🍜 Instant Ramen: The Incredible, True Story of “Mr. Noodle” | 44

Summary

Episode Summary: 🍜 Instant Ramen: The Incredible, True Story of “Mr. Noodle” | 44

Hosts: Nick Martell & Jack Crivici-Kramer
Podcast: The Best Idea Yet by Wondery
Release Date: August 12, 2025

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Introduction: From Simple Snacks to Global Phenomenon

In this episode of The Best Idea Yet, hosts Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer delve into the fascinating journey of instant ramen—now a staple in pantries worldwide—and its visionary creator, Momofuku Ando. They explore how a humble idea born in post-war Japan transformed into a multi-billion-dollar empire, reshaping culinary habits and entrepreneurial landscapes globally.

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Post-War Japan: The Seeds of Innovation

The story begins in the aftermath of World War II, specifically on August 15, 1945, in the devastated city of Osaka. Amid scarcity and rationing, Momofuku Ando, a mid-30s entrepreneur who lost everything in the war, witnesses the communal solace offered by a simple bowl of noodles in the black markets. As he observes the resilience of people finding comfort in ramen, he conceives the idea that noodles could be more than just a meal—they could feed the soul and, potentially, rebuild a nation.

Nick Martell [07:35]: "Bread and rations fill stomachs, but ramen feeds the soul."

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The Struggle to Innovate: Overcoming Technical Hurdles

Despite his passion, Ando faces significant challenges in transforming traditional ramen into a mass-producible, shelf-stable product. In 1958, after a decade of trials, he grapples with the perishable nature of fresh noodles and the fragmented, localized noodle industry in Japan. His breakthrough comes serendipitously when inspired by his wife’s cooking technique:

Jack Crivici-Kramer [13:07]: "He bolts back to the shed, fires up a wok, grabs a handful of noodles and drops them into the oil. They puff and harden instantly."

This moment of flash frying transforms ramen from a time-consuming dish into an instant meal, laying the foundation for what would become instant ramen.

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Strategic Branding and Scaling Up with Mitsubishi

In 1958, Ando rebrands his company to Nissan Food Products, blending the Japanese words for "day" and "pure" to symbolize daily nourishment. Despite initial skepticism from wholesalers, his direct-to-consumer marketing strategies, including street sampling in Osaka, begin to gain traction.

Recognizing the potential, the Mitsubishi Corporation partners with Nissan Food Products in 1959, fueling a production explosion that scales the business from 6,000 to 1.2 million packages per day by 1960. This collaboration leverages Mitsubishi’s vast resources, enabling Ando to achieve economies of scale and reduce costs significantly.

Nick Martell [23:08]: "With Mitsubishi backing Nissan, production explodes. They go from hand packing 6,000 units a day in 1958 to 1.2 million per day in 1960."

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Market Saturation and the Need for Reinvention

By the early 1960s, the instant ramen market in Japan becomes highly competitive, with 56 other manufacturers entering the fray. Sales begin to dip, and margins shrink, compelling Ando to rethink his strategy. Recognizing the limitations of his current business model, he sets his sights on international expansion—particularly targeting the American market, where instant ramen was virtually unknown.

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Reinventing Ramen for America: The Birth of Cup Noodles

In 1966, Ando faces a pivotal moment when presenting his product to American executives results in an unexpected form of consumption: eating ramen with plastic forks from paper cups. Initially appalled, he soon realizes that American consumers prioritize convenience and efficiency. This insight leads to the creation of Cup Noodles—a self-contained, easy-to-use package that caters to the American lifestyle.

After extensive prototyping, the final design features a polystyrene foam cup with integrated seasoning and a plastic fork, making it both convenient and user-friendly. Launched in Japan in 1971, Cup Noodles is branded with bold, modern aesthetics to appeal to a global audience.

Nick Martell [26:18]: "These Yankees aren't being disrespectful. They're being efficient. This is what convenience looks like in America."

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A Defining Marketing Moment: The Osama Sanzo Incident

In a twist of fate, the Osama Sanzo hostage crisis becomes an inadvertent marketing triumph for Cup Noodles. During the tense standoff, images of police officers relying on Cup Noodles for sustenance are broadcast nationwide, portraying the product as essential and reliable. This moment solidifies Cup Noodles' reputation as a convenient and indispensable meal option, driving its acceptance and popularity across Japan.

Jack Crivici-Kramer [33:29]: "This is Cup Noodles Super Bowl commercial. Except they didn't have to pay for any of it."

