Nissin first sold Cup Noodles in Japan in 1971.
Momofuku Ando developed the product after observing that consumers sometimes broke packaged noodles into cups and added hot water. The resulting design combined noodles, seasoning, and a disposable container in one package.
Cup Noodles was introduced in Tokyo on September 18, 1971. Its expanded polystyrene cup protected the noodles and made preparation possible without a separate bowl.
The product was first called Cup Noodle in Japan, while the plural form Cup Noodles is widely used internationally. It should not be confused with Chicken Ramen, Nissin’s earlier bagged instant-noodle product from 1958.