TOKYO (AP) - Momofuku Ando, the Japanese inventor of instant noodles _ a dish that has sustained American college students for decades _ has died. He was 96.
Nissin Food Products Co., the company Ando founded, said on its Web site that he died Friday after suffering a heart attack.
Born in Taiwan, Ando founded his company in 1948 from a humble family operation. Faced with food shortages in post-World War II Japan, Ando thought a quality, convenient noodle product would help feed the masses.
In 1958, his "Chicken Ramen" _ the first instant noodle _ was introduced after many trials. Following its success, the company added other products, such as the "Cup Noodle" in 1971.
more info here.
Pop a top and slurp in honor of Ando-san!
From the company website
Instant Noodles – Part of Culinary Culture Worldwide
From the days of Chicken Ramen, Nissin has firmly believed that its instant noodle products would be accepted worldwide. The company established its first overseas subsidiary, Nissin Foods (U.S.A.) Co., Inc., in the United States in 1970, and began local production in 1972. Today, Nissin has 29 companies in 11 countries outside Japan. Nissin’s international expansion has been a key factor in the growth of the instant noodle business around the world — 85.7 billion servings in 2005 and rising.
1 comment:
LOL...wow. wouldn't even have thought there was an "inventor" for this ubiquitous noodle snack. guess i had never even ever thought of it. interesting post. :)
Post a Comment