Strengthening franchise recruitment and development

「As a result, the total number of overseas stores stood at 18 in the consolidated fiscal year. The Group will continue strengthening store openings, primarily in Asia, under the same model, while also seeking to expand its store network in new areas such as the United States, including the West Coast, by leveraging the franchise model.」

「Overseas, as new openings for the 手のひら食パンうさぎの杜ベーカリー bakery chain, which operates in China under a franchise model, 上海五角場店 opened in Shanghai in April, followed in June by 人广来福士店 in Shanghai, 广州樂峰店 in Guangzhou and 深セン上城店 in Shenzhen. 平禄寿司, which operates under the same model in Taiwan, South Korea, China and other markets, also opened 国貿商城店 in Beijing in May and 盛世里店 in Ningbo in June. In Taiwan, 永順店 opened in Taichung in July, and in Indonesia, BUMI HEJO店 opened in West Bandung Regency in September.」

「Overseas, we will continue strengthening openings mainly across Asia through the franchise model for Palm-Sized Bread Usagi no Mori Bakery, which is expanding in China, and Heiroku Sushi, which operates in Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand. We will also use the franchise model to expand the number of restaurants in new markets, including the United States.」

「We will continue actively opening all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku restaurants under the Nikusho Sakai brand through both company-operated and franchised locations.」

「We will continue actively opening all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku restaurants under the Nikusho Sakai brand through both company-operated and franchised locations.」

「In the yakiniku business, which we position as a core format, we will continue carefully selecting candidate sites and actively opening all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku restaurants under the Nikusho Sakai brand, both company-operated and franchised.」

「During the period, in the yakiniku business, we opened 8 directly operated and 2 FC stores under the domestic beef all-you-can-eat yakiniku format 「肉匠坂井」. As of the end of December, the format had grown to 43 stores, comprising 35 directly operated stores and 8 FC stores, progressing steadily in line with the plan.」

「During the period, we opened 5 company-operated and 2 franchised restaurants under the all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku brand Nikusho Sakai. As of the end of September, the network had grown as planned to 40 restaurants, comprising 32 company-operated and 8 franchised locations.」

「During the period, we opened 2 company-operated and 2 franchised restaurants under the all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku brand Nikusho Sakai. As of the end of June, the network had grown as planned to 37 restaurants, comprising 29 company-operated and 8 franchised locations.」

「During the fiscal year, we opened 13 company-operated and 1 franchised restaurant under the all-you-can-eat domestic-beef brand Nikusho Sakai. As of the fiscal year-end, the network had grown steadily and generally as planned to 33 restaurants, comprising 27 company-operated and 6 franchised locations.」

「During the period, we opened 13 company-operated and 1 franchised restaurant under the all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku brand Nikusho Sakai. As of the end of December, the network had grown as planned to 33 restaurants, comprising 27 company-operated and 6 franchised locations.」

「The all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku brand Nikusho Sakai, which we are actively expanding, had reached 25 restaurants including franchises as of the end of September 2018. We opened 2 more restaurants in October and currently plan to open 5 additional restaurants from November onward, targeting a network of 30 restaurants by year-end.」

「In the yakiniku business, 3 Nikusho Sakai restaurants opened, including format conversions, bringing the total to 22 restaurants including franchises as of the end of June. We will continue to accelerate openings from July onward in the current fiscal year.」

「Nikusho Sakai Okazaki opened in November and Nikusho Sakai Ichinomiya Bypass converted to the format in December, adding 2 company-operated restaurants. Nikusho Sakai Seki Mago opened in October, adding 1 franchised restaurant, bringing the network to 17 locations as of the end of the third quarter. We will continue opening company-operated and franchised restaurants to expand the business.」

「「肉匠坂井」 Ichinomiya Bisai store opened in July, bringing the number of directly operated stores to 10, while 「肉匠坂井」 Fukuchiyama store opened in September, bringing the number of franchise stores to 4. As of the end of the second quarter, the format had expanded to 14 stores.」

「We also opened 3 new franchised Omurice-tei restaurants in the fast-food and restaurant formats, advancing the active expansion of strong-performing formats.」

「Opened 2 company-operated and 4 franchised Omurice-tei restaurants.」

「Since opening the first all-you-can-eat domestic-beef yakiniku restaurant under the Nikusho Sakai brand in June 2014, we had opened 11 restaurants, including franchises, by the end of the nine months ended 31 December. We planned to open additional company-operated and franchised restaurants in 2017, reflecting strong customer demand.」

「In the yakiniku format, 「肉匠坂井」, an all-you-can-eat Japanese beef brand, continued to perform steadily, with 8 directly operated stores and 3 franchise stores, for a total of 11 stores, as of the end of the second quarter. The Group will continue to expand the business, including through franchising, while regularly offering seasonal menus to satisfy customers.」

「For formats with strong brand recognition, we worked to strengthen franchise recruitment and development while leveraging that recognition and improving the formats through renovations and menu enhancements.」