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Global Expansion and Lasting Legacy

Building on the momentum, Ando introduces Cup Noodles to American college campuses in the early 1970s, where it quickly becomes a favorite among students and busy professionals. By the early 1980s, Cup Noodles achieves widespread recognition in the United States, mirroring the global success of brands like Toyota and Honda. Nissan Food Products, now Nissan, becomes a household name, and Cup Noodles expands to over 80 countries, each market adapting the product to local tastes.

Momofuku Ando continues to innovate throughout his life, including developing space-appropriate ramen for astronauts. He passes away in 2005, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, innovation, and a product that has become a cultural icon.

Jack Crivici-Kramer [37:14]: "Instant ramen may be cheap and it may be fast, but it's also a monument to resilience."

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Key Takeaways and Business Insights

1. Innovation Through Necessity:
Ando's drive to address post-war scarcity led to the invention of instant ramen, showcasing how challenges can spur groundbreaking ideas.

2. Understanding Consumer Psychology:
By recognizing the universal need for convenience and time-saving solutions, Ando successfully repositioned ramen to fit modern lifestyles.

3. Economies of Scale:
Scaling production with Mitsubishi allowed Nissan to reduce costs, making instant ramen accessible and affordable to the masses.

4. Strategic Branding and Localization:
Adapting the product and branding to fit different cultural contexts was pivotal in Cup Noodles' global success.

5. Leveraging Serendipitous Moments:
The Osama Sanzo Incident unintentionally provided powerful publicity, demonstrating the impact of unpredictable events on brand perception.

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Notable Quotes

• Nick Martell [07:35]: "Bread and rations fill stomachs, but ramen feeds the soul."
• Jack Crivici-Kramer [13:07]: "He bolts back to the shed, fires up a wok, grabs a handful of noodles and drops them into the oil. They puff and harden instantly."
• Nick Martell [23:08]: "With Mitsubishi backing Nissan, production explodes. They go from hand packing 6,000 units a day in 1958 to 1.2 million per day in 1960."
• Jack Crivici-Kramer [33:29]: "This is Cup Noodles Super Bowl commercial. Except they didn't have to pay for any of it."

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Fun Facts

• Cup Noodle Museums: Japan boasts two Cup Noodle museums where visitors can design custom cup noodles with personalized toppings and packaging.
• Children's Literature: There exists a children's book titled Magic: The Story of Momofuku Ando, celebrating his life and achievements.
• Celebrity Influence: Renowned chef David Chang runs a culinary empire named Momofuku, paying homage to Ando's legacy, despite his own upscale interpretations of ramen.
• Space Ramen: In 2005, space-ready instant ramen was developed, allowing astronauts to enjoy hot noodle lunches in zero gravity.

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Conclusion: More Than Just Noodles

Instant ramen exemplifies how a simple idea, born out of necessity and driven by relentless innovation, can transcend cultural and economic barriers to become a global phenomenon. Momofuku Ando's legacy teaches us the value of understanding consumer needs, embracing scalability, and the profound impact of offering time-saving solutions in a fast-paced world.

Nick Martell [38:39]: "The magic of instant ramen isn't just in the noodles, it's in the clock. His innovation wasn't just the flavor or the packaging. It was really an understanding of the importance of time and giving people more of it by buying his noodles."

Instant ramen, often underestimated, stands as a testament to resilience, cultural significance, and the entrepreneurial spirit that can build empires one noodle at a time.

Transcript

[Nick Martell]

Wondery subscribers can listen to the best idea yet, early and ad free right now.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. So, Nick, the other day I had an icebreaker question. I had to meet new people and they're like, tell me your absolute favorite food in the world. Do you know what I said? What'd you say? A peanut butter jelly sandwich. One that is in a Ziploc bag that's been in my pocket all day.

[Nick Martell]

The kind that's like, smushed.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Those are the most, most satisfying sandwiches you'll ever have. Yeah.

[Nick Martell]

You can also see the concave shape of your butt into that thing.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

There was a phase in my life where I'd buy a loaf of bread and turn it into like 12 PB and JS and just stock them in the fridge so that I could grab and go anytime.

[Nick Martell]

I mean, it's breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. What's your survival snack?

[Nick Martell]

I was gonna say the most inflation proof product in the history of money.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The banana.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, the banana. The price of a banana hasn't changed in 50 years. It's still roughly 20 cents a banana.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Everyone has that one ride or die snack that got them through their scrappy days. Maybe it was a $1 slice or.

[Nick Martell]

Maybe it was a gas station coffee.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But the real MVP of the broke but ambitious era. You already know it.

[Nick Martell]

Instant ramen. The unofficial meal plan of every freshman since the 1970s and the official fuel of entrepreneurship since forever.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

You can make the case that many of the products we've covered on this show would not exist without ramen noodles. Ramen has arguably scaled more startups than venture capital. One reason why it's one of the highest calorie to price ratios of any food product ever.

