A large Japanese food stuff producer is cashing in on the enormous level of popularity of its dumplings by endorsing an Olympic athletes’ village preferred to clients seeking a style of the game titles.
Olympic gold medalists like judoka siblings Uta and Hifumi Abe and desk tennis participant Mima Ito are endorsing completely ready-made frozen dumplings like these that received rave assessments from viewing athletes documenting their foodstuff journeys in the course of the Tokyo Olympics on social media.
Provided photo reveals Ajinomoto Frozen Meals Co.’s “Electricity Gyoza” for athletes. (Kyodo)
Men’s determine skating superstar Yuzuru Hanyu, a two-time winner at the Winter season Online games, is also on the dumpling gravy coach right after getting taken section in the style screening.
Gyoza is the Japanese identify for the 50 percent moon-shaped dumplings most typically loaded with minced pork, greens and seasonings, and then wrapped in a thin wheat-based mostly dough. Yaki gyoza, or fried dumplings, is one particular of the most well-known Japanese soul food items.
Through the July 23 to Aug. 8 Olympics, intercontinental athletes who have been not in a position to depart the village in the Harumi waterfront district because of to coronavirus limits were singing the praises of the dumplings, just one of 700 meal options provided there 24 hrs a working day.
On social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, athletes shared a glimpse of what the dining experience in Tokyo was like.
U.S. rugby player Ilona Maher took to TikTok to clearly show the globe some of her favorites including deep-fried camembert, spring rolls, ramen and gyoza.
“Not to be remarkable or anything, but these are the most effective gyoza dumpling points I have ever experienced in my daily life,” she stated.
Equipped photograph reveals Ajinomoto Frozen Foodstuff Co.’s “Conditioning Gyoza” for athletes. (Kyodo)
Her overview prompted the firm, Ajinomoto Frozen Foodstuff Co., which offered the dumplings, to assert the Japanese dumplings won a gold medal in her eyes.
In a further video clip, American volleyball participant Erik Shoji is noticed in the main dining hall, where by he retains a piece of cucumber sushi to the digicam before popping a gyoza in his mouth. “These gyozas are the bomb!” he exclaimed.
Irish rugby participant Harry McNulty and Puerto Rico basketball participant Ali Gibson are just a couple of of the athletes who shared a video tour of the eating hall, highlighting the lots of possibilities accessible even though performing so.
“I had espresso at the athletes’ village. The gyoza have been mouth watering,” Japanese desk tennis participant Kasumi Ishikawa said in an Instagram article uploaded two times following she received crew silver.
According to Ajinomoto, which declared the start of a new sport-themed manufacturer and the sale of two types of frozen gyoza on Wednesday, a mixed 600,000 gyoza will be served about the duration of the Olympics and Paralympics at the athletes’ village.
It mentioned the freshly released “For ATHLETE” gyoza variety was on the menu at the G-Highway Station, a facility run by the Japanese Olympic Committee in close proximity to the village through the Olympics exactly where light Japanese foods had been served to athletes.
“For us, the social media response was unpredicted but we are extremely pleased with the world-wide recognition. We saw a slight maximize in sales in merchants,” Ajinomoto community relations formal Keita Katsumura stated.
