Why Wagyu Is Everywhere Right Now

For as long as I can remember (and certainly as long as I’ve been writing about food), wagyu has been synonymous with luxury. The caviar of the cow. The champagne of the carnivore.

And then, last month, I came across my first wagyu-dedicated restaurant in a suburban shopping mall.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. There, nestled between a sticky arcade and a run-down cinema, stood a restaurant so glossy, so expensive, my brain immediately marked it for failure: just another ambitious restaurant “concept” that doesn’t understand the market or area.

Only, it was packed. Table upon table of dressed-up patrons slicing into wagyu steaks, smiling red wine-stained smiles, and spending small fortunes.

It wasn’t a failure. It was a business seizing upon the moment.

Since the bans on Japanese Wagyu exports to the US and Europe were lifted in the mid-2010s (a long-lasting result of mad cow disease fears), wagyu has taken a hold on the industry; thanks, in large part, to the Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Centre.

Around that time, the Centre—also known as JFOODO—was established to strengthen the global competitiveness of Japanese agriculture, forestry, fisheries and general food products through branding, promotion and export support efforts.

And they’ve done so in spades. By partnering with chefs, supermarkets, food writers and more, wagyu really did seem to pop up everywhere. Chain restaurant burgers and barbecue packs alike.

Even if you didn’t know what wagyu was, you wanted it.

Pretty impressive for what is, effectively, just a type of beef. A gorgeously-marbled, richly-flavored, melt-in-your mouth type, but a type nonetheless.

According to MAFF (Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), the export of Japanese beef hit its highest-ever number in 2021 at 7879 tons worth 536.8 billion yen (roughly $4,036,548,120).

Wagyu’s export to the EU alone increased by 62.6%, reaching 297 tons worth 29.1 billion yen (approx. $218,651,580).

The popularity of wagyu has even led to the creation of new breeds of cattle outside of Japan, such as American wagyu and Australian wagyu.

While these breeds are not the same as Japanese wagyu, they share similar marbling and flavor profiles and are becoming increasingly popular among consumers.

According to a recent report by Allied Market Research, the global market for wagyu beef is projected to reach $11.1 billion by 2027.

As these numbers continue to soar, one thing is clear: wagyu is no longer just a luxury food item. It’s an investment. One everyone, everywhere seems to be toying with. Even shopping malls.