Japanese Sushi Chain Ends Chiikawa Rollout After Staff Caught Selling Freebies Online
The chain said 10% discounts will run for two days as it collects remaining items and consults police after an internal theft investigation.
- On Sunday, Japanese conveyor-belt sushi operator Kura Sushi canceled its collaboration with manga franchise Chiikawa after an internal investigation confirmed an employee stole promotional prizes to sell online.
- Chiikawa, a manga franchise whose name translates to 'something small and cute,' has surged in popularity, fueled by a film released this year that grossed 12.2 billion yen. This massive demand made limited-edition giveaways highly desirable collectibles.
- Investigators found staff sold stolen prizes on Mercari, Japan's largest online second-hand market, where a set of three cups listed for 9,500 yen. Kura Sushi successfully requested removal of these illegitimately obtained items.
- Kura Sushi spokesperson Hiroyuki Kosaka apologized, stating, 'We are truly sorry for causing the trouble and disappointing customers.' The chain offered a 10% discount through Monday and is consulting police.
- This marketing issue mirrors challenges faced by McDonald's Japan last year when scalpers flooded stores during similar promotions. Kura Sushi's shares fell 2.5% on Monday, reflecting the misconduct's market impact.
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nippon.comKura Sushi Cancels Chiikawa Campaign over Prize Embezzlement
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PressNewsAgencyJapanese sushi chain ends Chiikawa rollout after staff caught selling freebies online
TOKYO, Sept 7 : A Japanese sushi chain was forced to cancel a popular marketing campaign with goods featuring cute hamster-like characters from the hit franchise "Chiikawa" after its staff stole the freebies to resell online. Conveyor-belt chain Kura Sushi launched its Chiikawa campaign on August 21 with pla
It became clear that employees of the conveyor belt sushi chain “Kura Sushi” had embezzled prizes from the “Chikawa” collaboration campaign, and there were many voices of dissatisfaction with the company's subsequent response. The collaboration was canceled, and a 10% discount on the product was offered as an apology, but it seems that Chiikawa fans are not satisfied. We asked the management company for their opinions on the future of the campai…
A collaboration between the popular character "Chiikawa" and the major conveyor belt sushi chain "Kura Sushi" has been abruptly canceled after an employee was found to have embezzled merchandise related to the collaboration. Kura Sushi began its collaboration campaign with the popular character "Chiikawa" on the 21st of last month, offering Chiikawa merchandise as prizes in their "Bikkura Pon!" game, which generated considerable buzz. However, s…
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