The sushi market - France (2024)

1.2 A dynamic global market

The size of the global sushi market is difficult to estimate, as sushi is distributed via a number of different distribution channels: from specialist restaurants and chains to supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Below, we estimate the revenue generated by sushi consumption.

The market was worth *.** billion dollars in **** and is expected to grow at a CAGR of *% until ****, a sign of the market's expansion.

Revenues generated by sushi consumption Japan, ****-****, trillions of yen Source: ****

This growth in the sushi market is largely due to the rising standard of living in many countries, including emerging ones, which enables consumers to spend more on food. Indeed, sushi restaurants are often relatively expensive, due to the many fresh products used.

In addition, consumers' growing interest in the quality of their food and its impact on their health has encouraged the development of "upmarket" restaurants and restaurant chains.

However, despite their purchasing power, consumers tend to reserve sushi restaurants for special occasions or as an occasional treat, preferring to spend less on food for their everyday diet.

The sushi restaurant sector is characterized by different types of service, from table service to conveyor-belt delivery, with payment after the meal.

The global sushi restaurant market is ...

1.3 The French market, European leader

Sushi in France is distributed through two main channels:

sushi restaurants and kiosks supermarketsand hypermarkets.

Below, we can see a decline in sushi purchases in supermarkets and hypermarkets between **** and ****.

trends in supermarket purchases of sushi/sashimi/maki France, ****-****, in millions of euros Source: ****

However, Japanese foodservice sales of sushi in France have been on the rise since ****.

sales trends in the sushi sector France, **** - ****, in € millions Source: ****

Sushi restaurants:

In France, the *,*** Japanese restaurants face challenges in sourcing fish such as tuna and salmon, while trying to maintain a balance between quality and price. Once perceived as elitist due to higher prices than burgers or pizzas, these establishments are stepping up initiatives to make their offer more accessible to the general public, by meeting consumer expectations in terms of price, speed and diversity. Sushi Shop, for example, has innovated by offering poke bowls as an alternative to traditional sushi. Other professionals are moving upmarket, with regularly renewed menus based on fresh, healthy and natural products, prepared in front of customers. Transparency and the promotion of culinary expertise have become key factors in attracting and retaining sushi lovers[***].

Over the years,sushi offerings in France have diversified. Consumers generally ...

1.5 Home delivery and the new dark kitchen concept

The"ghost kitchens" market, more commonly known as"dark kitchens" or"ghost kitchens", concerns kitchens that sell food delivered to the home via online applications such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo and others. unlike traditional restaurants, it is therefore impossible to order and eat your meal on site. The brands of this type of kitchen are mainly virtual in that they have kitchen premises, but they are impossible to access. Dark kitchens offer everything from sushi and burgers to French specialties and foreign cuisine.

Global dark kitchens market size projections World, **** - ****, in $ billions Source: ****

The global market for dark kitchens is a highly dynamic segment of the foodservice market , accounting for an estimated *% of commercial foodservice in France. Some dark-kitchen markets, such as China and India, are more mature than others, and the number of dark-kitchen players continues to grow year after year, to the point where some experts believe the market will soon be saturated. In fact, *,*** ghost kitchens were already listed on the Uber Eats app in ****. Of these *,*** establishments, **% belong to independent restaurants, **% to restaurant chains and **% are dedicated exclusively to meal delivery[***].

The virtual restaurant phenomenon has spread across France, with a major concentration in the capital. ...

2.1 A very popular dish in France

According to the chart below, the favorite snacking places of the French, sushi represents **% of consumers' choices, showing a sustained interest in this Japanese specialty.

France's favorite snacking places France, ****, in Source: ****

However, this relative share also highlights that other options, such as classic fast-food outlets or bakeries, attract a greater proportion of customers. Consumers seem to value convenience and speed, prompting sushi restaurants to diversify their services (***) to hold their own in this competitive market.

Among savory snack foods, sushi, while still popular, has fallen out of the top * or even the top ** of French consumers' favorite savory snack foods since ****. Consumers are increasingly turning to choices perceived as more convenient, such as sandwiches, pizzas and hot takeaways. This shift in preference indicates a search for quicker, simpler options that are also more economical.

Savoury snack foods preferred by the French France, ****, in Source: ****

The graph below, which shows trends in the number of sushi and maki items purchased in supermarkets, highlights a drop in sales volume in tons, losing almost *** tons of sushi purchased in supermarkets.

number of tons of sushi purchased in supermarkets France, ****-****, in tons Source: ****

This decline could be the result of several factors, including ...

2.2 France's favourite types of sushi

Time of consumption

Sushi is mostly eaten in the evening, as the graph below shows, thanks to a Google Trend analysis.

The sense of conviviality and evening delivery services make it a convenient option. What's more, evening consumers are also prepared to spend a little more to treat themselves.

evolution of sushi demand over one week France, ****, in Google Trend Source: ****

Below, we analyze the evolution of sushi demand over one month. Sushi is particularly popular at weekends.

evolution of sushi demand over one month France, ****, in Google Trend Source: ****

Geographical distribution

The graph below shows that the Paris region is one of the most popular areas for sushi consumption.

