Ando Momofuku

Ando Momofuku has died.

Although most people may never have heard of him, you'll certainly know Ando San's work.


To me Nissin always seemed the second player, and a latecomer to the UK instant cup noodle market, which seemed to be dominated by Pot Noodle. Still Nissin's TV ads in the UK, made up for it. One involved an army of tiny men chasing a large creature from one side of the screen to the other, then a scream and the men run back, as we discover it was a baby animal, and 'mum' has come to the rescue and is chasing the men back the other way. I can't find that one, but this one features the same 'characters'.

In Japan, their ads have featured Russian Cosmonauts, after they developed Space Noodles in 2005, (no really) and Michelle Wie, the world's best looking golfer.

Although Unilever's Pot Noodle are the market leader in the UK, they weren't launched until 1979, almost 20 years after Nissin's first. They have 95% of the 'hot snack' market, according to their own figures, but the UK market is worth only £105m compared with Japan's £2.24bn market. Nissin and their subsidiaries have a 55% share of this market, and in 3 years in Japan, I don't think I ever saw a Pot Noodle. Worldwide over 86billion cup noodles are consumed each year.

Finally, it's interesting to note that Ando-san who remained very active right up until the time of his death, even gave a New Year's speech to Nissin employees.

Aged 96 he died of a heart attack, and was regularly filmed eating the product he invented. But we all KNOW they aren't good for you!