China businessman bowls over Sweden with hometown beef ramen noodles, earns US$140,000 a month
- Beats Japanese ramen competition in Stockholm with hometown recipe, sells 300 bowls a day, plans more branches
An entrepreneur from China has set up a thriving business in Sweden selling traditional Lanzhou beef ramen from his hometown on the mainland.
Zhou Yan, 31, from Gansu province in north-central China, opened the Ox Lan Beef Noodle eatery in the country’s capital, Stockholm, on March 25 and quickly attracted local customers.
He is now earning one million yuan (US$140,000) a month.
The restaurant is so popular that Zhou had to add extra outdoor seating to accommodate the overflow.
“On peak days, we sell more than 300 bowls of noodles, which is the maximum a noodle chef can make,” said Zhou.
Lanzhou noodles, known for their unique hand-pulled technique, have outshone local Japanese ramen shops, which typically use pre-made noodles, according to Zhou.