February’s top food stock perks: Aeon cashback, Yoshinoya, Muji, and 50%+ yields
With food prices continuing to rise, many households are feeling the pinch. In such times, shareholder perks that help reduce spending can be a strong ally. February is particularly favorable, offering useful food-related perks such as Aeon’s up-to-7% cashback and free meal vouchers from Yoshinoya.
Perks that can be used at stores you frequent help save on groceries. They also allow you to enjoy small luxuries at a discount. Instead of just lamenting high prices, why not take a step toward countering them by investing in stocks through these perks?
The Classic Way to Save on Groceries: Aeon’s Top Perk
The nationwide Aeon Group includes 11 listed companies, nine of which offer shareholder perks related to food.
Local specialties and in-house products are also appealing, but perks such as cashback or discount coupons, which make everyday shopping more rewarding, are modest but helpful perks. Since Aeon Group’s perks can be used at many stores, they are also very convenient.
◇ Up to 7% Cashback Cashback Reward [Aeon (8267)]
In September 2025, Aeon split its shares 1-to-3, reducing the share price to about one-third of its previous level. At the same time, the shareholder perk program was expanded, lowering the minimum investment required to qualify for perks to about one-third, making them more accessible.
Aeon (8267), the core company of the group, issues an “Owners Card” to shareholders holding 100 or more shares as of the end of February and August.
At eligible Aeon Group stores—including Aeon, Aeon Style, The Big, MaxValu, and My Basket—showing the Owners Card at checkout earns a cashback percentage based on the number of shares held. Cashback is given every six months, in cash or WAON points, and is conditional on payment via eligible methods such as cash, WAON, or Aeon Card.
The cashback rate is 1% for 100+ shares, up to 7% for 9,000+ shares. The maximum purchase amount eligible for cashback is ¥1,000,000 per six months, which translates to a maximum return of ¥10,000–70,000 per period (¥20,000–140,000 annually). Owners Card benefits can also be combined with Aeon Group-issued shareholder discount vouchers (100-yen discount coupons).
The Owners Card also provides other perks, such as discounted movie tickets at Aeon Cinema, where the standard adult ticket of ¥1,800 is always ¥1,000—a great benefit for movie fans.
Following the September 2025 1-to-3 share split, the minimum investment required to qualify for these perks has decreased proportionally, making it easier to receive benefits. The share thresholds for the 3–7% cashback range have been adjusted in line with the split, so the required investment amount remains effectively the same.
◇ Save 100 yen for every 1,000 yen spent on daily shopping! 【Aeon Kyushu (2653), United Super Markets Holdings (3222), etc.】
Five Aeon Group companies—Aeon Hokkaido (7512), Aeon Kyushu (2653), Maxvalu Tokai (8198), Fuji (8278), and United Super Markets Holdings (3222)—offer shareholder coupons (“100-yen discount coupons”) that can be used at designated stores. Each coupon can be applied for every 1,000 yen (including tax) spent, giving shoppers up to a 10% discount on everyday purchases.
The number of coupons granted and the stores where they can be used vary by company.
The highest yield (most coupons per investment amount) is from United Super Markets Holdings (3222): an investment of about 100,000 yen earns 60 coupons per year (approx. 6.17% yield for 100 shares).
However, usable stores are mainly limited to supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area—Maruetsu, Kasumi, Inageya, and Maxvalu operated by Maxvalu Kanto. This is advantageous for those who regularly shop at these stores but less useful for those without nearby locations (shareholders can also choose regional specialty products instead of coupons).
Among the other four companies, Aeon Kyushu (2653) offers the highest yield, with 100 coupons (worth 10,000 yen) per year for an investment of about 300,000 yen (approx. 3.42% yield for 100 shares), usable nationwide at Aeon and Maxvalu stores.
For those seeking perks with a smaller investment, Aeon Hokkaido (7512) is an option, giving 25 coupons per year (worth 2,500 yen) for an investment of just over 90,000 yen (approx. 2.67% yield for 100 shares).
For residents in the Chugoku, Shikoku, or Hyogo regions who regularly shop at Fuji or Maruetsu, Fuji (8278) is a suitable choice (approx. 2.77% yield for 100 shares).
Maxvalu Tokai (8198) has a slightly lower shareholder yield, but its dividend yield is the highest among the five companies. Shareholders can also choose products such as rice or meat instead of coupons, making it a good choice for those who want both perks and dividends, or who want to diversify across multiple stocks to maximize benefits efficiently.