France's favorite sushi spots by geographic region France, ****, in Source: ****

This can be explained by the fact that Paris is full of young professionals with demanding jobs, who prefer fast food. With a varied culinary offering, Paris offers many international snacking options, catering to the diverse tastes of its inhabitants. What's more, the capital's relatively high standard of living facilitates access to prepared meals such as sushi.

Types of sushi eaten

There are many different types of sushi, and it is difficult to assess the distribution of sales of each type ...

2.3 Sushi consumer profile

In order to identify the customer profile of fast-food sushi chains, we have drawn on an Opinionway survey carried out in **** on the favorite brands of the French. Unfortunately, only two sushi brands are included in this survey: Sushi Shop and Planet Sushi, but this will enable us to identify the main characteristics of their customers, which are undoubtedly found among customers of other sushi restaurant chains.

Appreciation of sushi chains France, ****, in Source: ****

Sushi Shop is slightly preferred by the French, ahead of Planet Sushi by *.*%. However, their score is not very high, perhaps because these restaurant chains are associated with the image of poor-quality cuisine.

Appreciation of sushi chains by gender France, ****, in Source: ****

There is a slight preference among women for sushi from this type of brand. In fact, the average rating given by women is *.**% higher than that given by men.

Appreciation of sushi brands by age group France, ****, in Source: ****

The age group that most appreciates these fast-food sushi brands is by far the ** - ** age group, followed by the ** - ** age group. It's not surprising that young people appreciate these sushi chains more than older age groups, as young people are more exposed to Japanese ...

3.1 Distribution through supermarkets, chains and independent restaurateurs

The value chain of the sushi market can be described as follows:

Source: ****

The chart below shows that the top ** fast-food chains include two fast-food brands, Sushi Shop and Côté Sushi.

Top ** fast-food chains in France by number of restaurants France, ****, in number Source: ****

The role of franchises in the sushi market

For both sushi and fast-food chains, franchising is the model par excellence. As explained on the Toute la franchise website, the overall investment consists of an entry fee and the purchase of equipment, financed by a personal contribution and a loan. The restaurant then pays several types of royalty to the franchisor. The operating royalty (***) represents a percentage of the franchisee's sales paid to the franchisor. The advertising royalty is similar to the operating royalty, but with the special feature that the franchisor cannot make any profit from it: it only serves to contribute to communication and advertising costs, on a national or local scale.

Source: ****

3.2 The different distribution channels

Sales in supermarkets

Sales of sushi in supermarkets and hypermarkets will fall sharply between **** and ****, in millions of euros. The sushi market's penetration rate in purchasing households is **% in ****, as shown in the graph below.

number of sushis/makis/sashimis in millions of euros France, ****-****, in millions of euros Source: ****

Sushi sales in supermarkets and hypermarkets are set to decline .

Online sales

Online sushi sales have expanded rapidly in recent years, in line with the general trend towards digitalization of foodservice. This development responds to growing consumer demand for convenient, accessible meal solutions, particularly in fast-paced big cities. Delivery platforms such as UberEats, Deliveroo and Just Eat have played a major role in popularizing online sushi shopping, enabling customers to easily order their favorite dishes from home or the office.

However, this trend towards online sales needs to be qualified, given that sushi in **** has just been eradicated from the Top ** favorite savory snack foods of the French , as discussed in paragraph *.*.

Sushi kiosks

In France, there are almost *** Hana Group multi-brand sushi kiosks, including Sushi Gourmet and Sushi Market.... Hana Group is one of theleaders in sushi and pan-Asiancorners in the supermarket sector, and between **** and ****, the number of ...

3.3 The competitive landscape for sushi sales in supermarkets

By ****, there will be *** sushi kiosks in supermarkets in France[***]. This is also linked to the growing demand for sushi to be eaten at home. The following is a list of the main players in the supermarket sushi sector.

Sushy Daily

Sushi Daily, part of the KellyDeli group, was one of the first to enter the sushi kiosk market, and is present in *** kiosks and windows in supermarkets. The brand continues to expand its offering with the launch of ** Korean street food recipes. Since its creation in **** and the installation of its first kiosk at Carrefour Ecully near Lyon, KellyDeli has developed several concepts. In addition to the Sushi Daily brand, the company has launched Korma Kitchen for Indian cuisine, BamTuk for Southeast Asian street food and, in ****, Kelly Loves for a range of grocery and beverage snacking products[***].

Sushi Gourmet

Sushi Gourmet, a European company owned by Hana Group, is Sushi Daily's main competitor. Sushi Gourmet is present throughout Western Europe, with over *** kiosks in France in ****. In ****, the company acquired US-based Peace Dining Corp to strengthen its expansion in the US and UK. In June ****, less than a year after this acquisition, Sushi Gourmet bought French competitor Eat Happy, ...

