Matsuya Foods launched Temu-exclusive frozen meal kits in March 2026. Combined March and April sales reached roughly ¥9.2 million, and the company was on pace to hit its original six-month target three months after launch.
The chain re-engineered popular items specifically for Temu, including its top-selling 10-serving gyumeshi curry set. The set holds a 4.8-star rating on the platform.
When Matsuya Foods, one of Japan's largest beef bowl chains, joined Temu in March 2026, it redesigned several of its frozen meal products specifically for the platform. The multi-portion meal bundles, tailored for savvy shoppers, sold faster than expected.
The company expects to reach its six-month sales targets in half the time. Matsuya now aims to become the top seller in Temu’s food category.
"Our products have always emphasized affordability," said Hiromasa Yamada, who oversees e-commerce at Matsuya Foods' strategic business division. "Temu's direction aligned well with our own philosophy."
With living costs rising in Japan, more consumers are buying food through e-commerce platforms like Temu for variety and value. A 2025 Ipsos survey found that 76 percent of Temu users in Japan said their everyday shopping costs had fallen since joining the platform. Other Japanese food brands, including rice seller JA Tendo Foods and seafood producer Minato Dining Shioso, have also started selling on Temu.
Restaurant taste for the home
Matsuya built its frozen food business to reach customers beyond the footprint of its 1,300 physical stores. In rural areas where no Matsuya restaurant exists, frozen meals offer the same menu at home.
The frozen range is sold in bulk packs of individual portions and includes its popular gyumeshi (beef bowls) and limited-time items such as butter chicken curry. Price per meal can come to around ¥200, which is well below what customers would pay dining in-store.
"Frozen food allows customers to recreate the restaurant taste at home anytime," said Yamada, who is also chief manager of the external sales group. "That was the original motivation behind starting the business."
Finding new customers
For two decades, Matsuya has sold its frozen meals across many e-commerce platforms. While online sales grew sharply during the pandemic, they have since leveled off. Matsuya began looking for new channels and joined Temu's Local Seller Program in 2026.
For Matsuya, Temu offered fresh opportunities. The platform does not charge registration fees, giving sellers more flexibility and room to stay competitive.
"We see Temu as a marketplace with strong momentum," Yamada said. "We wanted to establish Matsuya's presence on the platform."
Exclusive formats for Temu
Rather than list the same products it sells elsewhere, Matsuya tailored portion formats on Temu to keep prices competitive while using the same recipes and quality. This lowered production costs and allowed the business to pass the savings to customers.
Its top seller on Temu is its 10-serving gyumeshi curry set, which holds a 4.8-star rating on the platform. The company has applied the same approach to several other products.
Buyer reviews noted that the meals reproduce the in-store experience. The strong ratings helped Matsuya earn a Star Seller designation, which gives qualifying products additional visibility on the platform.
"We faithfully recreate the restaurant taste, so customer satisfaction is very high," Yamada said.
What comes next
Matsuya plans to expand its Temu product range significantly, and the company sees the platform as a channel where early presence will compound as the food category expands.
Matsuya built its chain of fast-food restaurants around the idea that good food should be affordable. On Temu, that premise continues to be the driving force. "More than profits, we prioritize giving customers a good deal," Yamada said. "We want to keep that promise."