Repurchase Rate Reaches 90% Amid Explosive Popularity and Order Frenzy
Current Orders Informed of September 2068 Shipping Date
The croquettes from Asahiya, a butcher shop located in Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, have drawn attention due to their unimaginable waiting period. If you place an order online now, you will be informed that shipping is scheduled for after September 2068.
On September 19, the Japanese business magazine President Online reported on how these croquettes came to be and the process by which they set the record of a 43-year waitlist.
According to the report, Asahiya, which opened in 1926, originally focused on selling beef. However, as price competition intensified with the expansion of large supermarkets in the 1990s, Shigeru Nitta, the third-generation owner, ventured into online sales in 1999. At the time, there was widespread skepticism-many wondered, "Who would buy expensive Kobe beef on the internet?"-but after launching the website, orders poured in from all over the country, opening up new sales channels.
At that point, Nitta decided that a product was needed for customers to directly experience the value of Kobe beef, which led to the development of the "Kobe Beef Croquette Gokumi," made with the finest ingredients. The main ingredients of this croquette are A5-grade, three-year-old female Kobe beef chuck roll and the local specialty potato, Red Andes. The potatoes are aged for three months after harvest, then peeled by hand immediately after steaming. This is because using a machine to remove the skin would also strip away the thin outer layer, diminishing the flavor.
Daily Production Limited to 200 Units... A 43-Year Wait to Taste
They attempted outsourcing production to factories, but ultimately gave up, saying, "The handmade touch cannot be replicated." As a result, even today, every croquette is produced entirely by hand, with daily production limited to 200 units. Fueled by explosive popularity, orders have snowballed, and the repurchase rate is as high as 90 percent, indicating high customer satisfaction. For this reason, those who order online now receive a reply stating, "Scheduled for shipment in September 2068." In effect, it takes a staggering 43 years just to get on the order list.
Nitta emphasized, "I started out trying to sell meat, but it was the croquettes that brought even greater success," adding, "I have no intention of increasing factory production. Preserving the flavor is my top priority."
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