Changingtastes

Instant noodles lose favor as the online meal-ordering industry offers more nutritious options

THE second drawer under Qi Lian’s office desk was used to hide her stash of instant noodles. Whenever she worked nightshift she would take one pack, fill it with hot water and in three minutes her dinner was ready. The best part is that it only costs 4 yuan ($0.6).

But the drawer has rarely been opened since the 26-year-old Beijing resident was introduced to a meal-ordering app by a friend. Placing an order on her smart phone only took a minute. Thirty minutes later a delivery man would knock on her door with the order - a substantial and nutritious hot meal of rice, meat and vegetables, all for around 20 yuan ($3).

“It’s more expensive than the noodles but still affordable, and I think it’s worthwhile,” said Qi. “At least I can feel that I’m eating [a more] healthy [meal].”

Qi is just one of 150 million Chinese consumers who have made the move to online meal-ordering apps, according to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC). The shift is providing the sternest challenge to date for the instant noodle industry, which has seen its profits tumble.