The East Vancouver ramen kitchen behind the Zakkushi team’s frozen ramen packs is closing permanently on December 11.
Franklin Food Lab, at 1600 Franklin Street, shared the news on Instagram on October 31.
“We will be closing permanently on Dec 11, 2026,” the notice reads.
“Thank you for being part of the Franklin Food Lab journey. We are truly grateful for all your support and wonderful memories!”
The lab is part of the Zakkushi Group, the team behind Zakkushi, Menya Raizo and Sake Dining Hashigo.
The announcement only covers Franklin Food Lab.
The lab’s frozen line is ramen you finish at home.
The frozen packs are pitched as ready in seven minutes, and the online shop lists seven flavours, from Hakata Tonkotsu and Umami Shoyu to Yuzu Shio, Sapporo Miso and Chicken Shio Paitan.
Some of the business has already wound down.
The notice says its market and event sales, and its Raizo sales, have “already concluded.”
The Franklin Street spot also runs a small eat-in menu.
For dine-in, the Hakata Tonkotsu is made from scratch in-house rather than from the frozen packs, with thin noodles, pork cha-shu, pickled ginger and kikurage mushroom in a rich pork broth.
That bowl is $15, and the eat-in menu posted with the announcement flags it at 20 per cent off for a limited time.
The packs also turn up in freezers around the region, at shops like Konbiniya Japan Centre, Yama Cafe and Windsor Meats.
The notice doesn’t say whether those shelves will keep getting stocked after December 11.
“You’re our best Ramen,” one follower wrote under the post.
The team’s one request before the doors close: “If you have any remaining Loyalty Points, be sure to use them before we close!”
So if you’ve got points banked, or a freezer with room in it, the next few weeks on Franklin Street are the time to cash them in.
Franklin Food Lab joins other recent Vancouver closures like Myst, Tocador and Raclette Steaks.
Address
1600 Franklin Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 1P4