■ Popular dining stocks under 100,000 yen 【Create Restaurants HD (3387)】
Create Restaurants HD (3387) is a company that operates a wide range of food service businesses, including restaurants, izakayas, and bakeries.
Representative brands include all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu and sukiyaki Shabusai, matcha drinks and sweets MACCHA HOUSE, premium all-you-can-eat sushi Hina Sushi, seafood izakaya Isomaru Suisan, and bakery Saint-Germain.
Shareholders holding 100 shares or more of Create Restaurants HD (3387) at the end of February and August receive “Shareholder Coupons (Meal Vouchers)” usable at designated stores, based on the number of shares held.
With 100 shares, ¥75,700 investment earns 1,500 yen worth of meal vouchers every six months, totaling 3,000 yen annually. The shareholder yield for 100 shares is approximately 4%.
Moreover, shareholders holding 800 shares or more continuously for over a year receive an additional 2,000 yen every six months, totaling 4,000 yen annually.
■ Beef bowl vouchers that withstand price hikes 【Yoshinoya HD (9861)】
Yoshinoya HD (9861), which operates the beef bowl chain Yoshinoya, is also a February (and August) shareholder perk stock.
Shareholders holding 100 shares or more of Yoshinoya HD (9861) at the end of February and August receive “Shareholder Coupons (500 yen service vouchers)” usable at Yoshinoya and other stores, based on the number of shares held.
Although the shareholder yield has slightly declined due to reduced voucher amounts and rising stock prices, it remains a target stock for beef bowl lovers. The yield is highest when holding 200 shares.
By the way, Matsuya (Matsuya Foods HD (9887)) and Sukiya (Zensho HD (7550)) are March (and September) shareholder perk stocks.
■ CoCo Ichibanya yield about 4% including dividends! 【Ichibanya (7630)】
Ichibanya (7630) operates the curry specialty chain Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, affectionately known as CoCo Ichi, among others.
Shareholders holding 100 shares or more of Ichibanya (7630) at the end of February and August receive “Shareholder Coupons (500 yen vouchers)” usable at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya or ankake spaghetti Pasta de CoCo, based on the number of shares held.
With 100 shares, ¥91,800 investment earns 1,000 yen worth of meal vouchers every six months, totaling 2,000 yen annually. The shareholder yield for 100 shares is approximately 2.18%, and including dividends, an expected yield of about 4% can be achieved.
■ MUJI offers unlimited 7% off 【Ryohin Keikaku (7453)】
Ryohin Keikaku (7453) operates MUJI, a company offering everything from food products to daily necessities, clothing, furniture, and home appliances.
Shareholders holding 100 shares or more of Ryohin Keikaku (7453) at the end of February and August receive an electronic coupon via the MUJI app that gives 7% off purchases at MUJI and other affiliated stores. Coupons can be used repeatedly during the validity period.
From the February 2026 record date, Ryohin Keikaku (7453) shareholder perks have been fully digitized, and the traditional paper shareholder cards (Shareholder Cards) have been discontinued. The digitization also allows perks to be used on MUJI’s online store, making them more convenient.
■ Treasure stock with over 50% yield? 【Chiiki Shimbunsha (2164)】
Chiiki Shimbunsha (2164) distributes the free paper Chiiki Shimbun mainly in Chiba Prefecture.
Shareholders holding 100 shares or more of Chiiki Shimbunsha (2164) at the end of February receive discount vouchers usable on the company’s online shop Chiiki no Ippin, which carries Chiba Prefecture specialties, as well as discount vouchers usable at restaurants and hotels in Chiba.
The total value of vouchers for 100 shares is ¥19,000, giving a phenomenal shareholder yield of 50%. The perks are strictly discounts, and the products or locations where they can be used are limited. Even so, the required investment for 100 shares is just under ¥40,000. Interested investors can check Chiiki no Ippin’s products and participating stores/hotels on the company website to decide if it’s worth investing.
To earn shareholder perks, shares must be purchased before the ex-rights date, and the investor must be a shareholder on the record date. For all the stocks introduced here, the record date is the end of February, and the ex-rights date for 2026 is Wednesday, February 25.
This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any particular stock. Final investment decisions should be made at your own discretion. Shareholder yields in this article are calculated based on the perks and stock prices (closing prices) as of February 6, 2026, and may change with changes in perks or stock prices.
Interview and text： Hiroki Takekuni
Financial planner and representative of Rapport Consulting Office. After graduating from Nagoya University's Faculty of Engineering, he worked for a securities company and an insurance agency before setting up his own business. He is a certified financial planning technician, CFP®, licensed real estate agent, and sauna and spa professional.
PHOTO： Afro