Japanese ramen giant faces backlash in Thailand over misleading freshly made claims

A renowned Japanese ramen restaurant, with over 60 years of history, recently launched a pop-up store in Thailand. Despite the initial excitement among food enthusiasts, the store stirred controversy after allegations of deceptive advertising.

The restaurant had widely promoted the pop-up store, inviting people to enjoy a taste of Japan. When asked online if they used pre-packaged ingredients or fresh ones, the page administrator responded.

“We make it fresh, like in Japan.”

However, those who tried the food found it unusual and not in line with the freshly made claim.

In reality, the pop-up event served to promote the restaurant’s new line of semi-finished products in Thailand. The food was prepared from packaged ingredients by a Japanese chef. This revelation sparked outrage among many customers who felt deceived.

Even food bloggers, who were briefed to promote the food as freshly made, found themselves in a difficult spot. Some followed the instructions, believing in the restaurant’s reputation, while others expressed their concerns. One blogger stated that if they had said they were selling a new line of semi-finished products, it would have been fine.

“Using the term freshly made might not be incorrect, but in the end, it’s the bloggers who were criticised for their reviews. I understand that if someone hasn’t had kamadare soup in Fukuoka before and is given such information, they would likely review it as per the brief, albeit confusedly.”

However, the restaurant’s page has not addressed the Japanese ramen controversy. The only activity seen is the post for queue reservations, reported KhaoSod.

In related food news, the self-service ice cream scoop in buffet establishments has become a focal point of intense online discourse. A Chinese social media user raised concerns on a Facebook group stating that the water used to store the ice cream scoop in numerous hot pot restaurants is seldom changed, resulting in a layer of lingering ice cream residue. Read more HERE.