Yeo's Teriyaki Tuna Lands in Malaysia With a Japanese Twist
Canned tuna is one of those things most Malaysian kitchens keep a few of, ready for a quick sandwich, a bowl of rice or a late-night snack. Yeo's is betting there is room on that shelf for a flavour that leans Japanese, with its first canned Teriyaki Tuna in Malaysia.
A pantry staple, with a teriyaki twist
The new Yeo's Teriyaki Tuna pairs tender tuna with a savoury-sweet teriyaki sauce, and sits alongside the brand's Chilli Spicy Tuna in 150g cans. The idea is to give an everyday staple a different direction: eaten straight from the can, spooned over rice or noodles, or used as a base for your own cooking. Yeo's says the tuna is high in protein and a source of Omega-3, the sort of line that matters more as shoppers read labels a little harder.
"We continue to explore new flavour inspirations from around the world," said Tan Mei Yen, Yeo's Country General Manager, framing the teriyaki version as a contemporary take on a familiar can.
Why tuna, and why now
Tuna is already well settled in the Malaysian diet. A study in Food & Nutrition Research on fish consumption among adults in Peninsular Malaysia ranked tuna as the fourth most frequently eaten marine fish among those surveyed. On the supply side, the Fisheries Department reported that 431,000kg of tuna worth RM7.76 million came into Penang in 2024, more than double the volume a year earlier.
Most canned tuna here still comes plain or in chilli, so a teriyaki option is a small departure rather than a crowded category getting another entry. If Japanese flavours are your thing, it slots in next to experiences like Sushiro's conveyor-belt sushi at 1 Utama, and if you simply like your seafood generous, our look at the salmon buffet at M Social Penang is worth a read.
A Japanese street party in Bukit Bintang
To mark the launch, Yeo's ran a roadshow called "Itadakimasu, Tuna with a Twist" from 2 to 4 October 2026 at The Starhill ground floor piazza in Bukit Bintang. Visitors could sample the tuna and join a stamp-collecting trail, a Japan-inspired photobooth, a Gashapon game and a cosplay competition, with prizes running from Yeo's products and Touch 'n Go reloads to onsen vouchers and a flight to Japan. The brand also staged a guerrilla moment on the streets nearby, a nod to Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing, with a crew in kimonos and other traditional wafuku.
Where to buy, and the contest
The new Yeo's Tuna variants are on shelves now at leading supermarkets and hypermarkets, including Lotus's, Village Grocer, Jaya Grocer, NSK Grocer, AEON and Econsave. Running alongside is the "Yeo's To Japan" contest from 1 October to 30 November 2026: buy a participating product such as the Teriyaki Tuna or Chilli Spicy Tuna, post a photo or video of how you enjoy it on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, and tag Yeo's Food Malaysia. Twelve winners will be picked over the run.
The takeaway
This is a modest change rather than a reinvention, and that is the appeal. A familiar can, a sauce most of us already know from Japanese menus, and no need to change how you cook. If the teriyaki idea clicks, it is an easy swap into meals you already make.
