Wholesale supermarkets that sell foodstuffs for restaurants are gaining in popularity among general consumers thanks to their low prices and wide range of merchandise. These supermarkets serve small-scale eating and drinking establishments. But in most cases, ordinary consumers can also shop there, availing themselves of bargain prices that the stores can offer as they sell goods in bulk.

Their main merchandise line-up consists of processed foods, such as frozen and retort-packed foods, seasonings and oil products.

For example, a 1-kilogram package of frozen fried potatoes could costs about 160 yen. Sometimes a package of 50 frozen gyoza dumplings is even available for as little as 300 yen.

As the majority of the merchandise items sold by wholesalers is large-sized, they take time to use up, but the price per item is usually far lower than that of ordinary retail shops. The cheap prices are possible because of the wholesalers' cost-cutting policies. The goods' packaging and store interiors are simple. Retort-packed foods are not packed in boxes, for instance.

Kobebussan Co., which operates 495 wholesale supermarket chains across the nation under the shop name Business Supermarket, sells its original products that the company has developed and produced at its own private and associated factories. The company's products include boiled vegetables and onion sauce, which are difficult to get in other supermarkets.

At A-Price, a wholesaler run by Toho Co., a major professional-use food supplies wholesaler, special ingredients are available such as high-quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar and coffee beans roasted by the company.


American wholesaler Costco opened up it's first Japanese store in 1999 and until now operates 9 very successful locations. Costco is known for its large-scale warehouse-style shops which are widely used  by  ordinary customers. To make their low-price concept possible A-Price and Costco require their customers to purchase a membership for a few thousand yen to shop in their outlets. (The Yomiuri Shimbun)