Nissin Foods

Nissin Foods
Company type	Public
Industry	Food manufacturing
Founded	September 1, 1948; 78 years ago in Izumiōtsu, Osaka, Japan
Founder	Momofuku Ando
Headquarters	Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, Japan
Area served	Worldwide (over 80 countries)
Products	Instant noodles (Chicken Ramen, Cup Noodles, Yakisoba U.F.O., Demae Ramen)
Website	www.nissin.com

is a Japanese food manufacturer established in 1948 by Momofuku Ando in Izumiōtsu, Osaka. Its group includes subsidiaries such as Nissin Food Products, Nissin Chilled Foods, Nissin Frozen Foods, and Myojo Foods. The company is credited with creating the world's first commercial instant noodles through its Chicken Ramen product and continues to produce popular instant noodle lines like Cup Noodles, Yakisoba U.F.O., and Demae Ramen.

Establishment and initial development

Founded on September 1, 1948, in Japan by Taiwanese-Japanese entrepreneur Go Pek-Hok (Momofuku Ando), the company initially operated under a different name. A decade later, it introduced its inaugural instant ramen product, Chikin Ramen, and subsequently adopted the current company name. The American branch, Nissin Foods, was launched in 1970 and brought instant ramen to the U.S. market in 1972 under the Japan Instant Noodle Bureau and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries brand with Top Ramen. Both the 1958 Nissin Chikin Ramen and the 1971 Cup Noodles were innovations by Momofuku Ando. The corporate headquarters is located in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka.

Growth and recent developments

The headquarters moved to its present site in 1977. In 2007, Myojo Foods Co., Ltd. was fully acquired as a subsidiary. That same year marked the passing of founder Momofuku Ando at age 96.

In May 2011, Nissin entered into a capital and operational partnership with confectionery manufacturer Frente Co., Ltd. Later that year, in September, the Cup Noodles museum opened in Yokohama, honoring Ando’s contributions.

A collaboration was formed in September 2013 with Turkey's leading consumer goods company, resulting in the establishment of Nissin Yildiz Gida Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.

March 2014 saw the inauguration of The Wave, a new research and development center in Japan dedicated to cutting-edge food technology; this facility earned the prestigious Good Design Award.

By 2016, global sales of Cup Noodles had reached 40 billion servings, with nearly 70% of revenue originating from markets outside Japan.

Name

The company explains that Nissin is derived from an abbreviation of 「日々清らかに豊かな味をつくる」 (Hibi kiyoraka ni yutakana aji o tsukuru), a phrase coined by founder Momofuku Ando meaning "To consistently create pure and rich flavors day after day."

Facilities and international presence

Nissin Foods maintains offices and manufacturing plants around the world, including locations in the United States (since 1972), Brazil (1981), Hong Kong (1985), India (1988), Hungary and Germany (1993), Thailand (1994), China (1995), the Philippines (1997), and Mexico (2000). In 2013, it launched Makarneks, a Turkish product comparable to Cup Noodles. Its products are distributed across more than 80 countries globally.

Instant noodle varieties

Nissin Top Ramen
Nissin Chikin Ramen
Nissin Cup Noodles
Nissin UFO Yakisoba
Doll Brand – manufactured by Winner Food Products Limited, a subsidiary acquired in 1984
Chow Mein
Chow Noodle
Bowl Noodles – including Rich and Savory, Hot And Spicy options
Spice Route Bowl and Boxes – offering Sichuan, Korean, and Thai tastes
NuPasta Bowls and bags
Kitsune udon
Demae Ramen

Demae Ramen

Introduced in Japan in 1969, Demae Ramen, also known as Demae Itcho (; ), expanded into the Hong Kong market a year later. It has grown to become one of the top instant noodle brands in Hong Kong, featuring a wide variety of flavor options.

Criticism

Nissin Foods has been subject to criticism regarding its palm oil procurement practices, which have been associated with the destruction of rainforests, degradation of peatlands, and violations of human rights. On June 29, 2015, activists organized a protest at Nissin Foods' US headquarters to bring attention to these issues.

Non-affiliations

Nissin Foods has no corporate ties with Nisshin Seifun Group Inc., Nisshin OilliO Group, Ltd., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Nisshinbo Holdings Inc., Nissin Healthcare Food Service Co., Ltd., Monde Nissin Corporation, or Nissin Kyogyo Co. Ltd., including its brake-related divisions.

External links

Nissin documentary on YouTube