The 100th anniversary of the birth of the founder of instant noodles, 2010 Nissin launch commemorative page

For the common people, there are two biggest inventions in Japan: one is karaoke, and the other is instant noodles. At 6:40 pm on January 5, 2007, Japan time, Momotomi Ando, ??the founder of Nissin Foods, known as the "Father of Instant Noodles", died of acute myocardial infarction in a hospital in Ikeda City, Osaka. He was 96 years old.

Since the first instant noodles were introduced in 1958, nearly 90 billion servings of instant noodles are consumed around the world every year.

Developed instant noodles after bankruptcy

Momo Ando was born in Chiayi, Taiwan, China in 1910, and his original name was Wu Baifu.

Before the invention of convenience, Ando successively operated in various industries such as clothing and textiles, trading, machinery manufacturing, department stores, salt production, and credit unions.

In 1957, the credit union where Ando served as chairman went bankrupt. Because the credit union is an unlimited liability company, Ando's other properties were used to pay off debts. All he had left was his private residence in Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture, and everything had to be started from scratch.

The truth learned through repeated development

At that time, Japan's economy was in the initial stage of taking off, and people's pace of life was significantly accelerated. Ando decided to develop ramen that could be quickly brewed and eaten. He set up a small hut at home and devoted himself to the development of instant noodles.

The instant noodles conceived by Momofuku Ando are instant noodles that can be eaten immediately by adding hot water. It is very easy to eat. He set five goals:

First, the taste is not only delicious but also something you won’t get tired of eating;

Second, it can become a common staple in the family kitchen and has high shelf life;

Third, it is simple and does not require cooking;

Fourth, it is cheap;

Fifth, since it is food, it must be safe and hygienic.

He is a complete layman in the noodle business. The combination of raw materials for noodles is very subtle and he has a lot of knowledge. He tried everything he thought of, but the effect was not good.

The key to instant noodles is that the noodles can be stored for a long time without deterioration, and the elasticity and taste of the noodles can be quickly restored when brewed. After experiencing many failures, Ando was inspired by his wife's fried "tempura" (a traditional Japanese fried food made of vegetables, shrimps, etc. wrapped in flour and deep-fried in a pan) and invented the "instant hot oil drying method." , when noodles are fried in this way, the water can evaporate quickly, and pores will appear on the noodles. Once soaked in boiling water, the water can quickly penetrate into the noodles and restore the elasticity of the noodles.

After some hard work, he finally solved the preservation problem. Later, his wife's method of making fried dishes inspired him. There are countless holes in the coating of fried foods, just like a sponge. This is because the coating is mixed with water, and the moisture in it is absorbed during the frying process. It will spread out and form "holes". Add boiling water and it will soften quickly. In this way, the problems of preservation and cooking can be solved at the same time by soaking the noodles in soup to flavor them, and then frying them to dry them. He was so excited that he called this production method "instantaneous hot oil drying method" and obtained a patent for the instant noodles production method.

Then Ando repeatedly mixed the seasonings. At that time, there were chickens raised next to the research shed in the backyard, which were often killed for dinner. One day, my mother-in-law put chicken soup made from chicken bones into ramen, and my son actually enjoyed it. That's when Ando decided to use chicken broth for instant noodles too. Ando said that since instant noodles entered the international market, no country in the world has been found that does not eat chicken.

On August 25, 1958, the world's first instant noodle "Chicken Ramen" was officially launched, priced at 35 yen. Judging from the price level in Japan at the time, instant noodles were expensive. Some people sarcastically said that udon only costs 6 yen per serving. Will "chicken ramen" be marketable?

Unexpectedly, thanks to marketing promotions, free tastings and other offensives, instant noodles quickly became a craze in the Japanese archipelago. Curious people keep calling and asking: "I heard that you have magic ramen that can be eaten by heating water."

Momo Ando started his lifelong career at the age of 48.

At the end of that year, Ando founded Nissin Foods Co., Ltd.

Attach importance to intellectual property rights

Instant noodles quickly became the darling of the times, and imitators continued to appear. In 1959, the consumption of instant noodles was 70 million servings. By 1961, the consumption had increased sharply to 150 million servings, with more than 100 manufacturers. Shoddy instant noodles have also begun to appear on the market.