[Nick Martell]

I mean, Jack, back in the mid-2000s, when we were eating ramen the most, you could buy a 10 pack of.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This stuff for under a dollar, 10 cents per bowl. And there's only three steps to prepare. You boil the water, you wait, you enjoy.

[Nick Martell]

After that, you could run a marathon or do a marathon coding session, maybe.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Even both, and get this instant ramen still going strong.

[Nick Martell]

Because Americans today SLURP down over 5 billion servings of instant ramen every single year.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And globally, humans eat over 100 billion ramens per year. That's almost 100 times the number of Happy Meals ordered per year.

[Nick Martell]

But behind that crinkly plastic wrapper is a much bigger business story. One that starts in a backyard shed in post war Japan, when one man stared into a bowl of noodles and saw the future.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

That man, Momo Fuji, the inventor of instant ramen and the founder of Nissan Foods, a multi billion dollar empire built on cheap noodles and a rich vision.

[Nick Martell]

The guy who created the first ever cup noodles. He cracked the code on feeding the masses and turned a late night snack into a global empire worth over $8 billion. And he did it by identifying the most valuable resource on earth. And we ain't talking about noodles.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This is a story of hunger, resilience and serious business instincts.

[Nick Martell]

Along the way, we encounter a high stakes hostage crisis and one giant translation typo that ended up paying off big.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

All while uncovering how a humble block of fried noodles became one of the world's most successful food inventions.

[Nick Martell]

So, Jack, I got just one question to ask. Chicken flavor or beef?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Your call. Just add an ice cube to my bowl so it doesn't burn my tongue. Here's why instant ramen is the best idea yet.

[Nick Martell]

From Wondery and T Boy.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

I'm Nick Martell. And I'm Jack Crevici Kramer. And this is the best idea yet.

[Nick Martell]

The untold origin stories of the products.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

You'Re obsessed with and the bold risk takers who made them go viral. I got that feeling again. Something familiar, but no, we got it coming to you. I got that feeling again. They changed the game in one move. It's how they broke up.

[Nick Martell]

Business wars gives you a front row seat to the biggest moments in business and how they shape our world. From boardroom blow ups to strategies gone wrong, these are the stories behind the headlines. Listen to Business wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

It'S your man, Nick Cannon, and I'm here to bring you my new podcast, Nick Cannon at Night. Every week, I'm bringing out some of my celebrity friends and the best experts in the business to answer your most intimate relationship questions. So don't be shy, join the conversation and head over to YouTube to watch Nick Cannon at Night or subscribe on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast. The war is over, but Japan is in ruins. In Osaka, destruction is everywhere. The city has been bombed to near oblivion. Streets once packed with vendors and shoppers are now littered with rubble and twisted steel. Buildings are scorched out shells. It's August 15, 1945, the day after Japan accepted its surrender to the Allied forces ending World War II. And one week after two Japanese cities were hit with nuclear bombs.

[Nick Martell]

Food is scarce and what little there is gets rationed. The government actually banned the private sale of food to control Supplies. But black markets have sprung up anyway. In alleys and abandoned lots, makeshift food stalls are serving desperate crowds. The scent of soy, pork, and garlic cuts through the lingering smoke.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And in one of these Osaka black markets, one man threads his way through the crowd. He's in his mid-30s, dressed simply, his face set in determination. This is Momofuku Ando.

[Nick Martell]

Before the war, Momofuku was a successful businessman working in the textile industry. But the air raids took everything. His company, his home, and most of his life savings. So now he's starting from scratch. And as he walks these charred streets and sees the black market food stalls, he is searching for his next move.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

He stops in front of a noodle stall. It's just a metal cart with a pot of broth and a single cook lifting noodles into bowls with a wire strainer. Puffs of steam escape the pot. In between each serving, there's a long line of people, mostly poor and hungry, standing patiently in the cold. What are they waiting for? A bowl of ramen.

[Nick Martell]

And let's back up for a quick but important note on ramen history. Ramen was not originally Japanese. Ramen actually evolved from other noodle dishes made by Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century. But by the 1940s, ramen had become deeply rooted in working class Japanese cuisine. A salty broth, chewy noodles, a few slices of pork or bamboo. We're talking the ultimate comfort food here.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Momofuku watches as the customers take their balls, slurping down the steaming noodles. And despite the incredibly bleak surroundings, they actually smile. One old man with a long beard is near tears as he lifts a single sliced scallion from his spoon to his mouth and boom.

