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Michelin Guide California 2022 Listed Store Rich Miso Ramen [Ramen TAO] Promote franchise development throughout the United States, aiming for 100 stores in 2027!
Bring Michelin ramen to your city. Four experienced entrepreneurs, chefs, and consultants gather to back up FC development
Ramen TAO Franchise Inc. (Headquarters: Delaware, United States, Representative Director: Hitoshi Yamada) is a group store in the United States, including the popular restaurant “Ramen & Tsukemen TAO”, which was selected as a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide California 2022.・We have 7 stores in Mexico.
In April 2023, we started expanding franchises to spread the taste of restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide throughout the United States. Hitoshi Yamada (serial entrepreneur), Kenta Ikehata (veteran chef), Takashi Yamada (founder), and Takashi Nagai (charisma consultant), who have a proven track record as serial entrepreneurs, chefs and consultants, will lead the company in 2027. We are planning to open 100 stores.
Ramen TAO Franchise Inc. official website
https://www.ramentao-franchise.com/ja (external link)
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-914be7eeddd2bbe49e50-7.jpg&s3=62684-734-b742b41f42f9bba85f2982f45c5c3aab-3900×2601.jpg] “Ramen TAO” rich pork bone miso ramen
Ramen TAO, a popular ramen restaurant selected for the Michelin Bib Gourmand “Ramen & Tsukemen TAO” opened in 2019 in a shopping mall in Buena Park, Orange County, California, USA. Buena Park is a city full of attractions for all ages and is home to many popular restaurants. In the 2010s, there was a ramen boom among young people in big cities such as Los Angeles and New York. The ramen boom later spread to rural areas. In response to the increasing number of people eating ramen in the United States, we opened group stores in Illinois and Mexico City in 2020 after opening “Ramen & Tsukemen TAO”. Both stores soon got on track with the support of local people, and the store in Illinois grew to raise annual sales of nearly 300 million yen with just 25 seats. Currently, we have 7 stores in the United States and Mexico, including group stores.
“Ramen & Tsukemen TAO” is a ramen that features a rich tonkotsu miso soup made by boiling pork bones in a base of white and red miso. The noodles are thick and chewy, and the rich soup is entwined with the noodles and the flavor of the soup spreads throughout your mouth. Red miso spicy is popular with Americans who like spicy food. The boiled egg, which is indispensable for Japanese ramen, is also a specialty of the store, and the soft-boiled boiled egg is also popular in the United States. In 2022, it was selected as the Bib Gourmand of the Michelin Guide California, and the taste of the rich pork bone miso ramen, as well as the deliciousness of the tsukemen and steamed pork buns, was highly evaluated.
Ramen TAO official website https://ramentao.biz/ (external link)
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-3dd8ec39e639ce157ed4-8.jpg&s3=62684-734-d1a273ad59ecacc8835680b3a4ea1f99-860×633.jpg] “Ramen TAO” selected as Bib Gourmand of Michelin Guide California in 2022 Store opening strategy of Ramen TAO Franchise Inc.
We aim to open 100 stores across the United States by 2027. Our goal is for customers to enjoy the taste of restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide in suburban areas where there are few ramen shops, and in rural urban areas where there are no good ramen shops. Rent and labor costs are low in suburban areas, and there are many candidate locations, making them suitable for opening stores.
The store size is small to medium with 30 to 50 seats. We will create a casual ramen shop where local customers come to eat once a week or once a month by keeping the opening cost down with a simple interior.
