Miho Inagi is a former computer programmer turned retailing entrepreneur who is riding Japan’s bagel boom to intense consumer loyalty by adhering to a simple concept — authenticity, as reported by Andrew Morse in The Wall Street Journal. “Unlike some of her competitors, who cater to Japanese tastes by making bagels with toppings like sweet beans,” Miho “makes few concessions to the local palate. She offers eight classic flavors, including plain, poppy, cinnamon-raisin — even ‘everything’ Her toppings are limited, including plain cream cheese, smoked salmon and egg salad.” It’s an unlikely menu in Japan, where bread is expected to be “soft and moist, not hard and crunchy.” But these days bagels are hot in Japan, touted by “local food magazines … as health food.” And Miho’s bagels are the real deal.
I should add that many (I am not among them) consider the cinnamon-raisin bagel to be an abomination. However, I'm sure all right-thinking people can agree that the blueberry bagel is beyond the pale.
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