Kinton Ramen’s recent limited-edition apparel collaboration with Uniqlo performed exceptionally well – ranking among the top-selling collections in-store. It was the first time a Canadian food brand launched a capsule collection with the retailer, and what started as a single T-shirt display expanded into four in-store features due to overwhelming demand.
Behind the collaboration is Alan De Luna, the marketing leader responsible for shaping Kinton Ramen into more than a restaurant chain, but a lifestyle brand with cultural relevance. He led the partnership from concept through execution, aligning creative, retail and digital teams to build a look, tone and message that resonated with both ramen fans and new customers who discovered the brand through Uniqlo.
“I think (the Uniqlo collaboration) shows that people want more from the brands they have grown up with. If a restaurant has been part of your routine for years, you are excited to engage with it beyond just dining in,” he said.
“For us, this partnership also marked a moment. Kinton has grown into five provinces, and a lot of our earliest fans have been with us since the beginning. Seeing the brand partner with a global retailer like Uniqlo felt like a point of pride for them. It was a simple way to celebrate how far Kinton has come, while staying true to our Japanese roots.”
De Luna said his previous experience working with Under Armour helped him visualize early on how this could play out in a retail environment.
“You start to recognize the signs when something is truly resonating, not just selling, and that is often what helps you earn more real estate in-store. In this case, a big signal came directly from our community. We started getting messages on social media, asking where people could find the collection and whether more inventory was coming,” he said.
“We shared that feedback with the Uniqlo team to help support demand. Combined with our loyal Kinton fan base and the limited-time nature of the drop, expanding the in-store presence felt like a natural next step rather than a big strategic move.
“We kept it close to the brand by focusing on Kinton’s favourite menu items and working closely with our internal marketing team from the start. That helped keep the creative familiar and grounded, not abstract.
“Tanya Mu did a great job translating those everyday Kinton elements into something visual, and Uniqlo helped shape it into clean, wearable pieces. Nothing felt overthought. It was about staying true to what people already recognize and love about the brand.”
De Luna said there are definitely campaigns that help grow brand awareness without immediately translating into direct revenue, and they are very aware of that.
“Not every partnership needs to be measured the same way.With Uniqlo, the value was in reach and visibility. It introduced Kinton to a broader audience and created curiosity through physical retail presence. One of my favourite moments has been seeing people wear the T-shirts or carry the tote bags out in the real world. When a brand shows up naturally on the street, you know it has gone beyond promotion and into culture,” he said.
De Luna said seasonality plays a big role in how they grow the brand.
“Aki, our Executive Chef is constantly developing flavours that make sense for different times of the year, and our role in marketing is to shape the narrative around those products so they feel right for the moment. Ramencation is a good example of using storytelling to make ramen feel just as appropriate in the summer as it is in colder months,” he said.
“Long term, this approach helps us stay relevant and continue to lead the category in Canada. A strong brand strategy keeps employees, customers, and franchisees excited and invested in what we are building. Partnerships like Uniqlo support that vision by extending the brand beyond food and helping Kinton show up in everyday life, not just at the table.”
Kinton has had a soft launch for its Sainte-Catherine x Guy location in the heart of Montreal with grand opening scheduled for January 24.
Conveniently located near the Montreal Metro, the Sainte-Catherine x Guy location offers students, residents and visitors an affordable and accessible dining experience within downtown Montreal’s vibrant shopping and restaurant district, said the company.
“Since reopening our Sainte-Catherine x Guy location, the Montreal community has warmly embraced our passion for authentic Japanese ramen,” said De Luna, Senior Marketing Manager at Kinka Family, the parent company that owns and operates Kinton Ramen. “We’re proud to position this flagship location as a key part of our long-term investment in the Quebec market.”
The Sainte-Catherine x Guy opening marks KINTON RAMEN’s first grand opening of 2026, following a strong 2025 that saw the brand expand across Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia and Quebec – reflecting Canada’s growing appetite for authentic Japanese cuisine.
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