Trends Fade, Essentials Don't: Koji Kanematsu on Patience, Painful Pivots, and Building a Concept That Lasts

Episode notes

What if your biggest problem isn’t awareness - it’s that people try your food and don’t come back? Koji Kanematsu set out to bring onigiri to the American mainstream, convinced the market just needed to be introduced to something new. But for five years, his business sat at break-even: good enough to survive, not good enough to grow. In this conversation, Koji shares how a single shift in product design unlocked demand, why blaming the market can stall your growth, and how small, iterative changes beat big, expensive bets. If you’re stuck wondering why traffic doesn’t translate into loyalty, this one will challenge how you think about your menu. To learn more about his work, visit onigilly.com _________________________________________________________ Today’s episode is also

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