In 1958, Momofuku Ando, founder and chairman of Nissin Foods, invented the instant noodles. Walking home one cold night, he saw people shivering around a street stall waiting for noodles, and was inspired to seek a method of flash-drying cooked noodles on palm oil.
The first instant noodle developed is a chicken-flavored instant ramen. It is to provide an easy-to-produce, convenience food option for citizens in postwar Japan, where food was scarce and finances were strained.
The instant noodle could be removed from its plastics wrapping, placed in a bowl, covered with boiling water and eaten three minutes later.
At first, Ando’s ramen was considered a luxury, since it was still more expensive for consumers than fresh Japanese udon noodles.
By the early 1970s instant noodles had made their way to most markets around the world, though the composition, thickness of noodle and flavoring varied across regions.
These instant noodles have become synonymous with convenience foods, and consumers have come to expect a certain consistency in the product, both in flavor and texture.
The invention of instant noodles
