Japan’s House Foods Group has clarified that no decision has been made regarding the future of Ichibanya, operator of the CoCo Ichibanya curry restaurant chain, following a report by Nikkei Asia that the company was considering a sale.

In a statement issued on Monday, House Foods said the Nikkei Asia report was not based on information officially released by the company. It nevertheless confirmed that it was reviewing a range of options for Ichibanya.

“The company is considering all available options, including the privatisation of Ichibanya, with a view to enhancing corporate value and shareholder value,” the company said, adding that no specific decisions had been made. 

Nikkei reported that House Foods was weighing a sale of Ichibanya as part of a broader review of its business portfolio. A transaction could potentially bring an end to the parent-subsidiary dual-listing structure.

House Foods acquired a controlling stake in Ichibanya in 2015, and the two companies have since maintained close ties, collaborating on areas including ingredient procurement and overseas operations.

Founded in 1978, CoCo Ichibanya is considered the world’s largest Japanese curry restaurant chain, with more than 1400 outlets globally. The company is also set to make its Australian debut this month.

• Further reading: Starbucks mulls selling stake in Japan business.