Canadian restaurant franchisor Foodtastic has acquired Kinton Ramen, a Japanese ramen brand founded in Canada with locations across Canada and in the United States.
Foodtastic, in a news release, said the acquisition brings an established Asian dining concept into its portfolio and aligns with the company’s strategy to invest in restaurant brands with clear characteristics and development potential. Founded in Toronto in 2012, Kinton Ramen was among the first Japanese ramen restaurants in the city and has since expanded across Canada and into the United States, it said.
Foodtastic is a leading Canadian restaurant franchisor with a portfolio of 30 diverse brands and over 1,200 establishments across the country. Brands include Milestones, Dunkin’, Pita Pit, Quesada, Second Cup, Rotisseries Benny, La Belle et La Bœuf, and Freshii, among others.
“We have been looking to add a strong Asian concept to our portfolio for some time, and Kinton Ramen is exactly the kind of brand we wanted to bring into Foodtastic,” said Peter Mammas, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Foodtastic.
“Kinton has built a clear position in the Canadian restaurant market, with a loyal following, a strong culinary identity and significant room to grow. We believe Foodtastic’s scale, infrastructure and franchise expertise will help support the brand’s next stage of growth across Canada.”
Foodtastic said Kinton Ramen offers Japanese ramen with a menu designed for dine-in, takeout, and delivery. The brand operates 58 locations in five Canadian provinces and one U.S. state, including Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, and New York.
Following the acquisition, Foodtastic said it will focus on expanding Kinton Ramen in Canada and will use its operating infrastructure to support the brand. There are no plans to change Kinton Ramen’s menu, loyalty program, brand identity, franchisee relationships, or guest experience.
“Kinton Ramen has always been about delivering a memorable and authentic ramen experience to guests, one bowl at a time,” said James Kim, founder of Kinton Ramen. “Foodtastic understands the strength of the brand and the significance of preserving what guests and franchisees already know and value. We are looking forward to working with the Foodtastic team as Kinton enters its next phase of growth.”
The acquisition expands Foodtastic’s portfolio of established restaurant brands in Canada. Foodtastic now operates brands across the quick-service, fast-casual, coffee, healthy-eating, casual-dining, and specialty-dining categories, added the company.
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