Masahiko Haga (芳賀正彦), formerly Senior Managing Director and head of the Sales Division at 菅楽苑 Holdings, which operates the KOURAKUEN ramen chain, has assumed the presidency. For the fiscal year ending March 2026, revenue is projected at ¥29.4 billion, operating profit in the mid-¥1.5 billion range, and substantial increases in ordinary profit and net income are also expected.
KOURAKUEN CORPORATION, which operates the KOURAKUEN chain and is headquartered in Koriyama, announced that the presidency changed from Senior Managing Director and head of the Sales Division Masahiko Haga (芳賀正彦) to Masahiko Haga (芳賀正彦), effective 18 June. Under the new structure, the company has outlined a policy of pursuing renewed growth after its recovery.
The company returned to a V-shaped recovery in 2019 after posting losses from 2018 onward, but performance subsequently deteriorated again owing to typhoon damage, the COVID-19 pandemic and higher raw-material and utility costs. Following personnel and organisational streamlining and a reorganisation of the area manager system, it achieved higher revenue and profit in the fiscal year ended March 2025. For the second fiscal year under the new structure, the fiscal year ending March 2026, revenue is projected at ¥29.404 billion, operating profit at over ¥150 million, ordinary profit at over ¥1.527 billion and net income at ¥11.550 billion.
The company will resume new store openings, with a target of operating 500 locations. It is developing a new plant in Koriyama scheduled to begin operations in December 2028, and plans to expand domestically mainly in Tohoku and Kanto, while also considering a return to western Japan. On taking office, the new president stressed management based on a hands-on approach and "selection and concentration."
The company also plans to focus on locations near railway stations. At such locations, it will target businesspeople in their 30s and 40s, and is considering expanding its selection of non-ramen dishes and alcoholic beverages. The new Koriyama plant will advance automation and seek to balance quality and price by maintaining a direct-to-consumer manufacturing and sales structure. KOURAKUEN CORPORATION also plans to continue developing menu items drawing on the history of its home region of Aizu and activities that return value to the local community.