why cup ramen is so popular worldwide
explained in three minutes
hi I'm Sara I couldn't live without cup
ramen
I wonder who invented it Sara's friend
Taku is quite a gourmet and happy to
explain the history of instant noodles
begins in Japan in 1958 when Momofuku
Ando invented instant ramen Momofuku was
chairman of a credit Association but it
failed and he lost everything it was
just after the war food was scarce and
many were eating in the streets at ramen
noodle stands Momofuku saw a demand for
ramen that anyone could make quickly he
conducted many experiments in his garden
shed inspired by tempura he eventually
developed a method for frying noodles in
hot oil put these noodles in a bowl
simply add hot water and they're ready
to eat this was the first instant ramen
instant ramen was a huge hit Momofuku
wanted to expand overseas but there was
a problem people in many countries
weren't used to eating from balls with
chopsticks on a trip to America he saw
people putting his noodles in paper cups
and eating them with forks this gave him
an idea noodles in their own cup easy to
eat with a fork too
1971 saw the launch of the world's first
cup ramen product cup noodles the cup
has three functions its packaging
cookware and tableware this was a truly
revolutionary idea his invention meant
meals could be stored at room
temperature and cooked anywhere just by
adding hot water cup noodles and other
cut ramen products quickly spread from
Japan throughout the world
cut ramen is now sold in over 80
countries and regions in 2016 worldwide
demand reached almost 20 billion one
reason cut ramen is so popular
everywhere is that soup and seasoning
can easily be changed to match local
tastes so for example German consumers
love mushroom soup and in Thailand the
favourite variety is Tom Yum kun but the
key to making the tastiest cut ramen is
adding the right amount of hot water and
waiting for the correct time no more no
less
wait for exactly three minutes why three
minutes is just long enough to
comfortably stimulate the appetite and
as they say hunger is the best spice
thanks to Taku I now get the picture but
three minutes are almost up please
excuse me