To celebrate and encourage Japan's football team during the 2018 FIFA event in Russia, grilled meat restaurants Ponto-cho Yakiniku Yaruki and Yakiniku Bare Yaruki release a limited edition World Cup-themed menu option. The dish has a rather unconventional aesthetic that strongly communicates team spirit with a blue color palette. The unusual chromatic enhancement to the World Cup-themed food offering is created with a natural pigment extracted from a superfood plant, called Spirulina.
The centerpiece for the culinary offering is blue horumonyaki — essentially "beef or pork offal." The Kyoto-based restaurants season their meats with mint. Ponto-cho Yakiniku Yaruki and Yakiniku Bare Yaruk name their World Cup-themed dish 'Samurai Blue' and make it available to the public from June 14th "for as long as [the Japan team] remains in action at the 2018 FIFA."
World Cup-Themed Food Menus
Ponto-Cho Yakiniku Yaruki & Yakiniku Bare Yaruki Celebrate Team Japan
Trend Themes
1. Sports-themed Food Menus - Restaurants worldwide can take advantage of major international sports events by offering limited edition menus that embody team spirit and unconventional aesthetics.
2. Healthy Food Dyes - The use of naturally derived pigments, like Spirulina, can differentiate food offerings and provide alternative health benefits to customers.
3. Local Team Celebrations - Businesses can capitalize on local sports teams' success by creating special menus that reflect the team's spirit and cultural heritage.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - Restaurants can attract more customers during major sports events by creating unique menus that showcase their cultural heritage and cater to sports fans.
2. Health and Wellness - Naturally derived pigments like Spirulina present potential health benefits as a replacement for artificial food dyes, creating opportunities for the health and wellness industry.
3. Hospitality - Hotels can offer unique food and beverage experiences to attract sports fans and promote local team culture during major sports events.