From exciting new restaurants to fresh product development, Maki & Ramen continues to innovate and inspire
For those seeking an authentic taste of Japan without leaving the UK, Maki & Ramen offers a dining experience rooted in tradition, craftsmanship, and quality. Inspired by the ramen-yas of Japan, the restaurant chain has built its reputation on an unwavering dedication to proper ramen, combining time-honored techniques with carefully sourced ingredients to create dishes bursting with flavor. At the heart of Maki & Ramen’s success is a commitment to authenticity. Every noodle is handcrafted, while the restaurant’s signature broth is simmered for eight hours at its Edinburgh factory to develop the rich depth and complexity that defines a truly exceptional bowl of ramen. Founded in 2015 by Teddy Lee, who studied the art of Japanese cuisine while training as a chef in Tokyo, the brand continues to honor traditional preparation methods across its menu, with every dish reflecting the company’s passion for delivering an authentic, vibrant Japanese dining experience.
Food Chain last sat down with Teddy Lee in June 2025, when we discussed the business’ origins and growth, as well as how its commitment to authenticity translates into every facet of its operations. In that conversation, Teddy also unveiled Maki & Ramen’s latest creation – its chicken-based Tori Paitan ramen, which was developed to accommodate Muslim customers who do not eat pork.
Since then, Maki & Ramen has continued to grow and flourish. The company has already opened six additional locations in the first half of 2026 alone, with its brand-new Birmingham restaurant, situated on New Street, set to open later in the year. In addition, the business has continued to innovate, exciting customers with new product ranges and more tantalizing flavors. Now, Teddy rejoins us to share insight into Maki & Ramen’s latest developments.
“We now have 20 locations, three of which are franchises. In terms of products, we’ve also recently launched our frozen ramen, which we created with young professionals in mind, who like to have a restaurant-quality, nutritious product that’s quick and efficient. It’s a full-bodied product with broth, protein, and vegetables that can be microwaved for eight minutes or cooked in a pot in one,” he reveals.
Maki & Ramen’s new frozen ramen range offers the perfect balance of affordability, efficiency, and, most importantly, great taste. Including its aforementioned Tori Paitan ramen, the range includes its Black Tonkotsu ramen (featuring creamy pork broth, black garlic broth Chashu, noodles, wakame, and fresh spring onion), its Malaysian-inspired Chicken Laksa ramen, and its spicy, Chashu pork Hell ramen.
Authentic, accessible cuisine
While product development remains a key focus for Maki & Ramen, the company’s growth has extended far beyond its menu. As demand for authentic, accessible Japanese cuisine continues to increase, the brand has pursued an ambitious expansion strategy, carefully selecting new locations and formats that align with its long-term vision.
This approach has seen Maki & Ramen successfully establish itself in major retail destinations across the UK, while also embracing franchising as a way to broaden its reach. By combining a strong brand identity with proven operational expertise, the company has created a scalable model capable of supporting continued growth without compromising on quality or customer experience.
“Our first shopping mall location was in St. James Quarter, Edinburgh,” Teddy elaborates. “Normally, with individual landlords, they’re looking for a source of rent, but with shopping malls, they’re also looking for brands. That location soon became one of our highest-performing venues, so we started to expand into other malls, such as Meadowhall (Sheffield), Metrocentre (Gateshead), and Lakeside (West Thurrock).
“We began to think about franchising during Covid,” he continues. “Our franchise model is quite simple, though our owners aren’t just buying a location or selling ramen: they’re buying our brand. They’ll have our logo and their own space, so it’s a different kind of success. We now have franchises in Glasgow, Manchester, and London.”
Building brand awareness
Despite the unprecedented challenges it presented, the pandemic proved to be a pivotal period for Maki & Ramen, as the business explored new avenues for growth and customer engagement. While franchising emerged as one strategy for extending the brand’s reach, the company was simultaneously adapting its operations to ensure it could continue serving customers during a time of disruption.
As consumer habits shifted and dining rooms temporarily closed, Maki & Ramen sought fresh ways to maintain visibility and accessibility. This led to its partnership with Deliveroo, which would not only support its food delivery but also strengthen brand awareness among new and existing customers.
“Our partnership with Deliveroo also began during Covid when we couldn’t reach our customers in-store,” Teddy affirms. “It wasn’t just about the delivery of food, however, but was also a marketing strategy for us.”
The success of this food delivery partnership reflects a broader philosophy that underpins Maki & Ramen’s operations. Rather than viewing challenges as obstacles, the company has consistently embraced new ideas and innovative approaches to improve efficiency, strengthen customer engagement, and support its continued growth.
This commitment to evolution extends beyond marketing and customer-facing strategies into the day-to-day running of the business. Guided by a culture of continuous improvement, Maki & Ramen actively leverages technology to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and ensure its teams can focus on delivering the highest-quality experience possible.
“We operate around the ‘Kaizen’ mindset, where we aim to continuously improve, and technology falls into this,” Teddy explains. “We use Asana software, for instance, as our main ecosystem. Then, around a year ago, we started to use ChatGPT, which has been a gamechanger for us. It’s helped us to automate a lot of our tasks and save time – for example, I use ChatGPT to read through my emails and filter them by priority.”
Continuous improvement
As Maki & Ramen continues its rapid expansion across the UK, its success remains firmly rooted in the principles that inspired its founding: authenticity, accessibility, and continuous improvement. From handcrafted ramen and innovative new product launches to strategic franchising and technology-driven operations, the company has demonstrated an ability to evolve without compromising its core values. With ambitious growth plans still ahead, Maki & Ramen is well-positioned to strengthen its presence as one of the UK’s leading destinations for authentic Japanese cuisine.
“Over the next six months, we’re going to continue to open more locations and will have likely opened ten new venues by the end of the year. Then, 2027 will be about consolidating that growth because we’re expanding so fast, focusing on systemization, automation, and scalability,” Teddy concludes.
With a growing national footprint, a commitment to innovation, and an unwavering focus on authentic Japanese cuisine, Maki & Ramen shows no signs of slowing down. As the business enters its next phase of growth, it remains passionate about delivering exceptional dining experiences that reflect the values that have defined its success.