Economy Rising chicken costs reshape Japan's bento industry

[thomas]

As food prices continue to rise across Japan, chicken and eggs, long considered reliable staples for budget-conscious households, have also become increasingly expensive. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on 16 June that the average retail price of chicken thighs reached ¥155 per 100 grams, the highest level since comparable records began in 2003.

The sustained increase is putting pressure on restaurants and food manufacturers. A growing number have been forced to revise menus, switch ingredients or raise prices to cope with higher costs. Many businesses have tried to avoid changing popular or signature items for fear that customers might turn elsewhere. For some, however, keeping menus unchanged is no longer a realistic option.

"We couldn't raise prices, so we decided to replace ingredients." That is how a spokesperson for Kiyoken Co., a food company based in Yokohama, described the situation. The company partially changed the side dishes in its "Yokohama fried rice" bento on June 1. The meal sells for 890 yen (about $5.60), including tax. The bento, popular among women and children, contains small portions of side dishes including shumai dumplings, simmered bamboo shoots and other items. But after chicken prices surged, Kiyoken replaced one of its most popular side dishes -- chicken in chili sauce -- with shrimp in chili sauce. It was the first menu revision in about 20 years. Kiyoken had been using imported chicken from countries including Thailand. But "around March, when the situation in the Middle East worsened, we started seeing chicken prices rise," the spokesperson said. The company had already raised prices for all of its bento products in February. Seeking to avoid further price hikes, it opted to change the ingredients instead.

It is not only chicken meat that has become more expensive. Egg prices have also remained stubbornly high. The ministry said on 16 June that the average retail price of a mixed-size pack of 10 eggs stood at ¥309, matching the record high reached in May.

According to the Japan Poultry Association, prices may begin to stabilise around the summer. The group said the number of laying hens, which fell after large-scale culls during bird flu outbreaks, is expected to recover to normal levels in the coming months. Even so, consumers may have to wait a while before chicken and eggs become noticeably cheaper. As inflation continues to squeeze household budgets, foods once seen as dependable low-cost staples are becoming increasingly difficult to afford.

Chicken prices hit record high in Japan, forcing changes to bento menus - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- As prices for a wide range of foods continue to climb across Japan, chicken and eggs -- long regarded as affordable staples for budget-consci

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