KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- The Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Kuala Lumpur is promoting the versatility of Japanese Wagyu beef as an affordable, accessible option for a wider segment of the Malaysian market.
JETRO Kuala Lumpur Managing Director Koichi Takano said that while interest in Japanese Wagyu continues to grow in the Malaysian market, the industry faces challenges such as rising costs, supply reliability, and balancing quality with menu pricing.
“Japanese Wagyu is something that more people in Malaysia are becoming familiar with, and we believe there is an opportunity to make it more accessible and affordable by looking beyond the cuts that are most commonly seen,” he said at a seminar on Wagyu beef on Wednesday.
The seminar, held under the Japan Food Export Platform Initiative in cooperation with the Kurohana Wagyu Export Promotion Consortium, introduced secondary cuts of Japanese Wagyu beyond the primary cuts commonly used in restaurants.
It was also held in collaboration with Zenrich Allied Sdn Bhd, which has supplied Halal-certified Japanese Wagyu to Malaysia’s food-service industry for over a decade.
Held today at La Moon TTDI Kuala Lumpur, the masterclass brought together chefs, restaurant food & beverage directors and food-service professionals to explore the use of cuts such as Shoulder Clod-Misuji (top blade), Togarashi (chuck tender) and Katasan (shoulder clod cut) beyond conventional Wagyu steak offerings.
Meanwhile, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sugimoto-Honten Co Ltd, Koshiro Sugimoto, said its factory received Halal certification in December 2025 and has since been exporting Halal Wagyu to Malaysia.
“Our strength is that we have the entire beef product chain, from breeding and raising cattle to processing and sales,” he said during the seminar.
Sugimoto-Honten, the producer of the premium Japanese Wagyu brand Kurohana Wagyu, is part of the Kurohana Wagyu Export Promotion Consortium formed to export Japanese Kurohana Wagyu beef overseas.
-- BERNAMA