[Nick Martell]

That's when something clicks. Why are people standing in the cold, risking arrest just for a bowl of ramen? Because a hot bowl of ramen reminds them of the normalcy of times before the war.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Momofuku realizes. Bread and rations fill stomachs, but ramen feeds the soul. And in that moment, an idea takes root. If ramen can bring comfort in a war zone, what could it do in peace? What if these people didn't have to stand in the cold just to get.

[Nick Martell]

A bowl of it?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

What if they could easily make it in the comfort of their own home?

[Nick Martell]

Now, he doesn't know how to do it yet, but he's convinced that peace will come to the world when people have enough to eat. And maybe, just maybe, this ramen line is pointing him in the right direction.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

That night in the black market sticks with Momofuko over the next decade, even as he works on a bunch of other food products. Salt, a protein extract, whatever might efficiently help feed Japan's hungry masses.

[Nick Martell]

But over and over and over again, our guy Momofuku just keeps coming back to ramen. Like, why hasn't anyone figured out a way to make it more accessible? Why is no one solving this delicious puzzle?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So he starts digging. At the time, Japan has an interesting problem. It's swimming in surplus wheat from the United States. Part of America's plan to stabilize the country through food and aid after the war.

[Nick Martell]

Sorry, Dr. Atkins. America is carbo load in Japan.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But instead of turning the US Wheat supply into noodles, Japan's government is pushing bread hard. The government's calling bread stamina food. It's cheap and filling, but it's also very western. Momofuku is not on board with this big bread propaganda being pushed on him.

[Nick Martell]

To him, food isn't just fuel. It is identity. It is culture. Culture. He even says if you change your diet, you are, in effect, throwing away your traditions and cultural heritage.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

In other words, trading noodles out for toast would be cultural treason.

[Nick Martell]

Plus, ramen just makes sense. It's already a beloved staple. People go out of their way to consume locally. If he can just find a way to mass produce it. Ramen could, ironically, be the biggest innovation since sliced bread.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Exactly. But there's just one pretty major hiccup with that idea. Ramen production in 1950s Japan. It's not exactly a well oiled machine. Traditionally, noodles were dried on racks in the sun, which is less industrial food production and more. Someone's grandma forgot these noodles on their laundry rack.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, and the few noodle companies that do exist, they don't have the resources or infrastructure to scale. Not even close. It's a localized, fragmented industry. Let's say you're from the prefecture of Kyoto. You're only gathering ramen ingredients from a family that set up the one noodle shop in the neighborhood half a century ago.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Which actually leads to another problem. Not just the businesses, but the product itself. Right now, most people are getting their noodles fresh, so they need to be cooked right away or else they'll spoil. Instant noodles don't exist yet, so ramen is a fully perishable product.

[Nick Martell]

But Jack, our man Momofuku, he has never been the type to sit back and wait for someone else to solve a problem. During the war, he shifted into charcoal production and barrack housing. After the war, he tried to fight malnutrition by creating a protein supplement. I mean, this man has hustle.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So he figures if no one else is going to innovate on ramen, I guess I'll do it. He wants a product that is fast, affordable and tastes just as good as the street stall stuff. How hard could it be? Behind a modest house in Ikeda sits a weathered but well built shed with warped wooden walls and a tin roof that groans whenever the wind picks up. Inside, it smells like wheat flour, oil and disappointment. Momofuku is hunched over a battered workbench, sleeves rolled up and sweat beading on his brow. He kneads dough with aching hands and then feeds it through a hand cranked noodle cutter. The strands of noodles fall into neat rows and he lays them gently onto a bamboo mat to dry. Maybe this batch will be the one.

[Nick Martell]

Hey, it just takes one.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But a noodle breaks. Then another and another.

[Nick Martell]

Oh my God.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The noodles are drying unevenly again. Some strands are too brittle and crumble in his hands. He slams his palm on the table in frustration.

[Nick Martell]

It's now 1958, more than a decade since that night in the black market, and Momofuku has spent nearly a full year trying to develop a packet of ramen that is tasty, shelf, stable, quick to cook and just to toss in one more critical variable here. Cheap enough for anyone to actually buy.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The noodles themselves are easy enough to make, Nick a simple water and flour dough rolled out and cut. But there's one step that's just got him flummoxed. Drying the noodles. He has tried everything. Sun drying, indoor racks, starch, coatings. Nothing works.

[Nick Martell]

It doesn't help that he's a total noodle noob by the way. This guy taught himself everything through trial and error and more error and sheer stubbornness. But now Momofuku feels like he's running out of time and his patience is hanging by a thread.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

He storms out of the shed and into the house, ready to throw in the towel. But then he stops in the doorway. In the kitchen, his wife is at the stove frying vegetables. She drops a slice of sweet potato into a pot of hot oil. The batter crackles. In seconds it crisps up perfectly golden. A light bulb goes off from Momofuku. Flash frying.

