Key facts
- Japanese companies are introducing onigiri (rice balls) as a potential workaday lunch alternative in Western markets.
- Onigiri sold in the U.S. and Europe are typically larger than those found in Japan.
- The initiative aims to capture a share of the Western convenience food market.
Japanese companies are actively promoting onigiri, commonly known as rice balls, as a viable alternative for the Western workaday lunch. Koji Kanematsu, who initially went to San Francisco to sell Japanese video games, found his attention drawn to the potential of onigiri. Companies are adapting the traditional Japanese snack by making the rice balls larger to better suit American and European tastes. These larger onigiri are being pitched as a convenient and portable option for consumers seeking quick meal solutions, aiming to establish a foothold in the competitive convenience food market.