Restaurant chain Matsuya Foods launched its first permanent department-store outlet at Matsuya’s store in the posh Ginza district of Tokyo on Wednesday, as the two Matsuya brands seek synergies from their stepped-up collaboration.
The Matsuya Premium Ginza store, opened in the basement food hall of the Matsuya Ginza department store, offers upscale takeout dishes including premium gyūmeshi beef-on-rice bowls.
Specifically, the outlet sells seven premium menu items, including a standard-size gyūmeshi bowl using high-end Kobe beef priced at ¥1,390 and a ¥1,681 set of a tomato-sauce hamburger steak made with Japanese black wagyu beef topped with a soft-boiled egg and steamed rice.
Matsuya Foods said the premium store offers a more refined customer experience than at its standard outlets, such as having a luxurious exterior appearance and using wappa traditional wooden food containers.
Customers began lining up in front of the store before it opened.
“I came here after seeing a social media post (on the store),” a woman in her 40s said, “I’m looking forward to trying the food.”
The two Matsuya companies collaborated on limited-time products last year, which proved popular with customers.
The high-end items at Matsuya Premium Ginza “have been designed as an upgraded version of our established flavors,” a Matsuya Foods official said.
“We want to test whether we can create products that appeal to elderly customers and women,” the official said. “This is a chance to test ourselves.”
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