News Don Quijote's TKG raw-egg topping a smash among Japan travellers

[thomas]

TKG = tamago kake gohan

Japanese discount chain Don Quijote has found massive success with foreign visitors thanks to its raw egg-flavoured rice topping. In early February, tourists at the Mega Don Quijote Shibuya store eagerly stocked up on branded food items, with the TKG raw egg-on-rice sauce — priced at ¥647 (£3.40) for an eight-pack — flying off the shelves.

Photo credit: Asayama Ryo​

Pan Pacific International Holdings, which runs Don Quijote, introduced a range of rice bowl products in November, now totalling 66 items. The TKG sauce quickly went viral on social media, selling 160,000 units by mid-February, with overseas tourists accounting for 40% of sales. Since selling 20,000 units marks a product as a hit, the raw egg topping has officially been labelled a "global sensation."

Don Quijote's sauce comes in two small containers. One contains soy sauce, and the other is a yellow sauce that resembles egg yolk made from vegetable oil, egg yolk, and bonito extract. The soy sauce is sweet and contains kelp stock. Selling Japanese food abroad can be a challenge. In the past, Don Quijote sold bottles of seaweed tsukudani topping at some stores in Singapore, but sales were poor because no one even thought of putting it on rice. "Local people have no idea how to eat or use natural ingredients to Japanese people," said Takao Yasuda, who founded the chain and now serves as a top adviser.

Paywall alert:

Don Quijote's TKG raw-egg topping a 'global hit' with visitors to Japan

Sauce popular with tourists goes viral on social media, selling 160,000 units in 3 months

asia.nikkei.com

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[mdchachi]

My wife's on top of it. I showed her this and she pulled some out of the pantry. She had picked some up last November when it first came out. She said she doesn't care for it that much and prefers Kaldi's similar product.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Wow, that looks...less than appetizing.

 

[mdchachi]

Wow, that looks...less than appetizing.

Yesterday the TV had a segment on trending konbini foods combinations. The one I remember was taking the tomato-chili instant cup noodle and adding a konbini pack of ebi-chili to it. I found a tiktok of the idea. I think I'll pass and just get some onigiri instead.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Sadly, I can actually see those two flavor profiles working together. They're both chili based, after all. But why bother when there's actual good food to be had that's not so processed? I'll have the onigiri right beside you.

 

[mdchachi]

Sadly, I can actually see those two flavor profiles working together. They're both chili based, after all. But why bother when there's actual good food to be had that's not so processed? I'll have the onigiri right beside you.

Yes, I think it would be edible and I could eat it too. But it would be such a waste of a meal experience in Japan. There are so many better options.