Marugame Seimen
{{Short description|Japanese restaurant chain}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Marugame Seimen
| logo = File:Marugame Seimen logo.png
| image = Marukame Udon Matsudo Nijusseikigaoka, Matsudo-shi, Chiba-ken, Nippon - 20101218.jpg
| image_caption = A Marugame Seimen branch in Matsudo, Chiba, Japan
| type =
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| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation =
| founder =
| defunct =
| location_country = Japan
| location =
| locations = 1,006
| area_served = Australia
East Asia
Southeast Asia
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
| key_people =
| industry = Foodservice
| products =
| services =
| revenue = {{decrease}}¥89.9 billion (2019){{Cite web |url=https://www.ejinsight.com/eji/article/id/2139651/20190517-japan-s-top-noodle-shop-operator-to-speed-up-global-expansion |title=Japan's top noodle shop operator to speed up global expansion |last=Tin-yau |first=Kin |date=2019-05-17 |website=ejinsight}}
| operating_income =
| net_income = {{decrease}}¥12.4 billion (2019)
| aum =
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| parent = Toridoll Holdings Corporation
| divisions =
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| homepage = {{Official URL}}
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}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Toridoll Holdings Corporation
| logo = Toridoll logo.svg
| traded_as = {{TYO|3397}}
| website = {{URL|toridoll.com}}
}}
Marugame Seimen (丸亀製麺), also known as Marugame Udon outside of Japan, is a Japanese fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in udon. The chain is operated by {{ill|Toridoll Holdings Corporation|ja|トリドールホールディングス}} based in Kobe.{{Cite web |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/pokeworks-partners-with-global-restaurant-investment-powerhouse-toridoll-2018-08-06 |title=Pokéworks Partners with Global Restaurant Investment Powerhouse Toridoll |date=2018-08-06 |website=MarketWatch}}
In April 2023 Toridoll agreed to buy Franco Manca and The Real Greek from Fulham Shore for £93.4m.{{cite news| last=Butler | first=Sarah | title=Franco Manca owner agrees to £93m buyout by Japanese group |newspaper=The Guardian | date=5 April 2023 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/05/franco-manca-owner-agrees-to-93m-buyout-by-japanese-group-toridoll }}
Description
Marugame Seimen is one of the largest business formats owned by Toridoll Holdings Corporation since the 2000s.{{Cite web |title=個人投資家の皆様へ |url=http://www.toridoll.com/ir/investor/index.html}} The udon chain has become the first to have a location across all 47 prefectures across Japan in 2011.{{Cite web |title=うどん業界初!「丸亀製麺」全国47都道府県出店達成!! |url=http://www.toridoll.com/ir/pdf/110509.pdf}}
=Changes in foreign locations=
The name of the udon chain is changed to "MARUKAME" in foreign locations, to prevent foreigners from pronouncing "GAME" in the chain's original name "MARUGAME" as "game".{{Cite web |title=「丸亀製麺」英文ブランド名「MARUKAME UDON」について |url=https://www.toridoll.com/ir/pdf/101129.pdf}} The name of "Bukkake udon" was forced to change its name to "BK udon", as the term "Bukkake" in English describes a sexual act.
=Controversy over the brand name=
Despite its name, the chain does not have a location in Marugame, Kagawa with the chain only having a single location in Kagawa Prefecture, where udon is famous for. The chain's name has been criticized by locals in Kagawa.{{Cite web |title=丸亀製麺は"讃岐うどん"の看板を下ろしたほうがいい、これだけの理由 |url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/business/articles/2202/22/news072.html |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=ITmedia ビジネスオンライン |language=ja}} The chain's first store is located in Kakogawa, Hyōgo, which opened in 2000.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-20 |title=兵庫生まれの「丸亀製麺」創業者、４０年暮らした加古川で観光大使に…第１号店の市に「恩返し」 |url=https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/economy/20230720-OYT1T50111/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=読売新聞オンライン |language=ja}}
=Menu=
The menu mostly consists of Sanuki udon, which are made in each location,{{Cite web |title=ブランド {{!}} 株式会社トリドールホールディングス |url=https://www.toridoll.com/brands/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=ブランド {{!}} 株式会社トリドールホールディングス |language=ja}} rice balls, Doughnut, and other toppings, such as Tempura.
Operation
As of June 2024, the chain has 786 locations across Japan.{{Cite web |url=https://soranews24.com/2019/06/21/watching-a-one-star-certified-master-udon-craftsman-at-work-at-a-famous-japanese-noodle-chain/ |title=Watching a one-star certified master udon craftsman at work…at a famous Japanese noodle chain |last=McGee |first=Oona |date=2019-06-21 |website=SoraNews24}} The chain also has 271 operations outside Japan, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Cambodia, Canada, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, China, and Hong Kong.{{Cite web |title=海外店舗一覧｜ここのうどんは、生きている。丸亀製麺 |url=https://jp.marugame.com/shop/global_shops/index.html |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=jp.marugame.com |language=ja}}
Marugame Seimen closed all stores in South Korea in 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=日本テレビ |title=「丸亀製麺」韓国撤退 事業回復見通せず｜日テレNEWS NNN |url=https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/international/929210 |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=日テレNEWS NNN |language=ja-JP}}
On 31 March 2022, Marugame Seimen closed all three stores in Thailand.{{Cite web|url=https://brandinside.asia/marugame-seimen-end-in-thailand/|title=ร้านอาหารปิดอีกแล้ว! Marugame Seimen ปิดทุกสาขา 31 มี.ค. 2565 นี้ สายอุด้งอย่าลืมไปใช้บริการ| date=2022-03-16 |website=Brand Inside}} They also closed all stores located in Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, for some time the Russian locations continued operations as "Maru" under the local management before it was completely rebranded as "Udon Noodle Bar".{{Cite web |last=産経新聞 |date=2022-04-09 |title=〈独自〉閉店の丸亀製麺、ロシア側が無断営業か 屋号「マル」に変更 |url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20220409-6NPZVFIUV5NX3JKIIQKV7HVR4Q/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=産経新聞：産経ニュース |language=ja}}
Marugame Seimen opened its first Canadian store in Vancouver on 24 February 2024.{{Cite web |url=https://vancouver.keizai.biz/headline/2833/ |title=バンクーバーのダウンタウンに「丸亀製麺」 カナダ初の路面店 |website=バンクーバー経済新聞}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{commonscat-inline}}
- {{Official website}}
- {{Official website|https://toridoll.com/}} (Toridoll Holdings)
- {{Official website|https://www.marugameudon.com/}} (Marugame Udon USA)
{{Food chains in Japan}}
{{Food chains in the Philippines}}
{{Food chains in Taiwan}}
Category:Fast-food chains of Japan
Category:Restaurant chains in Taiwan
Category:Restaurant chains in the Philippines
{{japanese-restaurant-stub}}