Becoming an Official Kobe Dealer
Authentic Kobe beef is one of the most tightly regulated food products in the world, and any establishment that sells it must be officially registered as a Designated Dealer by the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association (KBMDPA) in Japan. As an authorized wagyu importer, TREX acts as the intermediary to manage this registration process on your behalf.
End users — restaurants, butcher shops, and retail stores — always need to be certified, and each individual location requires its own registration (e.g., a chef operating three restaurants must register all three separately).
Distributors generally do not need to register unless they want to be the visible certifying party on the KBMDPA's official dealer website rather than TREX. Some distributors prefer this to keep TREX out of view from their end-user customers — though it's worth noting that TREX does not sell to end users.
The one-time registration fee is about $3,000 USD (based on exchange rates).
There is a $500 - $600 USD annual renewal fee after the first year, collected yearly to maintain your active listing on the KBMDPA website. If you discontinue, your listing will be removed from the KBMDPA website.
The Registration Process
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Determine If a CBP 5106 Form Is Needed
This form is only required for distributor customers who want to register themselves so that their name — rather than TREX's — appears on the KBMDPA website as the certifying party for their end-user customers.
If a distributor is comfortable with TREX appearing as the recommender (and understands that TREX will not entertain direct inquiries from end users), this form can be skipped entirely.
End-user customers (restaurants, butcher shops, retail stores) do not need to fill out this form.
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Fill out Pages 1 through 3 of the official Kobe Beef application below.
Sections 4, 5, and 6 on Page 2 do not need to be completed.
Importantly, confirm the address where you'd like the official Kobe marketing materials (plaque and other items) to be shipped — this is especially critical for restaurants that are not yet open, as materials may arrive before staff are on-site to receive them. If no alternate address is specified, Japan will default to the address listed in the application.
Note for Distributors: The full Kobe application document is available upon request but is not typically shared with customers, as it can cause confusion. It is only provided in special circumstances (e.g., for legal review by certain businesses).
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Once all required documents are completed, email all forms to andy@teamtrex.com
We will forward the application to the Japan side for processing. Applications are reviewed and approved by the KBMDPA — no application has ever been denied.
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Once the customer submits payment to TREX, we will arrange the corresponding payment to the Japan side on your behalf.
Upon approval, TREX will issue an invoice to the customer for a one time registration fee (about $3,000 USD - depending on the exchange rate).
There is a $500 - $600 USD annual renewal fee after the first year, collected yearly to maintain your active listing on the KBMDPA website. If you discontinue, your listing will be removed from the KBMDPA website.
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After payment is confirmed, the KBMDPA will ship your official marketing materials — including the iconic gold Kobe beef plaque and other designation items — to the address provided.
If no alternate shipping address was specified in Step 2, materials will be sent to the address on the application, so make sure to double-check this before submission.
FAQ
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From application submission to delivery, the process takes approximately 4–6 weeks, with each step handled by different parties:
Customer submits the completed application form to Trex
Trex immediately forwards the application to Japan (supplier team) for review
Japan team reviews, approves, and issues an invoice (1–2 weeks)
Trex receives the invoice and promptly sends it to the customer
Customer completes payment
Trex Accounting processes and arranges payment to the Japan side (1–2 weeks)
Japan team confirms receipt of funds and prepares the order for shipment
Japan team ships the materials to Trex (1–2 weeks)
If the customer pays quickly, the full process typically takes around one month from submission to delivery.
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Customers may begin selling Kobe beef as soon as they receive approval from Japan; there’s no need to wait for marketing materials to arrive. That said, most prefer to have the official golden plaque displayed in the restaurant before launching. Please connect with our sales team so we can support your rollout and ensure adequate inventory is in place.
Turn Luxury into Loyalty with Kobe Beef
Offering Kobe Beef communicates a commitment to excellence that resonates with discerning customers and positions your establishment at the top of a competitive market. TREX is the premier importer to source it through — in 2024, we signed up more Kobe Beef accounts than any company in the nation, earning a prestigious industry award for our leadership.
As an Official Certified Importer working directly with the KBMDPA, we guarantee authenticity and full traceability on every cut. We have also been part of consecutive Gold Award wins at the Japanese Wagyu World Auction in 2024 and 2025, where our customers traveled to Japan and personally purchased the winning carcasses, with TREX managing the entire import process.
At the helm is Mark Melnick, widely recognized as a trailblazer in the Japanese Wagyu industry and the only U.S. Commissioner and Official Inspector for Kobe Beef in the country — a distinction that reflects the depth of trust and expertise TREX brings to every client relationship.