[Nick Martell]

That's it.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

He bolts back to the shed, fires up a wok, grabs a handful of noodles and drops them into the oil. They puff and harden instantly. He pulls them out and stares, breaks one open just to double check. It is firm, airy and light. This crispy noodle might just be the key to everything. This one small Tweak in the cooking process. Frying it first is a culinary innovation, although maybe not a whole new invention. No one else is flash frying noodles at the time. But the process of flash frying itself is a widely used cooking technique. It's not like momofuku can patent that. He'll need to get a bit more specific with his invention if he wants to own it.

[Nick Martell]

And now, Jack, this part may be my favorite because this is a highly strategic move. Hold the beef, pause the pork. Because momofuku settles on chicken broth for the flavor. Not because chicken is the most exciting option. It's the least offensive option. Like a hungry venture capitalist might say that chicken has the largest market size. It has the greatest number of potential customers.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

There are no religious restrictions surrounding chicken, no dietary red flags around chicken, Just universally palatable poultry. And that could one day make this concept a profit puppy.

[Nick Martell]

So momofuku simmers the noodles and chicken broth before flash frying them to lock in the flavor. Then he adds seasoning for a little extra kick. All consumers would have to do is take a packet of the noodles, put it in a pot of boiling water, and then mix in the seasoning. I mean, millions, no, billions of people have done this exact same cooking ritual.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

It all started right here with momofuku and a pot of hot oil inspired by his wife.

[Nick Martell]

Suddenly, ramen that used to take hours to prepare now takes only two minutes. It feels like sorcery. So fittingly, Momofuku calls it magic ramen.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The product is done. It works. It's delicious. Now all momofuku has to do is convince an entire country to ditch fresh noodles for these flash fried bricks in a bag.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, no big deal. Just asking 95 million people to change century old tradition.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Good luck, Momofuku. Grandma's not gonna like this one.

[Nick Martell]

Today's show is brought to you by Amazon Small business.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

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[Nick Martell]

Yeah, it's great.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

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[Nick Martell]

Okay, but yetis, here's what's wild. This incredible chili oil is actually from a small company in Los Angeles. And when I ran out recently, I was amazed I could get it delivered the very next day. This small business chili oil, it's on Amazon.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

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[Nick Martell]

Here's the thing, besties. Most small businesses want to focus on what they do best. Making amazing products. But handling the storing the packing, the delivery, that's the tricky part. And that is where Amazon steps in.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

By handling fulfillment and shipping logistics. Amazon. Amazon helps small businesses get their products out into the world fast.

[Nick Martell]

It's a partnership that goes together like, well, Boone Chili Oil and just about everything. So the next time you're shopping, think small. Check out Amazon.com supportsmall.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Last we left Momofuku, he just had his flash frying epiphany. The one that'll change noodle history and as a result, entrepreneurial and tech history forever. Now it's the same year, 1958, and he's ready to get selling.

[Nick Martell]

Step one, rebrand. No name, no game. So he pulls off a name storm and renames his company Nissan Food Products. Officially, the name comes from the Japanese word nichi meaning day, and shin meaning pure and together. It's meant to be a nod to his mission of delivering rich flavor purely every day.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Also, a little subtle subliminal messaging that this ramen is a daily habit. But some food historians think the real strategy is even sneakier. Because Nissan sounds a lot like Nishin, which just so happens to be Japan's largest wheat processor at the time.

[Nick Martell]

Classic knockoff move, not Adidas.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

A Beavis.

[Nick Martell]

A little shady, but it's clever.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

It works because it plays into consumer psychology. People trust what sounds familiar, even if they're not sure why. Momofuku knows that perception often comes before consumption. If the branding gets them in the door, the noodles will get them to come back.

[Nick Martell]

So in August 1958, Momofuku officially launches Chicken Ramen, Nissan Food's very first product.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But when he pitches it to wholesalers, they laugh him out of the room. The noodles come in a crinkly cellophane bag and look like a brick of yellow worms. This Frankenfood, it's too strange to sell.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, this is not a good look. Oh, plus, yak chicken ramen costs six times more than fresh noodles from the market. We should point out he's not pricing this much because he's gouging them, right?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

No, he's not. The problem is that his flash frying process is still too manual and too small scale. He hasn't achieved the most delicious concept in business. Economies of scale.

[Nick Martell]

In the meantime, the wholesalers just dismiss Momofuku's instant ramen as a fad, a gimmick, the MySpace of meals. But Momofuku doesn't listen to him. Instead, he sets out to prove them wrong with some direct to consumer marketing, like really direct.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

He hits the streets of Osaka and sets up tasting tables, handing out free samples. He pitches his product to anyone who will listen. This isn't just convenient, it's the future. It lasts for months on your shelf, maybe even years. It's incredibly easy to prepare. Just boil water and cook the noodles for two minutes. Plus, it still honors the essence of our Japanese cuisine.

