Pietro Co. Expands into North American Market with Salad Dressings
Fukuoka-based Pietro Co., a pasta restaurant operator, is expanding its reach into the North American market with its popular salad dressings. The company has seen success with its dressings, particularly among health-conscious consumers, since it began shipping bottles for distribution at U.S. Costco locations earlier this year.
Pietro's products are now also available on major retailer Walmart Inc.'s online store, making them accessible to a wider audience. The company aims to achieve 10 billion yen ($68.9 million) of sales from the vast North American market.
"The bright flavor of Japanese-style sauces from Pietro seems fresh to the eyes of Americans because they often rely on thick cheese-based dressings," said Pietro President Yasuyuki Takahashi. "Driven in part by the healthy image of Japanese cuisine, customers repeatedly select our offerings."
original "shoyu" (soy sauce), sesame and miso, lemon and ginger. These dressings have been adjusted to suit American palates, with the original shoyu dressing undergoing a series of changes to its base.
Pietro is also in talks to establish a deal with a supermarket chain with around 100 locations. The company expects to post sales of 210 million yen for its North American department in the business year ending March 2025, double the figure from the previous year.
Pietro began its foray into the United States in 1988, initially importing products from Japan. In 2011, the company began outsourcing production to a local facility to gain a foothold in North America. It established a subsidiary in Florida in 2021 to bolster sales efforts.
Future plans include working with restaurant chain owners to introduce Pietro's dressings at dining establishments, allowing diners to experience the flavors and potentially become fans. If the company's growth rate matches its forecast, it will consider building its own factory in the United States.
The salad dressing market in the United States is worth 300 billion yen, about four times the size of its Japanese counterpart. "Capturing a paltry 3 percent of the market will generate 10 billion yen," said Takahashi. "While we may not be able to dominate a major portion, focusing instead on a niche will allow us to perform well enough."
Takahashi declined to specify when he expects to achieve this goal, emphasizing Pietro's intention to move forward slowly and steadily. "We will be establishing a solid fanbase through word of mouth and by other means," he said.