It was a landmark year of growth for Kinton Ramen, which continued to expand its footprint across Canada and beyond as demand for authentic Japanese dining experiences soar.
Known for its bold flavours and commitment to quality, Kinton Ramen has transformed the ramen dining scene since opening its first standalone location in 2012. Over the past year, the brand has celebrated multiple grand openings across five provinces, with even more locations set to open in 2026.
“Our growth is driven by passion,” says Karalyn White, Senior Director of Franchising at Kinka Family, the parent company that operates Kinton Ramen.
“Each new restaurant gives us the opportunity to share our craft with communities that are eager to experience and embrace our take on authentic Japanese ramen – and as a result, we’re growing faster than ever.”
As Kinton Ramen continues to strengthen its presence in new markets, its success underscores the rising appetite for high-quality, experiential dining at accessible prices – setting strong momentum for another exciting year of expansion in 2026.
Kinton Ramen has surpassed 50 locations across Canada and is preparing for what it expects to be its biggest expansion year yet, according to White.
White said the company “definitely broke 50 this year” and confirmed 14 new restaurants opened in 2025, the most in a single year for the chain.
She added that “at least 20” new locations are planned for 2026.
“We’ve got lots of franchisees that are looking for real estate all over the country,” she said, noting there are “at least 12 under development right now that will definitely be open,” with hopes of securing sites for eight additional stores.
White said the company is targeting real estate “primarily in southwestern Ontario, the Golden Horseshoe and the east along the 401 corridor from Scarborough to Ottawa.”
She added that Kinton Ramen is also looking north to “Sudbury, Thunder Bay, any of the bigger suburban centres.”
White attributed the chain’s momentum to both customer demand and franchisee confidence. “Ramen is a great space that people want to enjoy,” she said. “The franchisees that are in the system are our main source of growth. They’re seeing tremendous success, so they’re wanting to open more and more and more.”
She said Kinton differentiates itself through accessibility and appeal to a broad demographic. “It is very accessible, very affordable, and attracts a multitude of guests,” she said.
White noted the brand has built a strong following among young diners as well. “I guess because it’s on trend,” she said, adding that with her own teenagers, “they love ramen. I think Kinton is becoming a household name.”
Consistency across locations is another factor White highlighted. “We’ve been able to get a great, consistent product so it tastes exactly the same, whether you’re sitting in the original location at Baldwin in Toronto or on Vancouver Island,” she said.
Looking to 2026, White said the company expects to enter new markets following expansions in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver Island and Winnipeg. “The ones that are already under development and are going to open fairly early in ’26 are Nanaimo, Quebec City, hopefully Sudbury,” she said.
White added that Kinton Ramen will “be targeting eastern Canada next year, east of Quebec,” and said customers can expect the same core menu while seasonal specials continue to rotate. “It will be the ramen that you can count on,” she said.
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