Ando soon realized that the market must be regulated in order to maintain the reputation of the new product. In 1960, he won an instant noodles copyright lawsuit and registered the "Chicken Ramen" trademark the next year. In 1962, Ando obtained a patent for the "Method for Making Instant Noodles" and accordingly issued a warning to 113 peers. But by 1964, Ando established the Japan Ramen Industry Association and transferred the instant noodles patent to the industry. Ando said that this move is to expand the industry and provide cheap and high-quality instant noodles to the people.

After occupying an absolute position in the Japanese market, Ando began to consider introducing instant noodles to the world. In 1966, during an inspection in the United States, Ando realized that there were no bowls, chopsticks and other tableware commonly used by Easterners in European and American food. In order to adapt to the European and American markets, Ando invented "cup noodles" and "bowl noodles". In September 1971, the world's first "cup noodles" were launched. A total of 20 billion servings of "Cup Noodles" have been sold so far.

In 2005, Ando experienced another big surprise. In July of that year, Nissin's instant noodles boarded the American spacecraft "Discovery" together with Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi and became space food on the space station.

Invention changed the history of food

In August 1958, the world’s first instant noodles, “Chicken Ramen”, was officially launched. In the same year, Ando changed the name of CCCC Headquarters to Nissin Food Company. In 1968, Nissin's flagship product "Demae Itcho" was born. In 1971, Nissin launched cup instant noodles for the first time, which immediately became popular all over the world and entered thousands of households. Today, Nissin's annual sales volume in 10 countries around the world reaches 100 million units, and the annual consumption of instant noodles worldwide reaches 90 billion units.

In 1981, Ando handed over the position of president of Nissin to his eldest son, and he served as chairman. Two years later, the two had disagreements over company decisions, and Ando returned as president. It was not until 1999 that he handed over the position of president to his second son. In September 2005, Ando officially resigned as chairman of Nissin on his 95th birthday.

A bowl of instant noodles every day

Even after turning 90, Momotoshi Ando still refuses to take a break. He said that instant noodles are his life, "I have to eat them every day and think of new ideas." It is said that even in his later years, Ando personally tasted and appraised new products launched by Nissin.

When asked about the secret to longevity, Ando said that he plays golf once a week and eats a bowl of chicken instant noodles every day. He would also use his longevity to vigorously defend instant noodles.

When attending the General Conference of the World Ramen Association in Seoul, South Korea in 2006, Ando, ??as the president, started by praising instant noodles at the press conference. "There are many claims that instant noodles are harmful to health, but you see that I am living well, which is enough to prove that instant noodles are a good thing." Ando said proudly at the meeting.

Exported before opening the domestic market

Ando distributed the trial product to acquaintances everywhere, and the evaluation he received was that "it has a different taste from existing ramen, and it is very It’s convenient and can become a new commodity.”

Ando asked a friend who worked in a trading company to send samples to the United States to test the reaction. As a result, a reply came immediately from the United States, requesting an order for 500 more boxes. Ando realized that food really has no borders, and he had a vague hunch that this product might become a global product in the future.

Instant Noodles Important Events

●On August 25, 1958, the world's first instant noodles "Chicken Ramen" was officially launched.

●In 1960, Ando won the instant noodles copyright lawsuit and registered the "Chicken Ramen" trademark the next year.

●In 1962, Ando obtained the patent for the "Method for Making Instant Noodles" and accordingly issued a warning to 113 peers.

●In 1964, the Japan Ramen Industry Association was established and the instant noodles patent was transferred to the industry.

●In 1966, in order to adapt to the European and American markets, "cup noodles" and "bowl noodles" were invented.

●In September 1971, the world’s first “cup noodles” were launched. A total of 20 billion servings of "Cup Noodles" have been sold so far.

●In July 2005, Nissin's instant noodles boarded the American "Discovery" spacecraft together with Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi and became space food on the space station.

●In September 2005, Ando officially resigned as chairman of Nissin on his 95th birthday.