iRASSHAi, the next generation concept-store

iRASSHAi, meaning “welcome”, is a Japanese grocery store unlike any other. Located in the Les Halles district right next to the Bourse de Commerce Pinault-collection contemporary art center, the store is far away from the Opéra district in which the majority of Japanese restaurants and food stores are to be found. Equipped with a café-bar, a restaurant and an izakaya, this truly modern and authentic concept-store offers around 1,200 products that have managed to spark the interest of a new customer base, that of young people or those not yet familiar with Japanese grocery stores.

To ensure that language is not a barrier to non-Japanese speakers, all products at iRASSHAi have labels written in both French and Japanese, with detailed explanations about flavors and examples of use, so that customers who are unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine can understand and consider them. What’s more, thanks to QR codes, they can access web pages containing more detailed information about the products. The founders of iRASSHAi, Xavier Marchand and Thierry Maincent, explain the reason behind this initiative:

“iRASSHAi originally stemmed from our wish to share our passion for Japan and Japanese cuisine. Nowadays, it is not that difficult for French people to try Japanese cuisine at a restaurant, but to prepare it at home is still a tall order. That’s why we focused our attention on French customers who want to experience Japanese cuisine and prepare meals at home.”

Could these ideas have come so readily to other Japanese grocery store owners who, as a rule, are not French?

“It’s certainly true that since we, as French people, founded this place, we can more easily imagine the needs of French customers. We know what non-Japanese customers need in the way of information and services when preparing Japanese dishes. The reasons for their interest in Japanese cuisine are diverse: travel, literature, martial arts, manga, pop music, cinema, business, etc., just as their age and tastes are different. But above all, people who are interested in Japan are curious. That’s why we organize tasting sessions once a week, often on Saturdays, so our customers can discover new products.”

Thierry Maincent and Xavier Marchand deliberately chose to establish their concept-store not in the Opéra district, which is the epicenter of Japanese cuisine, but next to the Châtelet-Les-Halles hub for suburban trains so as to make it easier for the Greater Paris residents to get there and, consequently, to attract a new type of clientele for iRASSHAi. According to Xavier Marchand, these are mainly “people who live in the Île-de-France region and who are already familiar with Japan through manga or anime, including of course Parisians and regional tourists. Foreign customers represent around 30 %, most of them from Western countries, but there are of course also customers from the Gulf countries who tend to spend a lot during their stay in Paris, and we also see Asian customers. Isn’t that a great testament to the popularity of this cuisine?”

He also confirmed that online sales are increasing, especially because in France, outside of Paris, it remains difficult to find Japanese products and demand is continually on the rise. Xavier Marchand explains: “We also deliver to other European countries. Overseas orders currently account for around 5 % of total online sales, but we expect to see a further increase as the visibility of our store grows.”

According to Xavier Marchand, in France interest in Japanese cuisine lies above all in the fact that it is perfectly suited to the new taste trends of today’s Western consumers.

“Japanese cuisine is considered healthy since it contains less fat such as sauces and butter, for example. Meat consumption is lower than in the West and the range is varied, with many dishes that can be eaten by vegetarians and those who are gluten-intolerant. In addition, Japanese cuisine is renowned for its aesthetic appeal as well as for the excellent quality of its products. Another strong point: in Japanese dishes, each product is recognizable, so it’s easy to judge the quality of what you’re eating. It seems to me that these are the criteria in demand in cuisine today. In general, the Japanese take a great interest in cuisine and, as a result, have relatively high expectations. I think that’s one of the reasons why traditional Japanese cuisine retains its high standards.”

iRASSHAi goes to great lengths to help beginners choose their products, not only by explaining in detail how to use them properly, but also by offering smaller containers for condiments, for example. They thus meet the needs of those who want to try new condiments but who are reluctant to buy them, for fear of only using a small amount and leaving the rest at the back of their fridge.

“The 200-gram miso, for example, is a top 3 seller, but we also offer weight-based sales of soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and cooking sake. This enables our customers to buy them in small quantities and find the products that suit them best. Similarly, our rice sold by weight sells very well.”

Xavier Marchand also reveals that among their bestsellers are some original products of exceptional quality and that are hard to find elsewhere, like transparent soy sauce or smoked soy sauce, as well as classic products enhanced with an extra flavor, such as matcha soba or udon with yuzu.

“We are the leading French importer of Kayanoya, a prestigious Japanese brand of dashi. After our most recent three-day tasting session, we got very good feedback and even noticed that sales of shiitake dashi had soared. This made us realize the importance of these sessions, and not only for Japanese brands because while we value fine Japanese-made products, we also value European brands such as Suzu-dôfu (France) and Kamado (a nattô manufacturer in Germany), to name but a few.”

The unique feature of iRASSHAi is that it is a multipurpose space with a café-bar, canteen and restaurant. It’s a place where anyone can feel at home and do as they please. You can drop in at the Kissaba (café-bar) after a visit to the Bourse de Commerce or go shopping for Japanese products then have a drink. At the Shokudo (canteen), which is mainly frequented by locals, you can sample family-style dishes found in Japanese canteens, such as don (a rice bowl topped with a variety of ingredients), teishoku (a formula consisting of a main course, a bowl of rice, and soup) and curry. At around 15 euros, the prices are affordable, and the menus have been specifically designed to satisfy customers wishing to rediscover dishes they have enjoyed on a trip to Japan. After your meal, as you leave Shokudo, you can buy the ingredients used in the meals straight from the grocery store as its closing hours have deliberately been pushed back until after dinner time. In the restaurant located in the basement, Biwan (table), you can enjoy a €30 bento for lunch and have a choice of two menus at €55 and €85 for dinner. These menus, which change every month, feature creative, authentic dishes that fuse home cooking with kaiseki.

Xavier Marchand describes how he sees the future, and how he hopes to develop iRASSHAi:

“We’re going to increase the number of products on sale; this year, there will be over 130 products available on our shelves. In addition, we are to expand the range of sizes available, not only for products in small quantities, but we will also cater to Japanese customers wishing to purchase 5-kilo bags of rice, for example. In the confectionary range, we currently have products for young people but we’re also considering offering high-end products. I think the demand for frozen products could increase and we should also expand our seaweed products, as these are appealing more and more to the French. In addition to udon and soba, noodles continue to sell well, particularly sômen, which could be one of our promising future products.”