1.1 Definition and scope of study

Sushi is a Japanese dish combining shari (sticky rice prepared with vinegar) and neta which is the rice’s topping and is most often raw fish.

There are different types of sushi, most being one of the following :

Makis : a small roll wrapped in seaweed
Temaki : similar to the maki but in the form of a cone (a variety that is pretty popular in Brazil as there are restaurant chains serving almost exclusively sushi cones)
Nigiris : a slice of raw fish on top of an oval-shaped rice ball

Sushi restaurants worldwide experienced an increase in revenues of 21% between 2012 and 2018 riding on the rising popularity of the dish around the world and on the continuous growth in Southeast Asia and North America. Once a food found only in specialised restaurants, nowadays sushi is increasingly distributed in supermarkets, shops and in Brazil, they are also commonly offered in churrascarias (the country’s traditional all you can eat steakhouses).

Brazil has a very large Japanese community (there are over one and a half people of Japanese descent in the country according to the Ministry of Tourism) and some cities like São Paulo have entire neighbourhoods dedicated to the relationship between both countries. Living in such a melting pot of different cultures, Brazilian people often put their own spin on foods and traditions coming from foreign countries, creating opportunities in every market that can’t be found elsewhere (such as the aforementioned sushi cones i.e.). This is why it isn’t uncommon to find cream cheese or tropical fruit in sushis in Brazil, people don’t have as much interest for doing things in the traditional as you would expect in other countries.

This study will also give an insight on how the impact COVID-19 has had on this market and how things are looking as Brazil looks to get past this global pandemic.

1.2 A dynamic global market

Sushi is strongly rooted in Japanese culture, which subsequently has a positive effect on the revenue generated by the industry. These revenues were slightly impacted by the crisis between **** and **** losing *% of their total value over that time span since households were more reluctant to go to restaurants, especially since sushi ...

1.3 The Brazilian Market

The promise and growth the market shows on a global scale also hold true in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Franchisees Association (***). [***] This estimate does however have its flaws since the Japanese dish can be found in many other types of restaurants that aren’t specialised in Asian cuisine and are ...

1.4 COVID-19 Impact

Even though it is still a bit early to know just how Covid-** has impacted the sushi market in Brazil, there are a few indicators that can help at least have an idea of what happened. As it relies heavily on the activity of restaurants the sushi market has taken a ...

2.1 Brazilian Eating Habits

At first look, it would look like Brazilian people aren’t really built for the sushi market. Their favourite type of food is meat, having the *th biggest consumption per person per year in the world (***) and the more you go South the more people eat red meat. That is why ...

2.2 Consumer Behavior and Preferences

Opinion Box conducted a survey in **** to better understand consumer behaviour and preferences in Brazil in regard to eating giving some helpful insight that can be used for the sushi market.

First off, a couple of things point to the opportunities the sushi market presents. **% of people declared eating out more ...

2.3 Particularities of the Brazilian Market

As mentioned before the Brazilian sushi market is very particular in the sense that it offers many more opportunities than just traditional sushi as we know it. First off in the fish that is used, even though we consider the country as a whole, the two most popular types are salmon ...

3.1 The Origins of the Fish

Brazil is without a doubt a huge producer of fish and seafood, fishing a total of *** *** tons of produce in **** that generated around * billion reais and this market only increases every year, with the country’s total production increasing **% over the last * years. Unfortunately, this doesn’t translate to the sushi ...

3.2 The Dominance of Franchises

The sushi market in Brazil is made up of thousands of players, ranging from restaurants to supermarkets to even select gas stations. This makes for a very fragmented market where it is difficult to amass market shares. To have an idea of this tough competition, in São Paulo today, there ...

4.1 Prices

Prices vary a great deal depending on the quality of the sushi and of the region or city you find yourself in Brazil. To have a general idea of what prices can be, here is a comparison between three chain restaurants in Rio de Janeiro for typical products :

Source: ****

4.2 Different Types of Dishes

The Brazilian market includes all the traditional sushi known around the world, such as but not limited to :

Makis : sushi in the form of a roll wrapped in seaweed Temakis : the preparation is similar to maki, in the form of a cone Nigiris : Slice of raw fish laid on an oval-shaped ...

5.1 A tougher regulation to avoid sanitary issues

Being a type of food that is most often raw, sushi sales have a whole set of hygiene protocols and health regulations on top of the usual rules for restaurants and bars, such as :

Sushis and similar dishes must be prepared and assembled in an isolated, exclusive and air-conditioned area, in ...