of Yoshinoya, Kentucky, and other restaurants caused kilometer-long traffic jams. …… The failure of the expansion was not only due to the nearly doubled price difference with individual restaurants, but also this kind of backlash was probably not unrelated. In recent years, however, a training facility, “Kokoro no Honten,” has been located on the remote island of Hiroshima in Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, and the mayor of Marugame attended the ceremony. In recent years, they have collaborated with the famous restaurants “Yoshiya” and “Oudon Setohare” in Kagawa Prefecture at the Marugame Seimen Dogenzaka store in Shibuya Ward, where the flagship store of Hanamaru Udon is located nearby. It is safe to say that the relationship between local governments and the industry is gradually becoming “reconciled. In 2022, Marugame Seimen jumped from 16th place last year to 1st place in the “Customer Experience Value Ranking 2022” released by C Space Tokyo, an Interbrand Japan Group company, and will maintain its 4th place position in 2023. Looking at the items of choice, items such as “I think it is for consumers” and “I think it is for me” stand out, and it is no longer a state of “I am chosen because it is Sanuki udon”. Marugame Seimen is chosen for a different reason than “being chosen because it calls itself Sanuki Udon” (a picture of “Sanuki Fuji” is displayed in the restaurant) while restoring the relationship with the home market, while Hanamaru Udon is chosen for its own strategy of competing on the strength of its brand originating from the home market.
© Source travel watch
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