The Silicon Review ^Asia

McDonalds, one of the most well-known fast food giants started by Ronald McDonald, has taken on a new initiative in order to up its sales in Japan. The company has decided to embrace the culture of rice cakes, one of the most popular foods in the country, and innovate a burger using the cakes along with traditional McDonald flavors. The decision came after extensive surveys which revealed that the people of Japan preferred rice over bread during their meals.

"The reaction was huge. People didn't know there was going to be a new product so it created a lot of suspense. Everyone had a lot of hope for what it would be.The decision to launch the rice burger bun was based on customer feedback and on market research that showed that people in Japan in their 30s and 40s preferred rice over bread for dinner, while still being fond of the staple teriyaki and fried chicken burgers they'd eaten as teenagers and young adults," Kokoro Toyama, McDonald's Japan rice burger representative, told CNN Business.

Fast food companies have long since been known for shaping their offerings in order to cater to the preferred tastes of the local market. McDonalds has been offering altered products like the Maharaja Mac in India and the Gohan burger of Japan since a while.