Getting through this tough time together
Japan manufacturer targets Europe with supersize noodle machine
TOKYO — Japan’s Yamato Manufacturing has developed a large noodle-making machine that meets tough health and safety standards in Europe, as it pushes to tap growing appetite for Asian cuisine in the region.
The company, based in Kagawa prefecture on the island of Shikoku, says it is targeting European restaurants with the machine, which can churn out 10 times more noodles than smaller models.
The machine transforms ingredients such as flour and water into cut and rolled noodles, producing enough for 2,000 to 3,000 dishes each hour — potentially enough to satisfy the demands of centralized kitchens in restaurant chains or large eateries.
That comes as more people choose to eat out in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with diners in many areas increasingly trying dishes from other regions.
The machine is primarily designed to produce ramen wheat noodles, but can also make udon wheat noodles and soba buckwheat noodles. Yamato expects the machine to boost its overseas business to 50% of total sales, from around 40% now.
The company already exports large noodle machines to parts of Asia and other overseas markets, but had not entered Europe due to stringent regulations there. That has changed now as the new machine has received a so-called CE marking, meaning that it conforms with European Union health, safety and environmental protection standards.
European safety standards for industrial equipment are said to be the toughest in the world. For example, noodle machines must not contain any gaps large enough to put a finger in.
Developing a big noodle machine that complies with European regulations required “much time and cost,” along with a “high level of technology,” said Yamato Manufacturing CEO Kaoru Fujii.
As shifts to centralized kitchens and efficient cooking systems that need less manpower gather pace in Europe’s restaurant industry, Yamato, known for its high-quality noodle-makers, received requests to develop a larger machine — especially against the backdrop of a boom in Japanese cuisine.
Restaurants can be spacious in Europe and other overseas markets, with diners often taking time to enjoy their meals. Fujii said that makes it possible to increase revenue per customer and offers “more business chances” than Japan, where restaurants are operated on the basis of high volumes and low markups.
Yamato has already exported small noodle machines to Europe and is set to expand sales channels with the new big model, which is designed to work in combination with a smaller machine.
Yamato has an official in charge of exports at its head office in the town of Utazu in Kagawa, with another staff member assigned to oversee European marketing and maintenance from Dutch capital Amsterdam.
The company has already received inquiries about the big noodle machine from countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as from beyond Europe, with an order from the Philippines and interest from North America. Indeed, Yamato hopes to rack up 300 million yen ($2.27 million) in sales of the new machine in the fiscal year ending next March.
The company, which has so far delivered a total of more than 1,000 machines to over 70 countries, also offers what it terms as “consultancy” for noodle-related businesses, as it looks to boost its own sales. It even opened the online “Yamato Noodle School” in the face of faltering foreign sales during the coronavirus pandemic.
Yamato logged 1.8 billion yen in sales in the 2022 financial year, up from 1 billion yen in fiscal 2020. With the launch of its big noodle machine in Europe, the company is targeting fiscal 2023 sales of 2 billion yen, and over 50% of sales from overseas markets.
