Restaurant chain operator Ootoya plans to accelerate expansion overseas

YOKOHAMA - Tomohito Mitsumori, the 37-year-old president of Japanese restaurant chain operator Ootoya Holdings, has declared the company's intention to expedite the establishment of its Ootoya Gohan Dokoro restaurants abroad. Currently, Ootoya operates approximately 140 Japanese eateries across eight nations and territories, encompassing Thailand, Taiwan, and the United States. In an interview, Mitsumori emphasized that "many individuals are eager to experience Japanese culinary culture."

Mitsumori expressed his enthusiasm for expanding the brand internationally, stating, "We will be opening restaurants around the world." He cited the recent surge in foreign visitors to Japan as a positive indicator for Ootoya's overseas expansion prospects. Acknowledging that numerous non-Japanese individuals perceive the Japanese cuisine they have sampled in their home countries as lacking authenticity, Mitsumori believes that the influx of tourists from abroad bodes well for the company's overseas operations.

Specializing in Japanese teishoku set meals, Ootoya found itself under the umbrella of parent company Colowide in 2020 amid a series of challenges, including disputes among the founding family and the corporation, as well as subpar financial performance. Mitsumori, who assumed his role as president on June 22, noted that "we have successfully integrated our expertise" following the merger.

He attributed the company's enhanced store management efficiency to the implementation of a factory-based batch-cooking system, modeled after Colowide's methodologies.

Mitsumori, a member of the Ootoya founding family, stated that "overseas markets present unlimited potential" for the business.