- Business
- Chikaranomoto Holdings Co Ltd (3561.T) operates restaurant businesses primarily focused on ramen specialty stores; it manages direct-operated eateries under brands including IPPUDO, Ramen Express (food court style), Nashimatei (also known as Najimatei or Majimatei), Inaba Udon, Kazdo, Five Line, and Rugen Shiro Shiro, alongside manufacturing and sales of soba, udon, ramen noodles, soups, sauces, broths, seasonings, and other food ingredients such as the IPPUDO at Home series mainly for commercial and consumer use; the company also conducts overseas licensing of outlets to local partners. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Fukuoka City, Japan, Chikaranomoto Holdings segments its operations into domestic restaurant operations, overseas restaurant operations centered on IPPUDO in directly managed and licensed formats, and product sales including brewery activities; it serves customers across Japan, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, and New Zealand through a network of approximately 277 stores with 624 employees as of recent data. Recent developments include the April 2025 opening of two new IPPUDO stores in Tochigi and Osaka, Japan; the grand opening of the company's first vegan-specialty outlet, ippudo V, in Brooklyn, New York, in May 2025; a June 2025 relaunch of the seasonal Tattsuke Men ramen dish; a June 2025 startup education program launch with Yanagawa High School in Fukuoka via IPPUDO; and a May 2025 collaboration with Pokemon Center for IPPUDO-themed merchandise, alongside a 43% increase in net profit for the April-June 2025 quarter.