元気寿司 has changed its company name to Genki Global Dining Concepts and is taking on the market with “no-conveyor-belt sushi,” in which its flagship Uobei (魚べい) delivers sushi via high-speed lanes instead of using a revolving conveyor belt as its results improve. Plans for a new location at Gotanda TOC have also been reported, suggesting signs of a revival.
元気寿司 has changed its company name to Genki Global Dining Concepts, and Uobei (魚べい) is reported to be improving its results as the company reviews its management structure. Uobei is introducing a new serving model in an effort to reshape the conventional conveyor-belt sushi format. Its use of high-speed lanes to deliver sushi without a revolving conveyor belt has attracted attention. The article characterizes the company as undergoing a revival.
Plans to open a location at Gotanda TOC have become a topic of discussion, and the existing facility is said to have continued operating after plans to rebuild it were canceled. Uobei is expected to pursue a new store opening at the site, with the brand’s renewed growth anticipated alongside the area’s revival.
Competitors in the conveyor-belt sushi industry include Sushiro, Kura Sushi, Hama Sushi and Kappa Sushi. As each brings strengths such as scale, name recognition, product development capabilities and pricing power, Uobei is seeking to differentiate itself through the idea of not circulating sushi. This is intended to change more than the conveyor system itself, encompassing the entire experience of selecting, ordering and receiving sushi.
The author points out that competition among foodservice chains cannot be measured solely by store count or sales. The key is what kind of experience they deliver to customers and how they turn that experience into a competitive advantage through their operating systems. 元気寿司 is seeking to redesign not only its company name, but also how sushi is delivered and its brand strategy.