In Japan, vending machines have appeared selling all kinds of delicacies. Neat devices with pleasant illumination offer passers-by to buy premium beef steaks “wagyu”, black caviar and fish cut into thin slices – “sashimi”. This is written by The Japan Times.
In addition, gourmets from the Land of the Rising Sun can now purchase exclusive frozen dishes and hot noodles at the level of Michelin-starred restaurants on the way home right on the street.
The popularity of vending machines in the Japanese archipelago began to rise during the coronavirus pandemic, when people began to avoid unnecessary social contacts, and catering establishments switched to reduced hours. And even today, against the background of the gradual lifting of anti-COVID restrictions by local authorities, many residents of the Japanese archipelago are in no hurry to return to restaurant tables and bar counters.
An additional bonus of purchasing ready-made food in vending machines was the low cost of high-quality and tasty food. Let’s say a quite decent steak will cost the buyer one and a half – a maximum of two thousand yen (about 11 – 15 US dollars). As it turned out, buying such a dish in a vending machine and warming it up at home is much more profitable than ordering it in a restaurant.
However, vending machine food is still a rarity in Japan. Provisions are loaded into only 1.8 percent of automated systems. Machines are still predominantly selling drinks, cigarettes, chocolate – everything that can be stored for a long time. However, experts expect that a bold experiment will eventually interest new customers and ultimately lead to commercial success. This unusual experience has already been actively adopted by some Japanese farms that produce beef and pork.
