TOKYO, Jun 24 (News On Japan) –
Founded in 1970, Dom Dom Hamburger was Japan’s first homegrown hamburger chain. At its peak, it operated 400 shops nationwide. However, for the reason that 2000s, its reputation declined sharply, resulting in a drastic discount in retailer numbers and extended monetary losses.
With its crimson elephant mascot, Dom Dom truly predates McDonald’s in Japan. Its menu has lengthy featured signature objects just like the Akara Chicken Burger, topped with a candy and spicy sauce, and nostalgic facet dishes equivalent to buttered corn. Despite these choices, the chain’s presence shrank to only 27 shops at one level, falling deep into the crimson.
The turnaround started when Dom Dom unexpectedly gained traction on social media. Since fiscal 2021, gross sales have been steadily climbing. Seeking to uncover the key behind the revival, the chain granted behind-the-scenes entry. What emerged was a collection of unconventional concepts and shocking burger creations.
One such creation is the “Kadon Burger,” a limited-time merchandise combining a Japanese rice bowl idea with a hamburger. The burger options fluffy scrambled eggs and crispy pork cutlet sandwiched between buns. According to developer Asada, the objective was to create one thing much more scrumptious than a rice burger or conventional pork cutlet bowl by daring to serve it as a hamburger, even when it solely appealed to area of interest clients.
Dom Dom continues to launch such limited-time choices month-to-month. Past improvements embody the “Mai Tai Burger,” which sandwiched 200 grams of flatfish, and even a gyoza burger. To date, the corporate has developed over 1,000 distinctive burger variations.
Among these, probably the most iconic is the “Whole Crab Burger,” that includes a deep-fried soft-shell crab served fully intact. Launched in 2019, it shortly turned a breakout hit that fueled Dom Dom’s comeback. The entire crab, battered and fried to a crisp, is topped with a particular candy chili sauce, creating an unexpectedly harmonious mixture with the burger bun.
The chain’s relentless creativity stems partly from its president Fujisaki’s unconventional profession path. Originally a stay-at-home mom till age 39, she started working as a boutique retailer supervisor in Shibuya’s famed 109 trend constructing. Later, she transitioned into working an izakaya earlier than being scouted by Dom Dom as a product developer at age 44. Within 9 months of becoming a member of, she was appointed president.
Her first creation, the Thick Omelet Burger, drew from the izakaya’s in style menu merchandise, turning a easy Japanese consolation meals right into a burger format. The product’s success set the tone for Dom Dom’s renewed concentrate on originality. Product growth is now dealt with by a small crew of simply three individuals, together with Fujisaki, permitting for swift decision-making and clear artistic path with out being diluted by too many opinions.
Fujisaki emphasizes that breaking typical considering is vital to their method. Rather than attempting to enchantment to everybody, Dom Dom creates merchandise that ship sturdy enchantment to area of interest followers. Nearly each limited-time burger has met its gross sales goal.
However, not all experiments have been hits. One overly adventurous merchandise, the Fried Sweet Bread Burger, achieved solely half its gross sales objective. The candy taste struggled to compete in procuring complexes the place dessert retailers already appeal to many purchasers, making it much less interesting for these looking for a essential meal.
Even so, Dom Dom’s daring experimentation has earned it a loyal following and positioned it for continued revival in Japan’s fiercely aggressive fast-food market.
Source: サン!シャイン公式ch.