Bariuma
Overseas Franchise Expansion Status
| Products and Services Offered | Ajitama-Uma (rich tonkotsu shoyu), Tori-Ajitama-Uma (chicken paitan), gyoza, yakitori, chashu fried rice (donabe rice), and more |
|---|---|
| Countries of Overseas Expansion | Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, China, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and more (as of December 2025) |
| Number of Overseas Locations | 25 locations※ (as of December 2025) |
| Franchise Contract Type | Area license agreement / Master franchise |
One of Japan’s Richest, Boldest Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen
“Bari-Uma” is a popular brand with around 30 locations, mainly across western Japan (Hiroshima). Its defining feature is its“boldly rich tonkotsu shoyu” soup—distinct from the more common milky-white tonkotsu ramen.
While typical tonkotsu ramen is already quite creamy, Bari-Uma’s soup takes it to another level with“overwhelming density”. It not only simmers carefully selected pork bones and chicken frames for more than 10 hours, but then further reduces the broth to evaporate moisture, dissolving marrow and collagen to the absolute limit.
As a result, the soup becomes luxuriously thick—almost like a potage—and clings to the noodles remarkably well. Pairing it with rare “tamari soy sauce (Tamari Soy Sauce),” concentrated with umami, creates a flavor that’s not just rich, but powerfully punchy—truly “bold” in every sense. It’s an addictive bowl you won’t forget once you’ve tried it.
The menu, centered on “Ajitama-Uma,” also includes a lineup that packs in the appeal of Japanese cuisine—such as yakitori and donabe rice (fried rice). What Bari-Uma has built as its franchise package is a system that enables these offerings to be delivered worldwide without relying on skilled artisans.
Key Features of the Overseas Franchise
Protecting the Flavor by Shipping the Soup from Japan
Bari-Uma made the decision not to leave its soup—the lifeblood of ramen—to local artisans, choosing instead to ship it from Japan even if it meant higher costs.
Traditionally, the only option to maintain soup quality for overseas shipment was “frozen transport,” which came with enormous logistics costs. However, through proprietary technology development, Bari-Uma succeeded in fully “retort-packaging (shelf-stable preservation)” the artisan taste in perfect condition.
Retort processing is often said to diminish flavor, but Bari-Uma’s packs faithfully reproduce the rich umami and velvety texture. And because they can be transported in ambient “dry containers,” logistics costs are dramatically reduced compared to frozen shipping.
Driving Profit by Making Noodles Locally
To offset the cost invested in the soup, Bari-Uma thoroughly localizes noodle production to raise profitability.
With a recipe and noodle-making machine, high-quality noodles can be produced without being affected by artisan skill levels or regional variation. For that reason, Bari-Uma deliberately avoids importing expensive frozen noodles and instead adopts “in-house noodle making” at each store.
By using local water and flour, it minimizes ingredient costs to the extreme while delivering “freshly made deliciousness” to customers. This sharply defined hybrid strategy—“soup (quality)” and “noodles (profit)”—is exactly why Bari-Uma continues to win overseas.
Protecting the Flavor by Shipping the Soup from Japan
Bari-Uma made the decision not to leave its soup—the lifeblood of ramen—to local artisans, choosing instead to ship it from Japan even if it meant higher costs.
In reality, crafting a richly concentrated soup requires delicate, continuous work by skilled artisans—constantly skimming scum without pause and paying close attention to even a single temperature change. Bari-Uma succeeded in using proprietary technology to “retort-package” this craftsmanship into shelf-stable packs. This cleared the two biggest challenges in importing: “reproducibility of taste” and “reducing logistics costs.”
- Quality assurance:Every store, in any country, can serve the same “velvety, richly concentrated soup” as the flagship in Japan.
- Eliminating unpleasant odors:It removes the distinctive “gamey” smell of tonkotsu that overseas customers (especially in Southeast Asia) may avoid, leaving only the umami.
A “Showroom Strategy” Anchored in Singapore
For its overseas expansion, Bari-Uma deliberately opened a company-owned store in a prime—high-cost—location in Singapore. The goal was to use it as a “showroom” for investors in neighboring countries.
After verifying the taste and operations firsthand in the showroom, investors were convinced by the high level of completion, leading to expansions into Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and other markets. This “robust system that can be reproduced globally” was highly valued, prompting Japan’s major foodservice company Yoshinoya Holdings to bring the business into its group. Today, backed by that overwhelming capital strength and global network, Bari-Uma is accelerating its overseas expansion even further.
Reviews from Store Visitors
Store location reviewed: Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
I went for lunch at Bariuma with family. I tried the vegetable gyoza and the Yasai Kara-Uma (spicy soy vegetable ramen), while my husband had the Ajitama-Uma Extra. Everything was excellent, cooked just right! For dessert we tried the matcha ice cream and the red bean ice cream. Fantastic, and reasonably priced.
Store location reviewed: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Like the ramen! Like the thick broth! The restaurant is clean and service not bad. You should give it a try!
Store location reviewed: Jakarta (Indonesia)
One of the best Ramen Restaurants in Jakarta! love it so much. you should try. for first timer, just order Bari Uma Ramen.
Store location reviewed: Jakarta (Indonesia)
I love the Ramen here! Found it accidentally. The texture of the noodles can be selected with choices of original, firm or soft. The selection of meat are Pork & Chicken. Service is good and prompt - value for money with quality taste. The chopstick are placed in this manner in respect to non-pork consumer, how appropriate! A must try if you are in the city. Small shopping mall but lots of food selection!
Bari-Uma (Bari-Uma) Company Information
| Brand Name | Bari-Uma (Bari-Uma) |
|---|---|
| Company Name | With Link Co., Ltd. (Yoshinoya Holdings Group) |
| Head Office Location | 1-5-10-2 Tomominami, Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima, Japan |
| Year Established | 1992 (founded) |
One particularly interesting point from the interview was the episode that retort-packaging the soup “eliminated the distinctive gamey tonkotsu odor, leaving only the umami that overseas customers prefer.” Technology originally developed to reduce logistics costs ended up also contributing to “optimizing the flavor profile for local palates.”
Ship the soup you must protect from Japan; produce the noodles that generate profit locally. This almost cold-blooded strategic separation is the true essence of Bari-Uma’s franchise package.