Boston’s Japanese food scene got more diverse with the opening in April of Sakabayashi Sushi Tavern, a subsidiary of Japan’s largest conveyor-belt sushi chain, Sushiro. The restaurant is the first investment of its parent company, Food & Life Co., in the United States.
Sakabayashi retained the original restaurant’s izakaya style of dining, wherein patrons can eat and drink in a casual setting. With menu items priced from under $10, the restaurant wants to attract a diverse crowd.
“Ensuring affordability while providing an authentic Japanese experience to Americans is paramount. Eighty percent of our menu is recreated from Japan. Our raw ingredients are sourced from our global procurement chain,” said Food & Life Companies USA President Yosuke Tanaka.
Although Sakabayashi Sushi Tavern is Food and Life’s first foray in the country, the group has many years of international experience. With operations in eight countries, primarily in Asia, Food & Life aims to generate $1.45 billion in overseas revenue by the end of the fiscal year 2026 by opening more conveyor-belt sushi restaurants in the United States.
“Our priority is not limited to deploying our existing brand but also to discovering, developing, and expanding new brands and food-services formats through the reinforcement of our competitive advantages in ingredient development, procurement, and supply chain management,” said Food & Life Ltd. President and CEO Koichi Mizutome.
Mizutome’s confidence stems from the growing popularity of Japanese cuisine in the United States. In 2023, revenues of sushi restaurants in America grew by 4.5% and are expected to grow further, according to research firm IBIS World.
In the United States, ramen shops are also growing more popular as various Japanese chains, like Fukuoka and Ramen Santouka, plan to open more outlets across the country.
