Vietnam increased its exports of instant noodles to Japan.

DNHN - The Nikkei newspaper reported that Japan is increasing its imports of instant noodles from Vietnam and Thailand, despite Japan's invention of instant noodles over 60 years ago.

As a result of the pandemic and travel restrictions, the Japanese are increasingly interested in instant noodles from Vietnam and Thailand. According to data from the Japanese Ministry of Finance, imports of instant noodles from other Asian nations reached 8.6 billion yen (about 57.6 million USD) in 2022, a 3.1-fold increase from 2017.

At the Asian food market in Shin-Okubo, Tokyo, instant noodles with foreign brand names are prominently displayed near the entrance, and approximately 80% of customers frequently purchase instant noodles when they visit.

Approximately 80% of the imports came from South Korea, specifically Nongshim's Shin Ramyun noodles. However, Southeast Asian products are also experiencing significant growth.

In 2022, the amount of instant noodles imported from Vietnam to Japan reached 500 million yen (approximately $3.3 million), a 5.6-fold increase from 2017. Simultaneously, the number of imports from Thailand Lan increased to 510 million yen (approximately USD 3.4 million).

Japanese companies have begun reimporting their instant noodle products to Japan to meet rising demand, as they see opportunities in the current market conditions.

For instance, Acecook has invested in Vietnam since 1993 and is the country's largest instant noodle manufacturer with a 40% market share. Since 2018, the company has begun importing and distributing Vietnamese Hao Hao noodle products on the Japanese market. Initially, the company aimed to sell products to the Vietnamese community in Japan, but Japanese consumers have since emerged as significant purchasers. In 2022, the company's annual revenue tripled, and it received numerous orders from major imported food retailers.

Also in July, Nissin Foods launched a limited series of noodle products on the Japanese market, produced by a subsidiary in Thailand and flavored with Tom Yum soup. A representative of Nissin's sales strategy stated, "We were inspired by instant noodles from Thai manufacturers that we saw in imported food stores or online in Japan."

According to the Instant Noodles Association projections, the global demand for instant noodles will reach record levels in 2022, surpassing 121 billion servings, a 2.6% increase from 2021. The world.

The Chinese and Hong Kong markets will continue to consume the most instant noodles in 2022, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and Japan.

Japan began producing instant noodles in 1958, when Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods, came up with the concept in response to the country's food shortages following World War II. War 2. Then, in 1971, the first cup noodle product was introduced, and with a variety of flavors suitable for each market, instant noodles became a worldwide phenomenon, including in the United States and China.

Binh Phuong