Yo-Kai Express Joins Forces with IPPUDO and TableMark to Bring Delicious New Ramen and Udon Dishes To Its Autonomous Restaurant Platform

Brings Innovative Hot Food Vending Machine to Japanese Corporations for the First Time, including NTT Data

TOKYO and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Yo-Kai Express Inc. a Silicon Valley-based food tech company today announced new partnerships with Japan Tobacco, subsidiary TableMark a leading frozen food innovator from Japan, and Chikaranomoto Holdings Co. Ltd., the restaurant operator behind international ramen restaurant chain Ippudo. The companies plan to jointly develop and market varieties of new udon and ramen menu options for Yo-Kai’s autonomous restaurant platform. 

"The collaboration with Ippudo and TableMark allows Yo-Kai to accelerate the development of our menu, offer tasty new varieties of noodles, and price options for our customers," said Andy Lin, founder and CEO of Yo-Kai Express. "We look forward to working with more restaurant brands and companies to bring authentic Japanese cuisine to customers around the world. This is truly an exciting time for Yo-Kai Express as our technology creates 'meals without borders" and takes over the world one YOKAI bowl at a time!"

Founded in 2016, Yo-Kai Express is an innovative autonomous restaurant platform that serves contactless, freshly prepared meals with over 30 menu varieties 24 hours a day. The machine's proprietary cooking technology creates hot ramen noodles on-demand, just like those served at street-side restaurants.

As part of its expanded menu offerings, Yokai Express plans to introduce Ippudo's popular Hakata Udon and Soba noodle dishes this Winter, alongside existing Ippudo’s Hakata-style ramen and plant-based Tonkotsu-style ramen options. 

“We are excited to be able to offer Ippudo Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen and Ippudo Plant-Based (Tonkotsu-style) Ramen in Yo-Kai Express vending machines,” said Shigemi Kawahara, President and CEO, Chikaranomoto Holdings Co. and Founder of Ippudo. “Having a platform like Yo-Kai gives customers a fun new way to enjoy and access Ippudo's freshly made ramen - particularly in areas where we don't have stores. We are especially pleased to support the development of this service in the United States, where our restaurants and noodle dishes are increasing in popularity.”

Yo-Kai Menu to Expand to Include TableMark Options

Yo-Kai Express will also work with TableMark, a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco committed to delivering the food products of the future, to develop freshly cooked Udon noodle options, with plans to offer its signature Curry, Kitsune and Meat Udon dishes by the end of the year.

“It’s our great pleasure to be working with Yo-Kai Express’s innovative technology platform to further develop exciting new food products for our customers,” said Hiromasa Furukawa, Executive Officer in charge of Food Products Business, Japan Tobacco Inc. “By integrating tasty new meal options into Yo-Kai’s revolutionary vending machines, the loyal customers of TableMark’s frozen udon noodles have a new way to enjoy restaurant quality meals. We look forward to continuing to work with Yo-Kai to develop exciting new experiences for our customers while leveraging the diverse food technologies we have cultivated over the years.”  

Yo-Kai Express (YKE) is a rapidly growing global food tech startup with offices in Northern California, Japan, and Taiwan. YKE is redefining gourmet autonomous restaurant solutions using patented cooking technology that performs last-mile cooking of an array of both hot and cold, savory and sweet menu selections. YKE solution is installed in more than 50 locations across the US including offices, airports, hotels, hospitals, universities, shopping malls, and ski resorts. offering steaming hot bowls of Tonkotsu ramen 24 hours a day and in under a minute. For more information, visit yokaiexpress.com/about.

SOURCE Yo-Kai Express