[Nick Martell]

And the real genius here, Jack, is that what he's actually selling isn't noodles. He's selling time. The most valuable commodity of the 20th century. Time saved cooking. Oh, and time saved shopping. Because you can stock up on these noodles for months.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

People aren't just buying that rich, savory broth. They're buying efficiency.

[Nick Martell]

And you know what? It works. Word spreads fast, and chicken ramen becomes an instant hit.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Within eight months, Nissan is producing roughly six to 10,000 packages of instant ramen per day. And it's basically a family business. It's just Momofuku, his wife, their son, and about 20 employees doing mostly everything by hand. The cooking, the packaging, the sealing. The whole thing is held together with hustle, hope, and a sprinkle of that chicken seasoning.

[Nick Martell]

But even at full tilt, Jack, they're barely breaking even on this thing. Let's talk some ramenomics here, because strangely, chicken ramen is a hot commodity, but it's also a luxury item.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

That's the irony of the early story of instant ramen. Momofuku set out to feed the hungry, but now he's selling expensive noodles that only early adopters can afford. If Momofuku wants to reach the working families, the broke students, the people who really need this invention, he's going to need a new secret ingredient. Not for the noodles, for the business model.

[Nick Martell]

And he's going to need it fast, because competitors are already coming for him. The instant ramen copycats are on the rise.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Momofuku is winning fans from the snows of Mount Fuji to the streets of Osaka. But they're not the people he set out to feed. If he wants to fight hunger for real, he'll need some serious help. Someone with deep pockets and major reach.

[Nick Martell]

Enter the Mitsubishi Corporation. Yeah, the carmaker. But in 1959, Mitsubishi is better known as Japan's most powerful trading house.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Think of Japanese trading houses as Swiss army knives of business. They do it all they import, they export, they invest, they even help launch startups. Unlike pretty much anything we see in America, Japanese trading houses are extremely diversified. Tech, food, cars, chemicals, all in one company. Everything is fair game.

[Nick Martell]

Yeah, the Japanese trading house actually goes back hundreds of years. But right now in our story, Mitsubishi is seeing in the instant ramen as the perfect product for the current moment. A period we now call the Japanese economic miracle.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The post World War II boom of Japan's economy culminated in the magnificent 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

[Nick Martell]

That economic boom means more people are moving into cities, cranking away at new white collar office jobs and cooking on electric stoves.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

All that time commuting, working and schlepping. Mitsubishi thinks Japan's new economy will run on convenience, specifically, convenient meals.

[Nick Martell]

It's the same shift that's about to hit the United States with TV dinners. The proliferation of home refrigeration, microwaves, and TV sets means convenience. Food is the future. And Momofuku sees it coming early. He knows that people's increasingly most valuable asset is time.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And with Mitsubishi backing Nissan, production explodes. They go from hand packing 6000 units a day in 1958 to 1.2 million per day in 1960. They go full factory mode and scale up 200x in just two years. And thanks to economies of scale, Momofuku is able to steadily lower the price of instant ramen over the next decade.

[Nick Martell]

More product equals lower prices. It's basic business math. Spread out the fixed costs like labor and equipment across more units and you can charge less.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So chicken ramen gets cheaper, which makes it more popular, and momofuku becomes something of a household name across Japan. People start calling him maybe the coolest nickname on our show, so Mr. Noodle.

[Nick Martell]

But even that decidedly awesome nickname can't protect Momofuku from the thing that keeps every business owner up at night. Competition. Mr. Noodle may have gotten there first, but he's not alone for long.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

In just a few years, there are 56 other ramen manufacturers all vying for national tummy share. Chicken ramen is now just one noodle in a crowded bowl, and it's starting to lose its steam. Sales slip and margins shrink. Mr. Noodle can't coast on novelty alone anymore.

[Nick Martell]

So he starts rethinking the entire operation. The pricing, the packaging, even the audience. And before long, he sets his sights beyond Japan to a country where ramen isn't even on the menu yet.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Momofuku finds himself standing in the fluorescent lit break room of the biggest supermarket he's ever seen, it's 1966 and he's in the good old US of A to demo his instant ramen to American executives. He's dreaming of slurping customers, steaming bowls, and moments of reverent silence.

[Nick Martell]

But that's not what happened. There's no stove, no bowls, just a hot water dispenser next to the coffee machine and a whole stack of paper cups.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

He watches in horror as these American buyers crush the brick of noodles while it's still in the packaging. Then they jam it all into coffee cups and douse it in hot water before digging into their ramen with plastic forks.

