Kobe Beef (Tajima A4/A5)

Kobe Beef (神戸ビーフ) · Hyogo Prefecture (Tajima Japanese Black lineage)
Meat & Seafood Wagyu Chilled Established export

The world's most famous wagyu brand: Tajima-strain Japanese Black, A4/A5 only, with strict marbling (BMS) and yield thresholds. Authentic Kobe is a tiny pool (only ~10% of an already small certified output) so it is rationed globally and trades at the top price tier. Every shipment carries the Chrysanthemum seal, 10-digit cattle ID and an association certificate; only association-registered overseas restaurants/retailers may legally sell it.

The supplierBrand-certified by the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association (Kobe Niku Ryutsu Suishin Kyogikai), Hyogo. Only registered farms/butchers carrying the 'Nojigiku' chrysanthemum seal qualify; supply is deliberately small (Typical: ~5,000-6,000 head certified/year). Exports flow through a short list of Hyogo-licensed export establishments. Typical: most volume exits via established Kansai meat exporters and the prefectural beef export framework.
Why it sells abroadWorld's most prestigious Wagyu brand; A4/A5 Tajima Japanese Black, BMS-graded marbling, strict Nojigiku-seal authentication and full traceability — the ultimate HORECA hero product.

Buyer's brief ✓ SOURCES VERIFIED

CertificationsKobe Beef brand certification (confirmed): granted by the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association (kobe-niku.jp) with per-carcass certificate and individual cattle-ID traceability. Halal Kobe Beef exists (confirmed): the world's first halal Kobe beef is produced only via Sanda Meat Center (Hyogo's only halal-certified slaughterhouse) in very limited volume — halal is NOT a standard attribute of the brand. HACCP / FSSC 22000 / EU-establishment / US-FSIS: not publicly verified at the brand level (varies by individual abattoir/exporter).
Pack formatsVac-pac primal cuts and portion-controlled steaks (sirloin, ribeye, tenderloin, chuck), each individually vacuum-sealed with cattle individual-ID label; master cartons EPS/insulated for chilled airfreight or frozen.
Shelf lifeChilled vac-pac: ~30-45 days at 0-2°C (typical). Frozen: ~12-18 months at -18°C or below (typical).
StorageChilled 0-2°C or frozen -18°C or below.
Minimum orderTypical: importer MOQ from a few hundred kg (mixed cuts) for chilled airfreight; FCL reefer for frozen.
Lead timeTypical: 2-4 weeks including export health certificate (MAFF/animal-product inspection) and destination approval paperwork.
CapacityTypical: constrained — Kobe Beef is one of Japan's rarest brands; annual certified output is small and largely pre-allocated, limiting export volume.
Container loadTypical: chilled premium volume moves by airfreight (insulated cartons + gel/dry ice). Frozen consolidates in reefer 20ft (~8-10t) / 40ft (~24-26t) shared with other Wagyu brands.
PricingEstimate: among the highest Wagyu globally — Typical $200-500+/kg FOB for premium cuts (ribeye/sirloin), tenderloin higher; lower for trim/secondary.
OEM / private labelBrand only — the Kobe Beef certification mark cannot be private-labeled; spec portioning/packing available via licensed handlers (confirmed).
Wholesale & MOQChilled vacuum-packed primals/portions, airfreight; sold by cut to registered foodservice. Tiny MOQ relative to demand; allocation-based rather than container-scale.
Key exporters & distributorsKobe Beef association-registered exporters, Zen-Noh / JA ZEN-NOH Meat Foods, Starzen, Itoham-Yonekyu
Export regulationSlaughter/cutting only at importing-country-approved abattoirs under full-time official vet; Animal Quarantine Service hygiene certificate per shipment; 10-digit individual cattle ID traceability (post-2001 BSE system). Brand layer: Chrysanthemum-seal certificate + mandatory registration of overseas sellers — unregistered 'Kobe' is by definition not authentic. ~32 US restaurants and select online (e.g. Allen Brothers) authorized.
Market demandStrong fine-dining/HORECA pull in US, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau (casino HORECA), Taiwan, Thailand, UAE and EU; menu-anchor item for high-end Japanese/steak restaurants.
How to source itKobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association (authentication) → Hyogo-licensed export abattoirs/exporters; halal lines via Sanda Meat Center; JETRO beef export support; discovery via FOODEX JAPAN.
Verified sourceshttps://www.kobe-niku.jp/en/contents/certification/index.html; https://www.halalfoodinjapan.com/post/192/; https://www.groovyjapan.com/en/osmeat01/
MakerVarious (brand-certified) — Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association
OriginHyogo Prefecture (Tajima Japanese Black lineage)
CategoryMeat & Seafood / Wagyu
Available inUS, HK, SG +5 more
HandlingChilled
Price tierPremium
ChannelFoodservice
Export readinessEstablished export
HS code0201 / 0202
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Profile maintained by Japonity (japonity.com), May 2026. General sourcing information only — confirm current availability, pricing, MOQ and the destination market's import rules with the maker or exporter before contracting. Japonity is not affiliated with this brand.