 GlobalCup Noodles branding | |
 Two flavors available under the Cup Noodle (Japanese) brand | |
| Product type | Instant noodle |
|---|---|
| Owner | Nissin Foods |
| Produced by | Nissin Foods |
| Country | Japan |
| Introduced | 1971; 55 years ago (1971) |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Registered as atrademark in | Nissin Cup Noodles, Cup Noodle[1] |
| Website | cupnoodle.jp |
Cup Noodles (カップヌードル,Kappu Nūdoru) is the original brand ofcup noodle (i.e.,instant ramen in a disposable cup) that was developed in 1971 and manufactured by Japanese food companyNissin Foods. Single servings of the product are packaged infoam, plastic, or paper cups and prepared simply by adding boiling water.
The product name actually began asCup O' Noodles and the singularEngrish brand nameCup Noodle is also a registered trademark of Nissin Foods.[1] In some countries, such as Japan, the singular form Cup Noodle is used. The product has inspired various competing products, such asMaruchan's Instant Lunch.
Instant noodles were invented in 1958 byMomofuku Ando, theTaiwan-born (when Taiwan was under Japanese rule) founder of theJapanese food companyNissin. He calledChickin Ramen the first instant ramen noodles in history.
In 1970, Nissin formed the subsidiary Nissin Foods (USA) Co. Inc., to sell instant noodles in the United States and opened a factory inLancaster, Pennsylvania in 1973.[2] Nissin recognized that the bowls traditionally used to package instant noodles in Asia were not common in the US, so the paper cup was designed by Ron R. Matteson. In 1971, Nissin introduced instant ramen packaged in a foam cup. The three original flavors in the US were beef, chicken, and shrimp; pork flavor was added in 1976. All flavors originally contained pieces of dehydrated egg which was removed in the early 1980s. In 1978, Nissin Foods offered more new varieties ofTop Ramen and Cup O' Noodles.Japan Airlines has offered Cup Noodle with the exclusivede Sky flavor on board since 1992, and since 2021 the product has been available in the airline's online store.[3] The product was known asCup O' Noodles in the United States until 1993.[4] In 1998, Cup Noodles Hot Sauce Varieties were introduced (Beef, Chicken, Pork, and Shrimp).[4]
Today, instant noodles in Japan are often sold in foam bowls, sometimes with plastic utensils. Foam bowls are inexpensive, disposable, light, and easy to hold, since they insulate heat well. Different flavors are available in other parts of the world, such astom yum inThailand,curry in Japan,crab inHong Kong, andchurrasco inBrazil.[5]
In 2016 the US version was changed, reducingsodium and removingMSG andartificial flavors.[6]
From 1996 to 2006, a 60-foot (18 m) Nissin Cup Noodle sign was installed inTimes Square,New York City. It was located prominently near the top of theOne Times Square building, the location of theTimes Square Ball drop on New Year's Eve. The sign was the most recent example in a tradition of steaming signs in Times Square, which started with anA&P8 O'Clock Coffee cup in 1933.[7][8]
In 2006, amanga book was published about the invention of the cup noodle and the founder of the Nissin Cup Noodle brand,Project X: Nissin Cup Noodle by author Tadashi Katoh and artist Akira Imai (publisher:Digital Manga,ISBN 9781569709597). The book was nominated for anEisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work in 2007.[9]
Cup Noodles are often seen in the 2012 video gameBinary Domain, which is set in a futuristic version ofTokyo. It is commonly seen in billboards and advertisements throughout the city, and is even seen being eaten by some characters. Cup Noodles were also prominently featured asproduct placement in the 2016 video gameFinal Fantasy XV. This partnership also resulted in a crossover TV ad in Japan.[10]
The popularity of Cup Noodles has also resulted in the creation of a Cup Noodle Museum. The museum features displays on cup noodles and their founder, Momofuku Ando. The museum is located in both Yokohama and Osaka, Japan,[11] with the Museum also launched in Hong Kong following the stint on My Cup Noodles Factory at the Hong Kong International Airport.[12]
In 2018,Manpuku was broadcast in Japan. The television drama series documented Momofuku Ando and his wife Masako's lives, including the invention of instant noodles and cup noodles. It is the 99th Asadora series. It premiered onNHK on October 1, 2018, and concluded on March 30, 2019.[citation needed]
As of 2021, there were 17 flavors of Cup Noodles.[13] However, a total of 21 have been observed for sale in 2023:[14] Artificial Chicken, Beef, Black Pepper Crab, Chicken, Crab, Curry, Fiery Korean Chicken, Hot and Spicy Shrimp, Japanese Teriyaki Chicken, Korean BBQ, Korean Spicy Beef, Original, Seafood, Shrimp, Spicy Chili Chicken, Spicy Lime Shrimp, Sweet Chili, Teriyaki Beef, Teriyaki Chicken, Thai Yellow Curry, and Tom Yum Seafood.
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