Takaya Awata went from a college dropout to a billionaire selling bowls of chewy udon noodles across Japan. Now, he’s betting the humble dish can become a global fast-food category alongside burgers, chicken and pizza, with the U.S. at the center of Toridoll Holdings’ overseas ambitions. The founder and chief executive officer wants Toridoll, with almost ¥280 billion ($1.8 billion) in annual revenue, to join the trillion-yen ranks of the world’s largest fast-food chains, primarily by growing its flagship Marugame Udon brand.
The challenge is scaling up the business and finding a way to win over consumers unfamiliar with a staple of no-frills Japanese cuisine. Unlike the better-known, thinner and yellowish ramen noodles typically served up in a seasoned bouillon, udon are thick, chewy white noodles that swim in a much simpler broth.
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