Can two slices of bread with a filling in between take on a box full of bite-size eats?
Benjamin Warner, president of benugo Japan, certainly hopes so. In spite of how fast his British-style sandwich bars are growing, Warner isn't underestimating the competition: A sandwich-and-coffee lunch won't trump the bento-and-green-tea combo, but it could become an attractive alternative. "I love bento! Why replace them?" he says. "Japan has a wonderful culinary culture. So I hope we're just adding one more item to the range of products in the Japanese market."
In September last year, the concept of the British-style sandwich bar made its debut in the Japanese market with London-based Pret A Manger, which first opened in Hibiya. It now has five more branches in Tokyo.