Japanese foodtech startup Yo-Kai Express partners with IPPUDO and TableMark to bring ramen and udon dishes to its autonomous restaurant platform

Yo-Kai Express , a Silicon Valley-based food tech company, announced new partnerships with TableMark, a frozen food innovator from Japan, and Chikaranomoto Holdings, the restaurant operator behind international ramen noodle 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.

Andy Lin, Founder and CEO, Yo-Kai Express: "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. 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 in select locations this Fall, alongside existing Ippudo's Hakata-style ramen noodles and plant-based Tonkotsu-style ramen options (launched last April).

Shigemi Kawahara, President and CEO, Chikaranomoto and Founder, Uppudo: "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. 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."

Yokai 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.

Hiromasa Furukawa, Executive Officer, Food Products Business, Japan Tobacco: "It's our great pleasure to be working with Yo-Kai Express innovative technology platform to further develop exciting new food products for our customers. 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 Express to develop exciting new experiences for our customers while leveraging the diverse food technologies we have cultivated over the years."

This Fall, Yokai Express is bringing its ramen vending machine to corporations in Japan 24 hours a day, including the offices of Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation, NTT Data's Mitaka Data Center, Softbank Robotics' distribution center and ENEOS Corporation. Installations are also planned in parking areas on the Metropolitan Expressway, including Kahira, Heiwajima and Minami Ikebukuro.

www.yokaiexpress.com