Breaking News! First-Ever World Grand Prix 2-Star Winner for Roasted Sweet Potato "Chateaubriand" by "Yakiimo Ruida" in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture!

On July 9, 2026, welcome news arrived.

"Chateaubriand," the premium roasted sweet potato from "Yakiimo Ruida," the organizer of "Imo Fes!" a roasted sweet potato event attracting over 480,000 people in the Tokai region, has won 2 stars at the 2026 ITQI (International Taste Institute).

This is the company's first application to ITQI, marking a historic first-ever ITQI world award for roasted sweet potato.

ITQI (International Taste Institute) is a global taste evaluation organization for food and beverages headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, established in 2005. Food professionals such as Michelin chefs and sommeliers evaluate only the taste of products and certify the "Superior Taste Award" accordingly. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, over 100 countries participate, with a cumulative total of over 20,000 awarded products.

The awarded "Chateaubriand" roasted sweet potato is a masterpiece, carefully baked one by one by hand using charcoal and an oven, and is made exclusively with "Beni Haruka" sweet potatoes from Ibaraki Prefecture, aged for over a year and a half. It is a highly popular product at Imo Fes! and is truly a masterpiece that can be proudly presented to the world for its taste, texture, and more.

Furthermore, the Chateaubriand roasted sweet potato has already won the Imo Fes Grand Prix and a Gold Medal at the Monde Selection this year, achieving a triple crown.

To commemorate the ITQI award, "Chateaubriand" is currently on sale at a special price on our online store. While large quantity purchases are necessary due to high shipping costs, it's a great deal, so sweet potato lovers should definitely check it out.

https://www.ruida-imo.com/

The next Imo Fes is scheduled for:

July 18, 19, 20, 2026 (Sat, Sun, Mon) 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, rain or shine

At the vacant lot next to MEGA Don Quijote UNY Kakegawa, 2828-2 Oike, Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture

1st Imo Fes! IN Kakegawa

https://www.imo-fes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/imofesruiida/

Details will be announced later, so please wait a little longer.