全国No.1スーパーのヒミツを追跡　“スーパー業界のアカデミー賞”受賞の品とは？【Jの追跡】【スーパーJチャンネル】(2026年3月21日)

Low prices are a given! What makes this popular supermarket, which has earned the title of "Japan's No. 1," so amazing? We investigate the secrets of this supermarket that has been crowned "No. 1 nationwide" in each of its categories: prepared foods, fish, and sweets. ■ "Fresh Ingredients" and "Low Prices" The giant supermarket that became No. 1 nationwide in a certain category is "Seisen Ichiba TOP," which operates 39 stores mainly in Saitama Prefecture. The vegetables piled high are purchased every morning from local markets. Large, fresh Chinese cabbages are 290 yen including tax. (At the time of the interview) Furthermore, in the meat section... the prices are so low you'll do a double-take. Announcer Naoko Kubota: "Three slices of domestic chicken thigh for 1116 yen including tax. I can't believe I can buy this at this price!" "Fresh Ingredients" and "Low Prices" capture the hearts of customers! Customer (60s): "The fresh produce here is cheap, which is a lifesaver for housewives." "Even if I buy in bulk for a week, it's about 3,000 yen cheaper than buying at other stores." ■A wide selection of domestic beef Furthermore, announcer Kubota discovered something! It's "Ayers Rock" style Kuroge Wagyu beef. Announcer Kubota: "Look at this thickness—no, not thickness, this is 'height.' It's Ayers Rock 'height'!" This store buys whole cows of domestic beef. Therefore, they have over 30 different types of domestic beef alone! Currently, "seasoned meat" is especially popular. This meat, such as bulgogi seasoning, has already been prepared, so you just "cook it in a frying pan." It's a "money-saving" option because you don't need any extra seasonings, and it's a "time-saving" product, making it a huge hit. And there are over 50 different types in total! This parent and child, who were on a shopping spree, were also full of praise. Customer (40s): "My kids really love this flavor. The herb cheese cutlet." "It's easy because you just have to cook it when you're busy. I make lunch boxes in the morning, so I cook the meat while I make the omelet." Furthermore, even cuts of meat that are rare in supermarkets are pre-prepared and ready to cook. Customer (50s): "I love chicken tail, so I get the seasoned chicken tail. Chicken tail is hard to find, so I always buy it when I come here." Announcer Kubota: "It's so tender and juicy. The addition of green onions makes it light and refreshing. This is definitely restaurant quality." "A message from meat lovers, for meat lovers." ■ "Japan's No. 1 Prepared Food Paradise" And the biggest "charm" that earned this supermarket the title of "No. 1" is its nearly 200 kinds of inexpensive "bento boxes" and "prepared foods." A customer (in her 70s) "These prepared foods are truly amazing. They're cheap and delicious. That's why I don't make them myself. They're cheap and delicious, so I don't bother making them." "Look at the price. 24 dumplings for 594 yen. That's why I stop making them." In fact, these prepared foods have achieved an unprecedented 13 consecutive wins at the "Bento & Prepared Food Awards," often called the "Academy Awards of the supermarket industry." This year, with over 15,000 entries from across the country, they achieved the remarkable feat of winning awards for a record-breaking 15 items! It truly is "Japan's No. 1 Prepared Food Paradise." A regular customer mother's target was… "There it is! Yu Lin Chi (fried chicken with sauce). I think I can eat the whole thing. From head to tail." From head to tail…!? A whole fried herring! Topped with Yu Lin Chi sauce, it's called "Yu Lin 'Gyo'." Furthermore, the store's number one selling item… with annual sales of a staggering 500 million yen! It's "Toriten" (chicken tempura). Fresh chicken breast, never frozen, is cooked in-house. The meat is tender and juicy. Announcer Kubota: "What is this? Can you even call this chicken breast? It's so smooth and tender. Delicious!" ■What is the winning bento box? Among them, there is a bento box that won the grand prize this year. It's a colorful "Takikomi Bento" (rice cooked with various ingredients) using seasonal seafood and vegetables. The simmered vegetables include daikon radish, shiitake mushrooms, and lotus root, and the specially prepared takikomi rice uses luxurious ingredients: melt-in-your-mouth sweet "white shrimp" and fragrant "sakura shrimp," mixed with "aonori" (green laver) from Lake Hamana, creating a spring-like masterpiece. And the taste is… Announcer Kubota: "Packed with the delicious flavor of shrimp. Rich in the aroma of seaweed." "The aroma of seaweed is wonderful. It's packed with all the delicious things of the sea. It makes you want to put it in your mouth, chew, and take a deep breath." And all this luxury for only 431 yen! "This is the perfect bento box for a spring outing." And the winning entry in the onigiri (rice ball) category is, at first glance, a grilled rice ball... but inside is yakitori (grilled chicken skewe...