[Nick Martell]

Then they chat, casually standing while they eat.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Momofuku is appalled. This is not how you're supposed to eat ramen. There's no ritual, no respect, no chopsticks, for crying out loud. It's like these American customers are desecrating the very soul of his invention.

[Nick Martell]

But then it clicks. These Yankees aren't being disrespectful. They're being efficient. This is what convenience looks like in America.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Momofuku realizes if ramen's gonna thrive here, it needs a total reinvention. Not just new flavors, but a whole new format to satisfy Americans. Mouths hearts and wallets.

[Nick Martell]

So he heads back to Japan and gets to work. The new goal? Ramen. You can eat one handed. No bowls, no cleanup. Just heat, eat and toss.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Nissan starts cranking out prototypes. They come up with nearly 40 different container designs. Eventually, they land on a wide topped cup made from polystyrene foam that would be Styrofoam. It's lightweight, cheap, and has good heat insulation. Check, check, check. The final product is a sleek, self contained cup with noodles, seasonings, toppings, and even a plastic fork tucked inside. Convenience conquered. Momofuku has gotten over the hole last of chopstick issue. The result? Cup noodle. Yes, that's noodle, singular. Funny side note, a translation error left the S off the original noodles design. Hence noodle with no S. They just ran with it for a while.

[Nick Martell]

Now, even though this is designed with an American audience in mind, Cup Noodle first debuts in Japan in 1971, and the branding is bold and modern. Red English lettering, gold accents, a touch of Japanese. It screams futuristic and global.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And it's a turning point for Momofuku, who once believed that eating bread meant betraying Japanese identity. Now he's doing something no one saw coming, not even himself. He's reimagining ramen to fit a whole different culture. Okay, enough reflecting. We still have a product to sell that's getting cold and Cup Noodle is a tough sell at first. Once again, we've got a price problem. It costs four times the price of Momofuku's original chicken ramen because this Styrofoam cup version costs that much more to manufacture. And in Japan, eating while standing kind of rude, so the whole grab and go concept just feels off.

[Nick Martell]

Still, Momofuku believes habits can change, and he's betting on one group to lead the way. If he can get them to buy it, then the rest of Japan and the world might just follow.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Movie night, date night, or solo marathon, IMDb is your ultimate entertainment companion. Discover new favorites, rate what you've watched, and never miss an episode with the free IMDb app. Curate your watch list with a tap, get personalized notifications for your favorite shows, and find your next must watch movie or series. From blockbusters to hidden gems, we've got you covered. Download the app now, register for free, and find your next favorite. Whoa, whoa, whoa whoa, whoa. Don't you dare drive that Toyota. Through Tokyo's Ginza district, the streets are clean, clothes to cars. It's transformed into a pedestrian paradise. A sea of people flood the clean, wide boulevard, lined with gleaming department stores and trendy boutiques, college students in bell bottoms and miniskirts, couples in matching pea coats, kids clutching the latest toys from Mitsukoshi, Japan's biggest department store. It is November 1971, and right there on the sidewalk across from A brand new McDonald's, Japan's first one, is Momofuku. Standing behind a simple folding table, he set up on it neatly stacked packages of Cup Noodle and a portable hot water dispenser. It's not much, but Momofuku is making a bold bet. The same stylish young people buying Big Macs and Beatles records will be the first to fall in love with Cup Noodle and Jack.

[Nick Martell]

It's also a savvy move. Momofuku might be in his 60s by this point, but he's still got his finger on the pulse. And he knows exactly where to find Japan's early adopters, the kids chasing novelty and shaping what's cool.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

His strategy works better than anyone could have imagined. In just four hours, he sells more than 20,000 cup noodles. But Mr. Noodle isn't stopping with sidewalk stunts. That same month, Nissan rolls out custom Cup Noodle vending machines that are stocked to the brim and come equipped with their own built in hot water dispensers. They install 20,000 of them all over.

[Nick Martell]

Japan, they're at train stations, office buildings, city sidewalks. Suddenly, as ramen is hitting the vending machines, a hot meal is never more than a few steps away.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Cup noodles are actually one of the very first food products to get sold out of vending machines. Momofuku is seeing the future.

[Nick Martell]

And once again, he's found a way.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

To cut the price a lot cheaper.

[Nick Martell]

When you don't have a ramen retail store with noodle pitching employees.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And he's found a way to save you time. Few experiences are faster than a coin operating vending machine in a subway station.

