My-best, Operator of a Product Comparison Service Used by 30 Million People Monthly, Holds "Frozen Karaage 21 Product Taste Test Grand Prix" Decided by 3 Experts and 50 General Monitors

My-best Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Toru Yoshikawa; hereinafter "My-best"), which operates the product comparison service "My-best" used by 30 million people monthly, has held the "Frozen Karaage 21 Product Taste Test Grand Prix" to determine the most delicious frozen karaage, based on taste tests conducted by 3 experts and 50 general monitors on 21 popular frozen karaage products. Additionally, a survey was conducted among 2,000 people nationwide who purchase frozen karaage.

Trends in the Frozen Karaage Market

The frozen karaage market saw significant changes around 2020, spurred by the boom in karaage specialty stores. Consumer expectations for deliciousness have risen, leading manufacturers to compete in developing technologies that replicate the taste of specialty stores at home. Many products can now be called "specialty store quality." The variety of products has expanded, including satisfying thigh meat options, healthy breast meat options, and seasonings like garlic soy sauce and salt. Frozen karaage has evolved from being just a side dish for bento boxes to a popular choice for dinner.

However, with the increase in the number of products, many consumers express that they "don't know which one to choose."

Overview of the "Frozen Karaage 21 Product Taste Test Grand Prix"

Leveraging its expertise in actually purchasing and testing over 2,000 products monthly, My-best organized this Grand Prix to identify truly delicious frozen karaage from both expert and consumer perspectives.

<Testing Method (Scoring)>

Twenty-one popular frozen karaage products were evaluated by experts and general monitors on "overall deliciousness, chicken texture, chicken juiciness, crispiness of the coating, and balance of overall seasoning."

1 Deliciousness Evaluation by 3 Experts

Chef Akihiko Murata (Michelin 1-star chef), Chef Hiroki Nayuki, and Takeshi Nishikawa, a frozen life advisor, heated each product according to specified wattage and time, and tasted them while warm. They rated each product on a 5-point scale (Very Satisfied = 5 to Very Dissatisfied = 1), and the average score was calculated.

2 Taste Test by 50 General Monitors (Warm / Cold)

Fifty men and women aged 20 to 50 evaluated both "warm" and "cold" (2 hours after heating, stored at room temperature) states using the same 5-point scale.

<Testing Results Ranking (Top 3 Products)>

Full ranking and test results here: https://my-best.com/7479

The biggest point in the test was the texture of the coating. All three experts focused on this, and it significantly influenced the satisfaction level with the frozen karaage. The top 3 products, based on the combined evaluations of experts and monitors, are as follows:

・1st Place: Ajinomoto The★Karaage (Recommended Score 4.69)

・2nd Place: Umios Gokubun! Momo Karaage (★4.56)

・3rd Place: Nichirei Foods Wakatari Tarezuke Karaage (★4.50)

<Chef Profiles>

・Akihiko Murata, Owner/Chef of Arakicho Suzunari

Owner of "Suzunari" in Arakicho. Has received a Michelin star for 7 consecutive years. His YouTube channel, where he clearly explains "recipes that can be practiced at home," has surpassed 10,000 subscribers. He is active in various media, including TV, magazines, and web, and participated in the Milan Expo in 2015 as a Japanese cuisine chef. He is dedicated to promoting Japanese food culture as a member of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Washoku Support Team" and is involved in regional revitalization as part of "Team Chef."

・Hiroki Nayuki, Owner Chef of Mikesu RenRyu

After honing his skills at renowned restaurants in Akasaka and Roppongi, and serving as head chef at a famous Yokohama restaurant, he became independent. He has received a Michelin star for 6 consecutive years since 2015. Currently, he is the owner chef of "RenRyu," a modern Chinese restaurant in Mikesu. He offers original Chinese cuisine based on Cantonese cuisine, unbound by the frameworks of casual Chinese or traditional high-end Chinese. His dishes, which maximize the flavors of the ingredients, are highly praised by many gourmands.

・Takeshi Nishikawa, Frozen Life Advisor / Frozen Food Consultant

After product development at a frozen food company, he now works as a "frozen food expert" (popularly known as "Frozen Prince"). In 2016, he launched the "Frozen Life Advisor Training Course" operated by the Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association, systematizing home freezing techniques. He has appeared in numerous TV programs such as "Matsuco's Unknown World," "Hirunandesu!", "King's Brunch," and "NHK Gogo Nama," as well as in magazines.

Awareness and Actual Taste Test Results Differ: Frozen Karaage Situation Revealed by Survey of 2,000 People

The survey of 2,000 people nationwide who purchase frozen karaage revealed that while "Tokkara®" ranked first in awareness and purchase, "Ajinomoto The★Karaage" won first place in the "Frozen Karaage 21 Product Taste Test Grand Prix."

1 "Nichirei Foods Tokkara®" ranked first in awareness with a recognition rate of 50.7%.

2 The most important factor when choosing was "chicken juiciness," cited by 52.2%.

3 The primary eating occasions were "dinner side dish" (48.4%) and "lunch side dish" (34.3%). Only 3.0% were for bento boxes, a surprisingly low figure.

My-best Inc.

With the mission "To realize the best selection experience using the internet," My-best develops and operates "My-best," one of Japan's largest product comparison services, used by over 30 million unique users monthly. Currently, it operates in 8 countries and regions besides Japan, aiming to change the world by realizing the best selection experience.

・Location: Sumitomo Fudosan Tsukiji Building, 7-17-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

・Representative: Toru Yoshikawa

・Founded: October 2016

・Business Activities: Operation of the product comparison service "My-best," which compares and verifies products and services in all genres such as home appliances, daily necessities, cosmetics, and fashion, supporting users in making optimal choices.

・Corporate Site: https://my-best.com/company/

Product Comparison Service "My-best"

"My-best" is one of Japan's largest product comparison services specializing in the field of "selection." It provides recommended information on products and services based on thorough in-house verification and fair selection criteria from expert opinions, supporting each individual's best "selection." In the future, by combining a rich product database with user information, it aims to create a world where everyone can more easily encounter their own best.

・My-best Official Site: https://my-best.com/

・My-best Magazine: https://my-best.com/magazine

・My-best Official X: https://x.com/mybestcom

・My-best Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mybestcom/

・My-best Official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mybest_com

・My-best Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mybest2760

・My-best App: https://mybest.go.link/heG0k

・My-best LINE Official Account Media: https://line.me/R/ti/p/%40oa-mybest