In 1958, Momofuku Ando created 'Chicken Ramen', the world's first instant noodles, changing the way people eat forever. After World War II, Japan faced a dire food shortage. Ando aimed to develop a product that could be enjoyed anywhere and at any time. His months of hard work and research resulted in the invention of instant noodles, sparking a global revolution in culinary culture.
Momofuku Ando was born on 5 March 1910 and earned his degree in Economics from Ritsumeikan University. He later received an honorary doctorate from the same university. While leading Nissin Food Products, Momofuku Ando was also active in public service. He held several significant positions, including President of the Japan Convenience Foods Industry Association and Chairman of the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA).
In 1971, Momofuku Ando created another revolutionary product, Cup Noodles, the world’s first cup-type noodle product. This innovation sparked a global interest in instant noodles - it combines soup, toppings and noodles all in one cup, which can be used for storage, preparation and consumption. This idea started by Momofuku Ando has now blossomed into a massive industry, as Cup Noodles are now sold in over 100 countries worldwide.
In July 2005, Ando's new invention, the Space Ram, travelled on the Space Shuttle Discovery, making astronaut Soichi Noguchi the first person to enjoy instant ramen in space, which he found surprisingly similar to those on Earth. For the inventor of instant noodles, 95-year-old Momofuku Ando, this was a dream come true, marking the expansion of culinary creativity into space.
In 2008, one year after the passing of Momofuku Ando, NASA's Endeavour launched with a variety of newly developed Japanese space foods - such as udon, soba, yakitori, inari-zushi, shouga-inari-zushi, and okonomiyaki - created by Nissin Foods and JAXA to support the astronauts in the Kibo Laboratory.
'One winter evening, I noticed a line, 20 to 30 meters long, in front of a makeshift stall, from which clouds of steam were rising steadily. People shivered in the cold as they waited for their turn. They were all lined up for a bowl of ramen. That’s when I first became interested in ramen. I realised that people were willing to wait patiently just for a single bowl of noodles'.
'It wasn’t until 10 years later that I finally succeeded in developing instant noodles. I will never forget that day - 25 August 1958. I named the product 'Chicken Ramen'.
'It is often said that clothing, food and shelter are basic human necessities. I would add one more observation: without food, there would be no clothing or shelter, and, for that matter, no art or culture. I recognised the importance of food during times of hardship, especially during and right after the war. I coined the phrase "Peace will come to the world when there is enough food" to express my feelings on this matter'.
In 2006, Time Magazine honoured Momofuku Ando as one of 66 Asian heroes. More than half a century has passed since Ando introduced Chicken Ramen to the world, and the overall demand for it has exceeded 100 billion servings worldwide. Momofuku Ando's aspirations of 'creative ideas' and the 'tenacity to never give up until the end' have been passed down to all members of the Nissin Foods Group today.
Momofuku Ando passed away on 5 January 2007, at the age of 96. His funeral on 27 February was held in a space-themed setting. This was a tribute to his passion for the development of space food, which led to the creation of Space Ram, the first noodles ever consumed in space.
In an article published on 9 January 2007, the New York Times referred to Momofuku Ando as 'Mr. Noodle', noting that he earned an eternal place in the pantheon of human progress. We honour this remarkable individual and commit to following his words: 'Be detail-oriented, yet bold. Be very detail-oriented in looking carefully at a situation and investigating it thoroughly, but if action is indicated, be bold and act fast'.
The entire Nissin Foods Group is united in our determination to carry on the wishes of our late founder by continuing to develop innovative food products.