4.1 Sushi offer typology and pricing

Offer typology

Sushicomes in many shapes and types,each with its own unique taste and preparation method:

Sashimi is not sushi in the traditional sense,as it consists solely of thin slices of raw fish served with soy sauce and wasabi. Nigiri is a type of sushi consisting of small balls of hand-shaped rice, topped with a slice of raw fish or other ingredients. Maki:fromsushi wrapped in a sheet of nori,containing rice and various ingredientsfish or vegetables inside.it is cut into small slices for easy consumption. Uramaki:is a type of sushi also known as "nigiri with rolled fish"."nigiri with rolled fish"..the nigiri is wrapped in an extra layer of fish or nori leaf. Temakicone-shaped sushi, hand-rolled and garnished with rice and other ingredients. Chirashi is a sushi dish consisting of a bowl of rice topped with various types of fish, vegetables and other ingredients. Onigiriis a traditional Japanese dish composed mainly of rice that is shapedin the shape of a triangle or ball.

Pricing the offer

The price of sushi varies according to the distribution channel, the type of sushi, and the additional ingredient (***). In addition, restaurants usually offer platters or formulas with an assortment ...

4.2 Sushi opportunities in France

Focus on Nikkei cuisine

Nikkei cuisine is originally a blend of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, but sometimes extends to the combination of Japanese and South American cuisines. Existing since the end of the **th century with the arrival of a large Japanese community in Peru, this type of cuisine became popular in the years **** to ****. After developing in other parts of the world, notably in major American cities, the Nikkei cuisine trend took root in France in **** with the Côté Sushi[***] chain.

Other restaurants offering Nikkei cuisine have since emerged, as the following table shows:

to date, only one chain/franchise specializes in Nikkei cuisine in France. Then, with the exception of this chain, Nikkei restaurants in France are often gastronomic and are therefore positioned at the top end of the market.

note that "classic" Japanese restaurants may also offer a few Nikkei dishes on their menus. The above table only lists "specialists" in Nikkei cuisine, and South American restaurants such as Manko and Inka in Paris also feature a few Nikkei-inspired dishes on their menus. Uma Nota, on the other hand, claims to be a Brazilian/Japanese blend.

The products of these two gastronomic universes that are revisited to ...

4.3 Barriers to sushi offerings in France

Dependence on raw materials

The sushi market is highly dependent on fish and rice, its main ingredients.the graphs below, showing the price of Scottish salmon and bluefin tuna, as well as the financial price of rice from November **** to November ****, highlight highly unstable markets.

Scottish salmon

After rising sharply during the first month of national containment(***), the price of salmon fell steadily throughout ****, reaching €*.** per kilo in December. In ****, on the other hand, it rose steadily from €*.** per kilo in February to €*.** per kilo a year later in March ****, equivalent to an increase of +**.*% in one year. The price then jumped within a month to €**.** in April ****, before falling until November, losing **.*% in seven months. Salmon prices then climbed throughout late **** and early ****, reaching a record €**.** per kilo in April-May ****. The price has been falling ever since, reaching €**.** in November ****.

Scottish salmon prices France, ****-****, in €/kg Source: ****

Bluefin tuna

The price of bluefin tuna has fluctuated wildly over the past three years, reaching a low of €**.** per kilo in late **** - early ****. The price then settled between €**.** and €** per kilo from March to August ****, before climbing to €**.** (***) and remaining above €** per kilo until March ****. The tuna price then fell ...

5. Supervision of the restoration and sale of shushi

The sale of sushi must comply with regulations governing the sale of foodstuffs: in particular, Regulation (***) no. ***/****, which lays down hygiene rules for foodstuffs of animal origin[***].

To open a sushi restaurant, a number of conditions must be met:

Obtaining an operating license following training. Training lasts * days for new operators, or one day for those with ** or more years' professional experience, or for those who already have a takeaway license allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages between **pm and *am[***]; Administrative declaration obtained from the prefecture or town hall[***] ; Obtaining a license. There are two types of license that apply to sushi restaurants: the "petite licence restaurant", which allows the sale of type * and * drinks (***), and the "licence restaurant", which allows the sale of all types of authorized alcoholic drinks. For both licenses, however, the sale of alcoholic beverages is limited to meals[***].

The Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry lists a number of regulated categories to which the establishment, once set up, must pay attention:

Health and hygiene Safety and accessibility standards Opening hours Consumer information Smoking bans

Guides to Good Hygiene Practices (***) are useful tools for understanding and applying food hygiene regulations. They contain recommendations on various aspects, ...

6. Segmentation

• Planet Sushi Groupe
• Eat Sushi
• Matsuri
• Côté Sushi (ETLB Franchiseur)
• Lady Sushi
• O’Sushi
• Sushi Plaza
• Hana Group
• Sushiman (Kimoco SAS)
• Sky Kitchens
• My Sushi
• Sushi B
• Miushi Bistro d’Asie
• Sushi Daily - KellyDeli
• Itsu Grocery France (Bertrand Groupe)
• Sushi Gourmet (Hana Group)
• Foodiz Solutions
• CORNER CUISINE DISTRIBUTION (WASABI ASIAN STREET FOOD)
• Sushi Robots
• Sushi Shop Restauration New
• Sushi Shop Restauration New