Marugame Udon to launch inaugural European location in London

Marugame Udon, an Asian udon noodles and tempura restaurant franchise, will launch in London next year after the formation of a joint venture between Toridoll Holdings Corporation and Capdesia Group Limited. The brand currently has over 800 restaurants in Japan, and a further 250 across Asia, the U.S.A., and Russia.

Marugame Udon (Europe) Limited will be the master franchisee for the region and the new restaurant, which is part of an ambitious rollout plan involving a combination of owned and franchised operations in the U.K. and Europe.

“I’m delighted to work with Capdesia by setting up our joint venture company in the U.K. We are looking forward to bringing Marugame Udon to Europe and for people in Europe to enjoy our udon noodles and tempura,” said Takaya Awata, founder and president of Toridoll. “We also hope that this relationship will be a stepping stone for the development of other Toridoll brands, as we continue to make progress toward our goal of reaching 6,000 restaurants worldwide.”

Keith Bird, head of the newly formed Marugame Udon (Europe) Limited, is confident the brand will attract new European fans: “Marugame Udon is dedicated to providing delicious, authentic Japanese udon noodles that taste exactly the way they’ve been served in Japan for hundreds of years. Its chefs cook fresh, handmade noodles and complementary tempura options in open kitchens in front of customers every day, all in keeping with traditional Japanese Omotenashi hospitality.”

Abe Matamoros, co-founder and MD at Capdesia, added: “We’re very excited to embark on this new venture with Awata san and his team. The Marugame Udon brand has become one of the most exciting growth concepts in the Asian category today and it’s not often one gets to partner with the clear leader in the category.”