Incredible: sushi chain pays a fortune for a bluefin tuna
Sushi fans, take note: prices for tuna are skyrocketing! During the traditional opening auction at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market, Japanese sushi chain Onodera Group paid no less than €1.3 million for a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna. Not exactly a bargain, but it does earn the chain a substantial amount of attention.
Giant tuna
The bluefin tuna, a giant tuna that can weigh as much as 450 kilograms in exceptional cases, is one of the most sought-after fish in the world. With a Michelin star to its name, Onodera Group cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to quality and exclusivity. This is not the first time the chain has made a big splash: for the fifth year in a row, it has paid the highest tuna price at the auction.
Opening auction
Toyosu’s opening auction is an annual spectacle that attracts a great deal of media attention in Japan. In 2019, Sushi Zanmai, another well-known sushi chain, set the record with a 278-kilogram tuna purchased for more than €2 million. Although Onodera did not surpass that amount, this year’s purchase was still the second-highest price ever paid.
Tuna prices
During the coronavirus pandemic, tuna prices fell sharply because restaurants were open less often. Now that the restrictions have been lifted for some time, the market also seems to be back in full swing. Last year, Onodera paid “only” 114 million yen (€730,000) for a tuna. This year, however, the price has nearly doubled.
It is not yet known exactly what Onodera plans to do with the fish, but you can bet that every bite will be carefully planned.
Read also:
- Shocking: European supermarkets are selling large quantities of tuna containing toxic mercury
- The bizarre truth behind ‘fresh’ tuna: are we eating dyed fish?!
- Recipe: Poké avocado with tuna from the YOKO cookbook
Source: nu.nl
