PALO ALTO, U.S. -- Chikaranomoto Holdings, the operator of major Japanese ramen shop chain Ippudo, and Japan Tobacco are separately moving to sell ready-to-eat noodles through vending machines at home and abroad by joining with U.S. startup Yo-Kai Express.
Yo-Kai, a developer of vending machines, has received funding from both Japanese companies through a private placement of new shares. The size of the injection and the shareholding ratios have not been disclosed.
