Unagi Naruse business model what to focus

Marketing Talks · Dec 9, 2025 · 4m

This provides an in-depth analysis of the disruptive business model used by the Japanese eel restaurant chain, Unagi no Naruse, which has rapidly expanded to hundreds of locations within three years.

The core strategy hinges on achieving profitability despite an unusually high food cost ratio (over 40%) by drastically cutting other fixed costs like labor and rent. This is accomplished by utilizing a specialized cooking machine that negates the need for skilled chefs, employing a small staff in inexpensive secondary locations, and maintaining a zero-waste operation with pre-processed…