Total War Among Chicken Ramen, Nissin Raoh, Maruchan, Sapporo Ichiban, and Others for the Strongest Instant Noodle Brand

Once again, it sold out the same day.

At the end of May, the cup noodles “Misokin,” supervised by popular YouTuber HIKAKIN (35), were restocked nationwide at Seven-Eleven, causing a major stir. Issues such as hoarding and high-priced resale emerged. Instant cup noodles, which can be eaten immediately with just hot water and require no dishes, are considered the champions of affordable foods — many readers likely think so. However, currently, bag noodles are making significant strides, surpassing cup noodles in sales momentum.

According to “Nikkei POS Information,” which gathers sales data from supermarkets nationwide, the growth rate in sales value of instant bag noodles increased by 6.1% compared to the same month last year, exceeding the 5.1% of cup noodles (as of March ’24).

Unlike cup noodles, bag noodles require a process of boiling and serving before they can be eaten. They can be considered somewhat “inconvenient” compared to cup noodles. Yet, why are they still increasing in sales? Mr. Yamato Ichiro, an instant noodle hunter, explains.

“The major factor is undoubtedly affordability. Bag noodles typically consist mainly of wheat flour without many ingredients. Wheat flour has controlled prices, making it more stable in cost compared to other imported goods. Additionally, bag noodles have less packaging space and can be loaded in larger quantities on trucks, thus reducing transportation costs. In contrast, cup noodles contain various ingredients besides noodles, each individually packaged, and their containers are larger relative to the volume, making them more expensive than bag noodles. With increased time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a trend of enjoying bag noodles by customizing toppings and other arrangements.”

Recent popularity of K-pop has also boosted the bag noodle market.

“South Korea is the world’s second-largest instant noodle consumer country after Vietnam, with the majority being bag noodles. Bag noodles are frequently discussed in K-pop artists’ talks, and scenes of them eating on programs are commonplace. Japanese youths, influenced by watching these scenes on YouTube, have started to eat bag noodles as well.” 

When it comes to the world’s first bag noodles, it’s often mentioned that Nissin Foods’ “Chicken Ramen” holds that title. However, the company that has long been at the forefront of the industry, rooted in a noodle manufacturing company in Gunma Prefecture, is Sanyo Foods with their “Sapporo Ichiban” brand. They launched the “Shoyu” flavor in ’66, “Miso Ramen” in ’68, and “Salt Ramen” in ’71. Riding the wave of the Do-san-ko Ramen boom at the time and the Hokkaido boom sparked by the Sapporo Olympics in ’72, the company quickly grew to become Japan’s top bag noodle company.

“The soup of ‘Salt Ramen’ is so distinct that you can tell immediately even if you drink it blindfolded, with a sharp flavor akin to spices used in curry. They use noodles suited to each soup: soy sauce for ‘Shoyu’ flavor, miso for ‘Miso Ramen,’ and incorporate yam flour into the noodles for ‘Salt Ramen,’ creating a unique texture,” noted instant ramen critic Mr. Sokusai Oyama

Even in today’s bag noodle sales rankings, “Salt Ramen” holds the top spot, with “Miso Ramen” following closely behind, showing the continued popularity of the “Sapporo Ichiban” series.

Since its release in ’58 and ranking third in sales, “Chicken Ramen” and the ’66 release of “Sapporo Ichiban” have dominated. The era of these two giants, with their flagship products, lasted nearly half a century until the 2010s. However, in ’11, a revolutionary figure emerged in the bag noodle industry.