Menu development and customer service enhancement

「We made greater efforts than in the previous fiscal year to obtain Service Hospitality Certification qualifications, with 46 people newly obtaining certification. Among them, the number passing the highest-level Grade 1 increased by 19.」

「At Italian Dining DONA, our sommelier held a second seminar at a facility in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture, covering wine tasting and food pairing. We will continue to create opportunities to introduce the Italian Dining DONA concept through interaction with approximately 30 participants.」

「As another new initiative, we established a cake reservation website. Customers can now place orders online in advance, reducing the burden on customers when making reservations and improving store operating efficiency. Reservations for anniversary cakes, particularly birthday cakes, Children's Day cakes and Mother's Day cakes, have been well received.」

「At the domestic final of the Japan Siphonist Championship held on 10 October, 2 participants won awards. The previous year's champion, siphonist Tsukamoto, has qualified for the world championship, and we are working to enhance the Tsubakiya brand through lectures in Taiwan, a visit to Colombia and coffee procurement activities.」

「For the 3 new stores opened in October 2023, Saryo SiKi Tsubakiya Coffee Queens Isetan Sengawa, TSUBAKIYA Jiyugaoka and Kotegaeshi Sogo Chiba, we have been reviewing operations since opening and making improvements by promoting measures to increase operating efficiency, changing seating layouts and replacing back-of-house equipment. In terms of service, we are actively suggesting products so that customer behavior can be identified and reflected in operating initiatives, and are working to establish an operating structure that builds a base of regular customers and improves the repeat rate.」

「The newly launched freshly baked cream puffs, made using newly installed choux pastry baking equipment, have been very well received.」

「From 18 November, we introduced Tsukiji Monja at the Pastakan and Kotegaeshi Group. Following the development of “Monja Revolution,” with particular attention to the dashi and ingredients, including house-made mentaiko monja prepared in stores using cod roe from Maruju, the Tsukiji fish market merchant with a 160-year history, the initiative broadened the customer base by attracting younger customers.」

「Because the impact of people refraining from eating out during the COVID-19 pandemic affected sales mainly from dinner onward, we implemented menu initiatives focused on securing sales during lunch and tea time. The results of continuing to advance the food-merchandising business without easing our efforts also emerged, and operating profit was positive in both the first and second quarters.」

「We developed madeleine and financier baked goods, which are often purchased as gifts, to enable longer storage, extending their shelf life from 40 days to 90 days. From 30 August, we began selling 14 frozen products, including spaghetti, pizza, gratin and stew, at Aeon Style Shin-Urayasu, while focusing on the development of merchandise products for future expansion.」

「In particular, the Shine Muscat Cheese Zuccotto and Amaou Strawberry Zuccotto were featured on a morning information program and achieved sales of more than 100,000 pieces.」

「In the dine-in business, we developed products and conducted store training to ensure that customers looking forward to eating out again could fully enjoy the experience. Initiatives included a Winter Feast Fair prepared for a colder-than-normal winter, soup spaghetti, okonomiyaki and spaghetti menus using oysters from Hiroshima Prefecture, and Parmesan cheese risotto completed in front of customers as an engaging service experience.」

「Freshly made cakes are at the center of demand for our strategic products. The Shine Muscat Cheese Zuccotto, which was featured in the media in August, sold more than 100,000 units in 3 months, becoming an exceptional hit among our products to date.」

「From 1 June, as part of the Tsubakiya Coffee 25th-anniversary campaign, we began selling Tsubakiya Coffee Beef Curry, a retort-pouch product, in stores and through our own e-commerce site, the Tsubakiya Coffee online shop. In addition to its long 2-year shelf life, the product allows customers to enjoy authentic Tsubakiya curry at home, and sales have continued at more than 10,000 servings per month.」

「The coffee beans used by Tsubakiya Coffee, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, were switched to “specialty coffee” meeting international evaluation standards, improving the quality to provide a richer flavor and clearer taste. We also improved the quality of fresh pasta made without additives at the central kitchen and pasta sauces.」

「For Christmas cake sales, the largest sales campaign of the third quarter, we increased the size of individual cake portions and began accepting reservations through the Tsubakiya Coffee online shop under the theme “Christmas to Enjoy at Home.” As a result, the number of whole cakes sold was 86% of the previous year's level, reflecting the inability to gather during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, sales of individual portions rose substantially to 183% of the previous year's level, and total cake sales during the Christmas period exceeded the previous year.」

「As we continued developing the Tsubakiya Kitchen brand for takeout-only products, we also actively opened temporary outlets at large shopping centers. We focused on products such as omurice and okonomiyaki boxed meals, cakes, and frozen foods including lasagna and pizza that can be heated in a microwave, while repeatedly improving them based on customer feedback and concentrating on the development of top-quality products.」

「While remaining committed to the “top quality” product-development concept, suggestive selling of the Premium Iced Coffee and Aromatic Blend created through internal competitions helped increase average spend per customer. Growth was also seen in human-based service and extraction and cooking skills, including 2 store employees advancing to the finals of the national Japan Siphonist Contest organized by the Specialty Coffee Association of Japan.」

「We introduced halal-certified gelato made with Yokohama Beef and milk from cows at Ono Farm into our menus.」

「At existing stores, high-value-added menus contributed to building a base of repeat customers. Sales of cod roe and pollock roe spaghetti, which combines our house-made fresh noodles with luxurious seafood such as sea urchin and salmon roe, made a significant contribution across each format. In addition, despite severe external conditions, sales at existing stores in the third quarter reached 104% of the year-earlier level, supported by the Tsubakiya Coffee Group's new Aromatic Blend, specialty coffee made with rare, high-value Geisha beans, and the Strawberry Fair centered on strawberry shortcake, a seasonal staple.」

