日拉麵製造市場有變化

Recently the Yomiuri News reported the following:

「熊本ラーメン」の老舗として知られる「桂花」（熊本市）は１日、民事再生法の適用を熊本地裁に申請したと発表した。

　負債額は１２億５８７０万円。国内外で「味千ラーメン」を展開する「重光産業」（同）の支援を受ける方向で調整を進めながら、営業を続ける。
　桂花は１９５５年に創業。熊本市や関東地区で１１店を直営しているが、製めん工場などへの設備投資が膨らみ、他店との競合も激しくなった。ピーク時の２００５年度に１２億円あった売上高は、０９年度には９億６６００万円まで落ち込み、現状のままでは業況改善が困難と判断したという。

(試譯文)

On the 1st it was announced that "Katsurahana" (Kumamoto City) known as the business house that established "Kumamoto ramen" had applied to the Kumamoto district court for the enforcement of the civil rehabilitation law.

The amount of the debt is 1,258,700,000 yen. It kept on doing business while advancing at the direction of adjustment as support was received from "Shigemitsu industry" (same) that developed the "Thousand Taste Ramen" inside and outside the country.
"Katsurahana" was established in 1955. With 11 shops being operated directly in Kumanoto City and the Kanto district, capital investment on equipment to the noodle factories etc. swelled, yet competition from other shops became intense, too. The peak sales was 1.2 billion yen in fiscal year 2005, it fell to 966 million yen in fiscal year 2009, and it was judged that if to stay on the present course, improvement to the business condition would be difficult.

"Thousand Taste Ramen" is a big noodle company. Old companies have to make adjustments in order to survive new competitions.