Meijer’s New Restaurant Concept Pairs Sushi and Craft Beer

There’s a hip new restaurant in Brighton, Mich., and it’s inside a Meijer store. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based grocer has partnered with Hissho Sushi and local Bell’s Brewery to bring shoppers a one-of-a-kind in-store sushi and craft beer bar experience.

“This is a great opportunity to provide customers another option to consider while shopping our stores,” Becky Bronkema, Meijer’s director of merchandising, said in a statement. “We offer fresh to-go options, including pizza, sandwiches and sushi, at most of our stores already, so we envision the in-store restaurant concept to allow local neighbors to meet friends, have a quick business meeting or just grab a quick snack while checking grocery shopping off their list of to-dos.”

The new 840-square-foot sit-down sushi restaurant inside the Meijer store offers hand-rolled sushi prepared by a chef daily; Hisso’s new line of hot appetizers; dim sum; and an ever-changing menu of craft beer on tap. The restaurant also features a Healthy Morning Collection breakfast menu with items such as avocado toast, acai bowls and real fruit smoothies. 

“With this new concept, Hissho Sushi is redefining the experience of a customer’s evening at their local grocery store,” said Dan Beem, CEO of Charlotte, N.C.-based Hissho Sushi.

As the fastest-growing sector of the foodservice industry, supermarket prepared foods now exceed $12.7 billion in sales, according to the FMI. But to grow retail foodservice sales, Hissho’s research finds customers want more than product variety and competitive pricing from their local grocer—they want an experience.

The second-largest sushi franchise in the country, Hissho Sushi has nearly 2,000 locations in 42 states. “Hissho is on the cusp of a reinvention,” said Beem. “As we continue to emerge as a market leader, we’re proud to work with our progressive retail partners to create an experience that is worth coming back for every day.”

For shoppers looking to grab and go, Meijer also offers convenience of the restaurant’s fresh sushi rolls made and packaged daily in the deli.