Udon billionaire bets that thick noodles will win over Americans
The challenge is scaling up the business and finding a way to win over consumers unfamiliar with a staple of no-frills Japanese cuisine.
Takaya Awata, a self-made billionaire, transformed a college dropout into a successful entrepreneur who sells udon noodles in Japan. Now, he envisions udon noodles becoming a prominent fast-food category on a global scale, with the United States as a key market for Toridoll Holdings. At 64 years old, Awata serves as the company's founder and CEO.
He aims for Toridoll, which generates nearly ¥280 billion ($1.8 billion) annually, to join the ranks of the world's largest fast-food chains, primarily through expanding its flagship Marugame Udon brand. The main challenge lies in growing the business and appealing to consumers who are not familiar with the traditional Japanese dish.
Unlike the more widely recognized thin, yellowish ramen noodles, udon consists of thick, chewy white noodles served in a simpler broth.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
