Japanese for Pitching a Restaurant or Product Concept
Learn to describe a new restaurant or product concept in Japanese, using 〜をコンセプトに, 〜を売りに, 〜をターゲットに, and 〜を目指す to pitch your idea clearly.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you pitch a restaurant or product concept in Japanese, you are not just listing menu items or features. You are explaining the central idea, the target customer, the unique selling point, and your goal. This lesson teaches four flexible patterns that let you do exactly that. You will learn to say what concept you are building around, what you are emphasizing, who you are targeting, and what you aim to achieve. These patterns work for food businesses, retail products, and services, so you can adapt them to many entrepreneurial situations. Pay attention to the particles and the verb endings, because they carry the relationships between your idea and its audience.
By the end, you can…
- state the central concept of a restaurant or product using 〜をコンセプトに.
- describe what I am emphasizing as the main selling point using 〜を売りに.
- identify the target audience using 〜をターゲットに.
- express a business goal or vision using 〜を目指す.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
「駅近で一人でも入りやすい定食屋」をコンセプトにしています。
We are building the concept around a set-meal restaurant near the station that is easy for solo diners to enter.
Eki-chika de hitori de mo hairiyasui teishoku-ya o konseputo ni shite imasu.
Use this to state the core idea of your business. をコンセプトにしています means 'we are using ... as our concept.' It is common in pitches and on signage.
自家製の出汁を売りにしたラーメン店です。
It is a ramen shop that makes its homemade broth the main selling point.
Jikasei no dashi o uri ni shita rāmen-ten desu.
を売りにする means 'to make something one's selling point.' Use it to highlight what makes your product stand out.
健康志向の若い女性をターゲットにしています。
We are targeting health-conscious young women.
Kenkō shikō no wakai josei o tāgetto ni shite imasu.
をターゲットにする means 'to target.' It is neutral and widely used in business planning. You can replace the audience with any group.
地域密着型のカフェを目指しています。
We are aiming for a community-based cafe.
Chiiki micchaku-gata no kafe o mezashite imasu.
を目指す means 'to aim for' or 'to strive toward.' Use it for long-term goals and vision statements.
テイクアウト専門のスイーツ店を始めます。
I am starting a takeout-only sweets shop.
Teikuauto senmon no suītsu-ten o hajimemasu.
This simple sentence states what you are launching. 専門 means 'specialized in,' and 始めます means 'I am starting.' Use it to introduce your business type.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The four patterns in this lesson follow a similar structure: [key element] + を + [role] + に + する. For example, 「和食」をコンセプトにする (make 'Japanese cuisine' the concept), 「新鮮な魚」を売りにする (make 'fresh fish' the selling point), 「観光客」をターゲットにする (make 'tourists' the target), and 「ミシュラン」を目指す (aim for 'Michelin'). The particle を marks the object, and に marks the role or direction. You can change the verb tense: しています for current ongoing state, しました for past, or します for future. This pattern is productive, so you can swap in your own nouns and phrases.
When to use it
Use 〜をコンセプトに when you want to summarize your entire business idea in one phrase, often at the start of a pitch. Use 〜を売りに when you want to emphasize a specific strength that differentiates you from competitors. Use 〜をターゲットに when you need to define your customer base, especially in marketing contexts. Use 〜を目指す when you talk about future goals or aspirations, such as expanding or earning a reputation. In a pitch, a natural order is: concept first, then selling point, then target, then goal. For example: 「駅前の定食屋」をコンセプトに、手作り味噌を売りに、一人暮らしの社会人をターゲットに、地域で愛される店を目指しています。
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
新しいお店のコンセプトを教えてください。
Please tell me the concept of your new shop.Atarashii omise no konseputo o oshiete kudasai.「発酵食品で体を整える」をコンセプトにした定食屋です。
It is a set-meal restaurant with the concept of 'nourishing the body with fermented foods.'Hakkō shokuhin de karada o totonoeru o konseputo ni shita teishoku-ya desu.なるほど。売りは何ですか。
I see. What is your selling point?Naruhodo. Uri wa nan desu ka.自家製の味噌とぬか漬けを売りにしています。健康志向の女性をターゲットに、地域で愛される店を目指しています。
We make our homemade miso and rice-bran pickles the selling point. We are targeting health-conscious women and aiming to be a community-loved shop.Jikasei no miso to nukazuke o uri ni shite imasu. Kenkō shikō no josei o tāgetto ni, chiiki de aisareru mise o mezashite imasu.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese business pitches, stating a clear concept and target audience is often more valued than listing many features. The phrase をコンセプトに is neutral and professional, suitable for formal presentations. を売りに can sound slightly promotional but is fine in pitches. When targeting a group, avoid overly broad terms like みんな (everyone); specificity shows planning. Also, を目指す often implies a long-term aspiration, so use it for goals that are not yet achieved.
One thing to watch for
Using が instead of を with コンセプトにする, as in 「健康」がコンセプトにしています。
Try this instead: The correct particle is を because コンセプトにする takes a direct object: 「健康」をコンセプトにしています。 Similarly, use を with 売りにする, ターゲットにする, and 目指す when they take a direct object. For example, 「新鮮な魚」を売りにしています, not が.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'We are building the concept around a takeout-only sushi shop'?
Show a sample answer
「テイクアウト専門の寿司屋」をコンセプトにしています。
This uses をコンセプトにしています with the concept in quotes. You could also say テイクアウト専門の寿司屋をコンセプトにしています without quotes; both are acceptable.
2What is the difference between 〜を売りにする and 〜をターゲットにする?
Show a sample answer
〜を売りにする means 'to make something one's selling point,' focusing on a product strength. 〜をターゲットにする means 'to target,' focusing on a customer group.
They serve different roles in a pitch: one highlights what you offer, the other highlights whom you serve. You can use both in the same pitch, as in the dialogue.
3Translate into Japanese: 'We are aiming to be a restaurant loved by locals.'
Show a sample answer
地元に愛されるレストランを目指しています。
This uses を目指しています with a passive relative clause 地元に愛される (loved by locals). Alternatively, 地元で愛される is also common and natural.
To pitch a restaurant or product concept in Japanese, use 〜をコンセプトに for the core idea, 〜を売りに for the selling point, 〜をターゲットに for the audience, and 〜を目指す for the goal. Keep particles accurate and be specific about your target.
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