Burger King Japanese Expansion Boosts New Zealand Beef

(Wednesday, June 20, 2007) - International fast-food franchise Burger King will use beef imported entirely from New Zealand as it returns to the Japanese market in the next couple of years.

The grass-fed beef will be supplied by Kiwi Pacific Foods of Auckland.

Burger King Japan is also using fish and cheese from New Zealand in its product range for the Japanese market.

Although New Zealand beef is not as well known in Japan as either grain-fed US or Australian beef, Meat & Wool New Zealand Chairman Mike Petersen says it increased its profile and presence in the market during the absence of US product, which was banned from Japan in 2003 because of detection of BSE in North America.

Mr Petersen says that Burger King's decision is timely because meat producers in this country are currently looking to diversify into the lucrative Asian markets.

Burger King first entered the Japanese market in 1996, and operated about 25 outlets in the Tokyo area before deciding to pull out in 2001 after losing a price war with McDonalds and other fast food chains.

In its latest incursion, Burger King aims to have 100 outlets in Japan within 5 years.

New Zealand beef is already used in Japan by the two leading companies in the local market, McDonalds Japan and Mos Food Services, alongside Australian beef.

Japan is currently New Zealand's third largest export beef market in volume and second largest by value.

In the 2005/06 year New Zealand exported 42,280 tonnes of beef to Japan worth $277.79 million.

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