Sendai Beef (A5)

Sendai Gyu (仙台牛) · Miyagi Prefecture (Tohoku) — Japanese Black, only A5/B5 top grade qualifies
Meat & Seafood Wagyu Frozen Growing export

Sendai Beef is unusual among brands in that only the very top quality grade (A5/B5) is allowed to carry the name, giving it a uniform reputation for high marbling. It is reared in Miyagi Prefecture and certified by the Sendai Beef Brand Promotion Council. Exports go through Japan's MAFF-approved export abattoirs to markets that have re-opened to Japanese beef. It commands ultra-premium pricing at high-end restaurants and Japanese specialty retailers abroad.

The supplierCouncil-certified brand backed by JA Zen-Noh Miyagi; aggregates output of qualifying Miyagi feedlots; one of the larger-volume Tohoku wagyu brands.
Why it sells abroadOnly top A5/B5 grade can use the brand name — guaranteed marbling tier

Buyer's brief ✓ SOURCES VERIFIED

CertificationsSendai Beef brand certification (confirmed): the only Japanese brand selling exclusively top-grade A5/B5 carcasses (per the Japan Meat Grading Association); per-carcass certificate of authenticity and individual cattle traceability (NLBC 10-digit ID). Slaughter at MAFF export-approved abattoir with HACCP-based meat hygiene: plausible but not publicly verified per-plant.
Pack formatsVacuum-packed primal/sub-primal; portion-cut steaks; sliced shabu/sukiyaki packs (200-500g).
Shelf lifeFrozen ~12-24 months at -18°C; chilled vacuum ~30-45 days at 0-2°C (typical).
StorageChilled 0-2°C or frozen -18°C or below.
Minimum orderTypical: 1 pallet mixed cuts (~200-300 kg)
Lead timeTypical: 3-6 weeks incl. export cert and reefer booking
CapacityTypical: limited top-grade volume; brand restricts to A5/B5
Container loadTypical: ~18-22 t per 40ft reefer (frozen, palletized)
PricingTypical: $80-200/kg wholesale depending on cut (loin/sirloin highest)
OEM / private labelCustom cutting/portioning available via exporter; private-label rare.
Wholesale & MOQReefer -18C (frozen) or 0-2C vacuum chilled; typical MOQ 1 pallet (~200-300 kg) mixed cuts, full reefer ~20 t
Key exporters & distributorsZen-Noh (JA group export arm), Starzen, Nippon Ham (NH Foods), regional trading houses
Export regulationMust be slaughtered/processed at MAFF/MHLW export-listed establishments (e.g., facilities cleared for US under the AMS/FSIS equivalence and for the EU). Health certificate issued by MAFF Animal & Plant Health; halal not standard. Japanese beef remains BANNED in mainland China (no protocol), and to South Korea; permitted to US (since 2019 full delisting of age limits), Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Macau, UAE. HS 0201 (chilled) / 0202 (frozen).
Market demandStrong at premium teppanyaki/steak restaurants in Asia and the US
How to source itJA Zen-Noh Miyagi / Sendai Beef Brand Promotion Council → licensed exporter (Zen-Noh/Starzen/NH Foods) → overseas importer.
Verified sourceshttps://www.foodinjapan.org/tohoku/miyagi/sendai-beef/; https://www.hakuundai.net/en/sendai-beef/
MakerJA Zen-Noh Miyagi / Sendai Beef Brand Promotion Council (member feedlots in Miyagi)
OriginMiyagi Prefecture (Tohoku) — Japanese Black, only A5/B5 top grade qualifies
CategoryMeat & Seafood / Wagyu
Available inUS, HK, SG +4 more
HandlingFrozen
Price tierPremium
ChannelFoodservice
Export readinessGrowing 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.