Our Journey: Building a Ramen Empire Beyond Borders
The journey of Bari-uma Ramen’s global expansion began in 2011 with a bold vision and an unwavering belief in the power of authentic Japanese ramen. But even the best ideas need a catalyst—someone to turn ambition into action. That person was Akira, CEO of Assentia Holdings.
Seeing untapped potential, Akira convinced Mr. Eguchi, the founder of Bari-uma, to take his beloved ramen beyond Japan. Together, they set up a joint venture and opened the brand’s first overseas store in Singapore. But this wasn’t just about opening a new restaurant—it was about laying the foundation for a global ramen empire.
The road to success was anything but smooth. As a director of the company, Akira took on the heavy lifting—scouting locations, assembling a team, and building the store from scratch.
The first major hurdle? Soup logistics. In Japan, Bari-uma’s ramen soup was factory-made and shipped frozen. The same method was used in Singapore initially, but high costs made it unsustainable. Instead of compromising on quality, Akira and his team innovated—they found a way to distribute the soup at room temperature, making it more cost-effective and scalable. Today, this solution allows Bari-uma’s signature soup to be delivered fresh across the world.
Then came the noodle challenge. Locally sourcing high-quality noodles in Singapore was expensive—over 50 JPY per noodle. So, just months after opening, they made a game-changing move: removing restaurant seating to install a Japanese noodle-making machine, transforming part of the store into a noodle-making studio. This simple yet revolutionary shift slashed costs to the 10 JPY range per noodle and set a precedent for in-house noodle production at franchise locations worldwide.
Unlike many ramen entrepreneurs, Mr. Eguchi wasn’t a chef. He wasn’t behind the counter, perfecting the soup—he was behind the scenes, ensuring uncompromising quality at every stage of production. This commitment to excellence propelled Bari-uma Ramen’s rapid expansion. What started as two stores in Singapore quickly grew into a multinational franchise spanning Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Australia.
Then, a major turning point came: YOSHINOYA, Japan’s famous gyudon (beef bowl) chain with over 1,000 stores, took notice. Recognizing Bari-uma’s success in overseas franchising, Yoshinoya acquired its parent company, With Link, just before COVID-19. This strategic move placed ramen at the heart of Yoshinoya’s global expansion strategy, cementing Bari-uma’s place as a key player in the international food scene.
Through these experiences, we’ve gained invaluable insights into what makes a ramen franchise successful overseas. We know what works, what doesn’t, and what it takes to thrive in new markets.
That’s why we’ve carefully selected 20 ramen brands with the strongest potential for international expansion. Our selection isn’t based on personal taste—it’s based on proven franchise success factors. If you’re serious about bringing an authentic ramen brand to your country, you’re in the right place.
Explore our Top 20 Ramen Franchises for Global Expansion and find the perfect opportunity to launch your own ramen success story.