APOTTED HISTORY
It is five decades since the popular instant meal was launched.. we look at the impact the tasty dish has had on the world, the celebs who love it & many flavours
HAPPY 50th birthday to cup noodles.
For five decades they have kept us going through skint student days, camping trips and hangovers where anything more complicated than boiling the kettle was just too much effort.
This magical instant meal of dehydrated noodles, flavourings and dried vegetables or chunks of soya protein was created by Japanese food company Nissin.
It went on sale on September 18, 1971. Cup noodles have been part of its product range ever since. By 2003, they had sold 20billion worldwide.
In the UK, Unilever adapted it for the British market as Pot Noodle in 1977. They are made in Crumlin, Wales, where 175million pots are produced every year.
Pot Noodle has had some colourful and controversial ad campaigns over the years, including one showing noodle “mines” in the Welsh hills.
In 2002, their Hot Noodle range was advertised with the controversial slogan “the slag of all snacks”. It was axed after complaints.
Five decades later, cup noodles are not going anywhere.
HISTORY
INSTANT noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando after World War II.
A Taiwanese man who moved to Japan in the 30s, he saw a need for a quick, cheap snack in a country devastated by post-war food shortages.
His company, Nissin Food Products, worked on the idea for several years before marketing its first dried noodle, chicken ramen, in 1958.
Other variations followed before the all-in-one meal, Cup Noodle, was launched in 1971.
They now make two different types of noodles in a tub, a drier “wok style” and wetter “soup style”.
FAMOUS FANS
IN 2013, Wayne Rooney ordered £2000 worth of Pot Noodle and booze for his tent at Glastonbury.
Love Island contestant Alexandra Cane ate them regularly when she appeared on the show in 2018. Paul Hollywood upset foodies around the globe when he gave some Pot
Noodle to a Michelinstarred ramen chef while filming Paul Hollywood Eats Japan. Foodie hero Yotam Ottolenghi loves an instant noodle cup, but buys his in specialist Asian stores when he’s out shopping for dried mushrooms.
TV presenter Stacey Solomon also treats her three kids with Pot Noodles.