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-7db687b828280faba2e7-5.jpg&s3=62684-734-a8cfda009cd0e0409db81d5e9b923f66-3900×2601.jpg] A simple interior with a scale of about 30 to 50 seats. Aiming to be a ramen shop where local customers can easily drop by
Four entrepreneurs, chefs, and consultants gathered to establish a fund
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-bfcaa6a5fad56f57a0a0-6.jpg&s3=62684-734-3cf547a400c4bab77c3bb4d6f15c53bf-1801×2700.jpg] We are also looking for people who want to work as a ramen craftsman in the United States
Many of the management members who lead franchise openings were born in Japan and moved to the United States in their 20s and 30s. Each of them has been involved in restaurant management such as ramen restaurants, yakiniku restaurants, sushi restaurants, and FC management in Japan, the United States, and other countries, and has many years of experience. In addition, the management members are based in the United States, including family life and child-rearing, and have a wealth of experience in life other than business. These four people will establish a fund to support Ramen TAO’s store development. We are looking for people who are interested in restaurant investment and are holding a briefing session. At the same time, we are also looking for people who want to work in the United States as a ramen chef, not as a FC owner. For details, please see the dedicated franchise site.
Franchise website https://www.ramentao-franchise.com/ (external link)
[Image 5: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-77f9c32290f90402a539-11.jpg&s3=62684-734-fcf1cc2643ef55b2c37fa99d6483f5e4-1105×1381.jpg] Hitoshi Yamada (CEO)
・Hitoshi Yamada (CEO)
A serial entrepreneur who has bought out businesses related to IT and advertising in addition to restaurants. In 2010, he opened Ramen Yamadaya, a ramen shop with 10 stores from San Francisco to San Diego. After selling “Ramen Yamadaya” in 2017, he opened “Ramenya” in Mexico City with COO Kenta Ikebata.
[Image 6: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-d99181796acaab1db2e8-13.jpg&s3=62684-734-adf9b3fb6f975b1960729d474cefb882-976×1220.jpg] Kenta Ikebata (COO)
・Kenta Ikebata (COO)
Veteran chef and ramen specialist. In 2011, he created a sensation by launching Ramen Tsujita, a famous tsukemen specialty shop in Tokyo, in Los Angeles. In addition to the annual sales of 500 million yen at a store with more than 30 seats, he has also launched ramen shops in the United States, Mexico, and Asian countries. Owner of group store Chicago Ramen.
[Image 7: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-a2b15f8390defe2a33bb-14.jpg&s3=62684-734-5e50c0164ead74fe2c52091576f040ea-490×613.jpg] Takashi Yamada (Founder)
・Takashi Yamada (Founder)
After graduating from university, he started an IT company in Japan and then moved to the United States in 2002. In 2019, he opened “Ramen TAO” in Orange County, California with Kenta Ikebata. The rich taste of miso ramen has become a hot topic, and it has become a ramen shop with queues immediately after opening. Listed in the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand in 2022.
[Image 8: https://prtimes.jp/i/62684/734/resize/d62684-734-b2cdd0b2f5dabd207a84-12.jpg&s3=62684-734-ae9c7f41d54e7b54a9d02ae1b6ac72e3-1338×1672.jpg] Takashi Nagai (Consultant)
・Takashi Nagai (Consultant)
Representative Director of Kizuna Lab Co., Ltd. After graduating from Nippon Sport Science University, joined Venture Link Co., Ltd. (listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange) after working at STT Development Co., Ltd. and Sony Life Insurance. In charge of FC development for the car purchase specialty store “Gulliver”, headquarters support for Yakiniku “Gyukaku” and cafe “Tully’s”, and FC development. In 1999, he became a director of the company. In 2003, became independent through MBO. Involved in the management of UCC group companies and achieved a V-shaped recovery. Established Kizuna Lab specializing in FC in 2020. FC membership acquisition exceeds 1,500 stores in Japan and overseas.
■Company profile
Company name: Ramen TAO Franchise Inc.
Representative: Hitoshi Yamada
Address: 1207 Delaware Ave. Wilmington, DE 19806
Industry: Ramen TAO Operation/Franchise Headquarters
URL: https://www.ramentao-franchise.com/ja (external link)
Ramen TAO Franchise Inc. is an affiliated company of sdams Media Japan Co., Ltd. Details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000734.000062684.html