「In response to the consumption tax increase, we introduced menu initiatives including spaghetti made with luxurious seafood such as sea urchin and salmon roe, which pairs well with our additive-free fresh noodles, and the Tsubakiya Group's premium iced coffee launched for the summer. Combined with stronger suggestive selling in customer service, these initiatives produced synergies, increasing the number of dishes purchased and average spend per customer and helping to acquire repeat customers.」

「The rollout of outstanding entries developed by store cast members in internal competitions has attracted customer attention, while stronger suggestive selling at stores has helped increase average spend per customer.」

「While remaining committed to providing products at “top quality,” we held an internal product-development competition for all employees to promote menus tailored to the customer base and target market of each individual store. The initiative of incorporating winning entries into store menus is also beginning to produce results, with hit products including the Tsubakiya Premium Blend and Tsubakiya Premium Iced Coffee offered by the Tsubakiya Coffee Group and the Ducky Duck Group's Colorful Fruit Luxury Zuccotto.」

「Particularly among female customers and in occasions involving alcoholic beverages, the rollout of menus using newly introduced raclette cheese and steak menus featuring beef and lamb has contributed to the recovery in customer numbers. The development and introduction of the Tsubakiya Premium Blend at all Tsubakiya Coffee stores, created by adding a premium quality element to trends through an internal competition, also helped raise average spend per customer.」

「This fiscal year, with providing products at top quality as one of our missions, we have actively taken on new challenges to assess our level and achieve further improvement through participation not only in internal competitions for employees and cast members (part-time staff), covering coffee extraction, plating techniques and service speed, but also in various external competitions. In external competitions, the Kanto A team, which included Yuge­ta (弓削田), a roaster at Tsubakiya Roaster, won the national title at the Roast Masters Team Challenge 2018 organized by the Specialty Coffee Association of Japan (SCAJ). At the 7th Tarte-1 Grand Prix organized by the Japan Confectionery Association, Azegami (畔上), who is involved in cake production in the confectionery division, placed 6th in the national competition. At the Tokyo regional competition of the customer service role-playing contest organized by the Japan Shopping Centers Association, Mitsuhashi (三橋) of Tsubakiya Coffee was runner-up. In addition, 3 others advanced to regional competitions as shopping-center representatives. These results are beginning to demonstrate the benefits of our focus on improving product quality and customer service skills.」

「Across the Group, providing every product at top quality is our highest priority. We have pursued ingredients, changed equipment such as rice cookers, and researched cooking methods to bring out the best flavors, including rice suited to Tsubakiya original curry and rice and sauces suited to Ducky Duck omurice.」

「In menu planning, we worked to highlight the characteristics of each division clearly and prominently, developed highly topical cakes and sweets and steaks incorporating current trends, and incorporated events such as the PyeongChang Olympics, which captivated Japan, and the birth of Xiang Xiang into our sales promotions. We are also placing greater emphasis on in-store marketing.」

「We will continue to reflect this energy in store operations, including menu planning, in-store marketing and customer service, and work to improve performance.」

「In product development, visually appealing products such as chocolate-mint desserts and “Golden Cheesecake” made a significant contribution to retaining repeat customers. In addition, the rollout of meat dishes suited to alcoholic beverages at Italian Dining DONA, Pastakan and Kotegaeshi, operated by the Dining Company, has helped attract group customers.」

「Once customer numbers had recovered, we further strengthened menu planning as a sales-enhancement measure. We focused on developing steaks suited to alcoholic beverages for dinner service appropriate to a dining restaurant, while web-based promotions also proved effective in attracting group customers.」

「In menu planning, to accommodate the expanding ways in which customers use our stores, we have continued to develop a succession of new menus based on an eight-season calendar, in addition to seasonal menus, with “beauty and health” and “events” as themes. Led by the production company, we have also developed many new products for off-premises sales, including Tsubakiya bottled-can coffee and house-made bread.」

「In menu planning and sales promotion, Ducky Duck developed the “Koi Dan! Beautiful Skin Smoothie,” with an emphasis on women's beauty and health, and introduced menus offering the taste of fresh fruit and a refreshing sensation. In addition to the “Christmas Fair” and “Strawberry Galore Fair,” which emphasized events as well as the seasons, we changed to premium tableware to increase the value customers receive when enjoying the products.」

「At Spaghetti Shokudo Dona, to increase sales, we are focusing on developing à la carte menus that allow customers to enjoy alcoholic beverages casually in an open, spacious interior, alongside changing the signage and installing flags in connection with the logo change from “Spaghetti Shokudo Dona” to “Italian Dining DoNA” and “Spaghetti Shokudo DoNA.”」

「In menu development and sales promotion, the Tsubakiya Coffee Group operated by Cafe Company has promoted the development of seasonal products, including monthly specialty coffees, while the Ducky Duck Group introduced products such as Venus Mango Tart and Rainbow Shaved Ice. In particular, the chocolate mint and banana tart and Cremia soft-serve ice cream generated a strong response on Twitter and other social media and produced positive results.」

「We will work to improve cooking skills through menu development focused not only on the enjoyment and beauty of food seen by the eye before it is tasted, but also on the image of eating it, including price, size and appearance, as well as through the use of our in-house culinary certification system.」