Momofuku Ando’s first instant noodle product, launched in Japan in 1958, was Chicken Ramen.
Ando developed the product after experimenting with flash-frying noodles so they could be quickly rehydrated in hot water. The noodles were sold pre-seasoned, removing the need to cook a separate soup. Chicken Ramen was introduced on 25 August 1958 by Nissin Foods.
The product is often confused with Cup Noodles, another Nissin invention. Cup Noodles arrived later, in 1971, and packaged noodles and soup in a disposable container. Top Ramen is also a different brand, first introduced by Nissin in the United States in 1970. Chicken Ramen is widely regarded as the world’s first convenient instant noodle product, helping create the modern instant-noodle industry.