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Photo: ASMI Japan
AEON supermarket strengthening sales of Alaskan sockeye salmon
JAPAN
Tuesday, October 08, 2024, 00:10 (GMT + 9)
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) has teamed up with AEON Retail to promote MSC-certified "Alaska Salted Sockeye Salmon" and "Alaska Sockeye Salmon Roe Pickled in Soy Sauce."
These products are available at approximately 380 "AEON" and "AEON Style" stores across the Kanto, Hokuriku, Tokai, Kinki, and Chugoku-Shikoku regions from September to November. To kick off the campaign, a tasting event was held on September 26 at AEON Style Shinagawa Seaside to showcase the premium taste of wild Alaska sockeye salmon.
Targeting the MZ Generation
Yuji Hatsuse, a buyer in AEON Retail’s Marine Products Department, highlighted AEON’s commitment to sustainable seafood sourcing. "We aim to offer new value with Alaskan sockeye salmon and salmon roe. Our goal is to appeal to the MZ generation with convenient onigiri (rice balls) that showcase the flavor of sockeye salmon and roe."
(Right) Yuji Hatsuse, Seafood Products Department, AEON Retail Co., Ltd. (Center) Miyuki Kawarada, Representative of "TARO TOKYO ONIGIRI" (Left) Akiko Iegata, Trade Representative, Alaska Seafood Marketing Association
The sales goal for October and November is set at 120% of last year's figures for sockeye salmon and 106% for salmon roe. While salmon roe is predominantly consumed in the Kanto region and northern Japan, Hatsuse expressed hopes to expand its popularity to the Tokai area and beyond by featuring onigiri menus.
At the tasting event, onigiri made with "Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Cooked Rice with Salmon Roe" was offered, a creation by Miyuki Kawarada, president of RICE REPUBLIC and owner of the onigiri specialty shop TARO TOKYO ONIGIRI.
Global Appeal of Japanese Onigiri
Akiko Iegata, ASMI’s Trade Representative, expressed gratitude for AEON's choice of Alaska sockeye salmon and salmon roe amid a challenging market. She emphasized the growing recognition of Alaska's sustainable seafood as businesses shift toward responsible procurement.
In June, ASMI invited President Kawarada to Alaska, where he connected with international chefs and hosted a workshop on onigiri, a Japanese rice ball that is gaining global attention. Kawarada noted, "I was surprised at how globally aware chefs are about sustainability, and they’re increasingly interested in Japanese cuisine."
At the workshop, they originally served onigiri made with crab rice and salmon roe but switched to sockeye salmon for the AEON tasting. Alaskan sockeye salmon is a regular item at TARO TOKYO ONIGIRI and is particularly popular. Kawarada added, "We hope to further promote the appeal of Alaskan sockeye salmon in the future."
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