Kirin Ramen gets new name amid trademark battle with brewer Kirin

An instant noodle maker in central Japan said Wednesday it has picked a new name for its mainstay product "Kirin Ramen," amid an ongoing trademark battle with major beverage maker Kirin Co.The ramen, styled by the company based in Hekinan, Aichi Prefecture, as "local soul food every single local person is aware of," will be newly called "Kirimaru Ramen" due to "various reasons," Ogasawara Seifun said.In an online poll over the noodle's new name conducted in July, Kirimaru garnered the largest number of votes at 6,670, followed by Ogasawara at 2,594 votes and Hekinan at 1,913 votes, it said.…READ FULL ARTICLE