"CoCo Ichibanya's Biggest Rival Was the Beef Bowl Chain"—Introducing an article contributed to Kodansha's "Gendai Business" ➤ Ranked #1!

[Media Publication Notice] An article regarding the strategy and current state of curry at beef bowl chains has been published in "Gendai Business" (Part 1 and Part 2).

When you hear "Japan's largest curry specialty chain," many people probably think of CoCo Ichibanya (CoCo Ichi). In fact, CoCo Ichi boasts a scale of over 1,500 stores domestically and internationally, and is recognized by Guinness World Records as a curry restaurant chain, making it truly a "lone winner."

But what would you think if I told you, "CoCo Ichi's true rival is actually the beef bowl chain"?

I have contributed an article covering this theme to Kodansha's "Gendai Business (Money Gendai)" in two parts: Part 1 and Part 2. Today, I would like to introduce a little bit of the content.

Part 1: Why are beef bowl chains so serious about curry?

In Part 1, I explain with data that the three major beef bowl chains—Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya—are actually developing curry as a main product alongside beef bowls, and that their store scale has already reached a level comparable to CoCo Ichi.

What is interesting is that the "curry specialty restaurant market as dining out" itself is still quite small compared to ramen or yakiniku. However, if you shift your perspective to in-home consumption, a completely different, huge market comes into view. I unravel the structure of how Japanese people eat curry on a daily basis.

Furthermore, in the article, I touched upon the fact that representatives from Yoshinoya and Sukiya are systematically learning about curry at the "Curry University" that I preside over, and the episode where Yoshinoya sends employees to India for a short-term study abroad program. The content reveals why beef bowl chains are cultivating curry not as a "side job," but as a serious second pillar.

▶︎ Click here for Part 1 CoCo Ichi's biggest rival was the "beef bowl chain"! The "reason why" Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya are "serious" about curry

Part 2: A thorough comparison of the three companies' strategies in terms of taste, menu, and price

In Part 2, I delve into the fact that while they are on the same "beef bowl x curry" playing field, each company has chosen a completely different direction.

Yoshinoya competes with simple beef curry, while Sukiya creates "the joy of choosing" with over 10 types of toppings. On the other hand, Matsuya keeps the main body simple while adopting a two-tiered design, aiming for an authentic-oriented customer base with a specialty brand called "My Curry Shokudo."

The difference in price strategy is also interesting. While Yoshinoya and Sukiya defend the price point around one coin, Matsuya competes in a slightly higher price range centered on its specialty brand. I feel this is a textbook case of competitive strategy, showing that even if you enter the same market, you can coexist if you change your position according to your company's strengths.

In the latter half, I organized the reasons why curry is so compatible for beef bowl chains from three perspectives: "operational affinity," "multiplication of customer motives," and "risk diversification." Finally, I summarized the implications that managers and marketing personnel can learn from this composition. I think it is a perspective that can be applied not only to the curry industry, such as how the scenery changes by changing the definition of the market, and that investment in adjacent areas is differentiated by the degree of seriousness.

▶︎ Click here for Part 2 Don't underestimate "beef bowl shop curry"... A thorough comparison of the capabilities of the three major beef bowl chains challenging CoCo Ichi: "Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya"

Conclusion

When you unravel the strategies behind the curry served at beef bowl chains that we eat so casually, you realize once again just how profound it really is. This content is sure to be enjoyed not only by those in the food and beverage industry but also by anyone interested in marketing and business strategy.

I would be delighted if you could read both the first and second parts.

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