Capdesia has exited four years after first joining forces with Toridoll to launch Marugame Udon in the UK.
Toridoll will continue its close collaboration with Capdesia as co-investors in Fulham Shore, operator of the Franco Manca and The Real Greek restaurant brands.
As part of the move, CEO and Capdesia operating partner Keith Bird will hand over to finance director Sam McIntyre, who will step up to the lead the business in the interim.
“We are grateful to Capdesia, Keith, and their respective teams for their efforts in launching our flagship brand in the UK successfully. In this journey, several new best practices have been developed jointly for the benefit of Marugame Udon globally in areas such as systems, people, culture, restaurant design, marketing, and CRM,” says Takashi Sugiyama, executive vice president and COO of Toridoll.
“These improvements have positioned us for future growth and to continue with our UK and European expansion ambitions.”
Under the leadership of Bird, Marugame Udon has grown to 10 successful sites in and around London within three years, earning industry accolades such as the R200 Best Value Restaurant award in 2022.
“It has been an incredible journey bringing Marugame Udon to the UK,” he says.
“The dedication and passion of our team have been instrumental in establishing the brand and creating a solid foundation for future growth. I am confident that under Sam McIntyre’s leadership, Marugame Udon will continue to thrive and expand and deliver on its mission to bring udon to all.”
