Ajisen Ramen
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food service |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | Takaharu Shigemitsu |
| Headquarters | Kumamoto , Japan |
Area served | Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Marianas, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United States, Vietnam, Morocco, Panama |
Key people | Katsuaki Shigemitsu (CEO after 1996), Poon Wai (CEO China operations) |
| Products | Japanese ramen noodle soup |
Ajisen Ramen (, ) is a Japan-originated quick-service restaurant chain that focuses on Japanese ramen noodle soup. The brand's emblem showcases Chii-chan, a young girl holding a ramen bowl, which is prominently featured in their outlets and merchandise. Globally, Ajisen Ramen manages over 700 dining establishments, with branches located in Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Marianas, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States, Vietnam, Morocco, and Panama.
History
- 1968 – Takaharu Shigemitsu (), originally named Liu Tan Hsiang (), a Taiwanese Hakka individual, introduced a Kurume-style Tonkotsu pork bone ramen infused with garlic flavor in Kumamoto, Japan.
- 1972 – The company Shigemitsu Industry Co., Ltd. was founded alongside the creation of a noodle and soup manufacturing facility; franchising activities began.
- 1994 – The initial international joint venture was initiated in Taipei but ceased operations after three years.
- 1996 – Following Takaharu Shigemitsu’s passing, his son Katsuaki Shigemitsu assumed control. That same year, Daisy Poon () established Ajisen’s first licensed outlet in Hong Kong.
- 2007 – Ajisen Ramen (China) Ltd. became publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Japan
- Hokkaido
- Tohoku region - Aomori Prefecture
- Kanto region - Ibaraki Prefecture
- Chubu region - Shizuoka, Nagano, Nagoya, Gifu Prefectures
- Kansai region - Osaka and Wakayama Prefectures
- Chugoku-Shikoku region - Hiroshima, Kochi, Ehime Prefectures
- Kyushu region - Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Miyazaki Prefectures
- Kumamoto Prefecture - approximately 70 outlets
- Okinawa Prefecture
Hong Kong
Multiple branches exist including one situated at Hong Kong International Airport.
China
Ajisen Ramen has experienced considerable growth in China, especially in Shanghai where there are 132 locations. As of August 2011, the China area housed 590 restaurants. Expansion efforts have been driven by CEO Poon Wai since 1996. The Hong Kong-listed entity Ajisen China Holdings is led by businesswoman Poon Wai alongside executive directors such as her brother Jason Poon Ka Man. In 2011, the firm incurred a penalty of 200,000 yuan for inaccurately representing nutritional information.
Canada
There are six outlets within the Greater Toronto Area:
- Two in Markham, Ontario
- Three across Toronto (Downtown, North York, Scarborough)
- One in Vaughan, Ontario
Other locations include two stores in Windsor, Ontario and one in Waterloo, Ontario.
United States
Branches are located in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco. The first U.S. restaurant opened in San Diego in November 2016. The corporate manufacturing and distribution center for U.S. operations supplying domestic venues and Guam is based in South El Monte, Los Angeles, CA.
Panama
Panama City hosts:
- Ajisen Ramen Via Brasil
- Ajisen Ramen El Dorado
- Ajisen Ramen Costa del Este
Europe
Ajisen Ramen inaugurated its initial Nordic presence at Helsinki Airport in Finland in 2019—its second location within Europe—launching within the terminal's recent expansion. Another European branch operates at Rome Fiumicino Airport.
Singapore
There are a total of 14 Ajisen outlets across Singapore, situated at the following venues:
Malaysia
Ajisen maintains five branches within Malaysia, distributed as follows:
- Two establishments in Johor Bahru
- One outlet at Aeon Bandaraya Melaka Shopping Centre
- One location at Boulevard Commercial Centre, Miri
- One store at Vivacity Megamall, Kuching
Philippines
The brand's presence in the Philippines includes these sites:
- Robinsons Place Manila
- Sto Domingo, Quezon City
- V.A. Rufino St, Legaspi Village, Makati
- Ortigas Center, Pasig
- Robinsons Place Las Piñas
- Double Dragon Meridian Plaza
- Robinsons Magnolia
- Robinsons Galleria
- Ayala Malls Manila Bay
New Zealand
Ajisen operates outlets in the following Auckland neighborhoods:
Hiring controversy
On 18 July 2013, Joseph Lau Si-sing (劉士盛) was appointed as chief operating officer of Ajisen. However, just five days later, he resigned by mutual agreement after corporate governance advocate David Webb raised concerns regarding Lau’s undisclosed prior convictions for bribery and obstruction of justice dating back to 2009. Webb also questioned assertions about Lau’s educational background at Caltech. Notably, Lau’s incarceration concluded only three days before his appointment was made public. The company explained that inaccuracies in disclosure stemmed from communication breakdowns between Lau and human resources personnel, compounded by translation errors.