[Nick Martell]

And then, just a few months later, fate hands Momofuku the kind of marketing moment you just can't plan for.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

In an apartment in Osaka, a salaryman sits cross legged on his tatami mat, watching TV with his wife. The room glows with the blue light of the television set. The heater clicks in the corner, switching channels between a baseball game and a game show. Their program is suddenly interrupted by a breaking news bulletin. A group of leftist radicals from an an outfit called the United Red army has taken a woman hostage at a ski resort in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. It will become known as the Osama Sanzo Incident. And it's a huge incident for Ramen too.

[Nick Martell]

For 10 days, the country is glued to their TVs. Helicopters hover overhead. Cameras zoom in on the snow covered chalet where police and snipers stand watch. The standoff is tense, dangerous, and people can't look away.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

As the hours and days drag on. The news plays B roll between updates. Quiet shots of officers waiting in the cold. And that is when the salaryman notices something. One officer, crouched behind a snowbank is holding a white cup. He peels back the lid. A quick puff of steam. Then he digs in with a plastic fork.

[Nick Martell]

What he's eating is cup noodle.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The image flashes across millions of screens across Japan again and again. Officers in helmets and body armor, shivering in the cold, warming up with Momofuku's noodles.

[Nick Martell]

This is Cup Noodles super bowl commercial. Except guess what? But they didn't have to pay for any of it.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Marketing is what you pay for. Publicity is what you pray for.

[Nick Martell]

It's a collection of quiet but powerful moments. But it proves that cup noodle delivers on its promise. Hot food anywhere, anytime, even in a national emergency.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And the country takes note. Suddenly, cup noodle isn't just convenient, it's essential. Cup noodle is a survival food. Yes, it is. It just got tapped with the ultimate adjective necessity. Something you stock up on at home, just in case.

[Nick Martell]

Japan.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

They're sold.

[Nick Martell]

Despite the odds and the price and the packaging and the whole eat it while standing thing, the Japanese have embraced Cup Noodle.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

But the real test is still ahead. Because now, catapulted by that unexpectedly lucrative hostage situation, Momofuku is ready to bring his reinvented ramen back to where the whole idea started. And he's betting his entire noodle business on American college freshmen. It's well past midnight. A college student is cramming for finals in his dorm, running on fumes. He's got just five bucks left on his meal plan. And he's this close to tearing open another dry Nature Valley granola bar from his mom's latest care package when something incredible hits his nose. It's savory, salty, warm. Whatever it is, it makes that granola bar suddenly seem like sawdust. He follows the smell down the hall to the common room, where another student is hunched over a steaming cup. He asks what she's eating. She grins and turns the label toward him. Cup Noodle. A cheap new thing from Japan. That's all he needs to hear. He races to grab some of his own. And he's not the only one. Cup Noodle spreads fast on college campuses and soon across America.

[Nick Martell]

But this moment didn't happen by accident. Since launching Cup Noodle in Japan in 1971, Momofuku has been fine tuning the product for the American market. He knows it needs to feel familiar. Sushi and sukiyaki are starting to catch on in cities like like New York and la. But instant ramen, it's still totally foreign.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So he makes some strategic changes with one customer in mind. A 19 year old American student who's never traveled outside the country, has zero budget and thinks ramen is just another kind of spaghetti.

[Nick Martell]

The noodles are cut shorter so they're easier to eat with a fork. And the flavors are adapted. Beef and shrimp are in. Squid and curry. Stay in Japan. And the spicy style stuff? Yeah, he's just gonna leave that out completely.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Even the branding gets a homey little makeover. It's no longer cup noodle. It's Cup O noodles with an S and a quirky little O that makes it feel more at home in the pantry next to Chef Boyardee's spaghetti. O's chicken ramen also gets a new Americanized name. You might have heard of it.

[Nick Martell]

Top Ramen Cup O Noodles officially hits the shelves in the States in 1973. And thanks to that focus on the universal value of time, Cup O Noodles fans quickly expand beyond students to shift workers, nurses, basically anyone who needs a hot meal on a tight budget. It's fast, it's satisfying. And by the early 80s, just like Toyota and Honda, top ramen is everywhere in America. Nissan is firmly planted as a global brand.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

In 1993, two decades after it's introduced to the American market, Cup O Noodles drops the O and becomes cup noodles.

[Nick Martell]

And Even into his 90s, Momofuku keeps on innovating.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

He sets his sights higher, literally as high as you can go, because he starts developing space rame, a vacuum packed ramen for astronauts. Because why should zero gravity get in the way of a hot noodle lunch?

[Nick Martell]

And Space Rom makes its way onto the space shuttle Discovery in 2005. A couple years later, Momofuku passes away at the age of 96. And his family says he was slurping chicken ramen nearly every day right up till the end.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Momofuku's funeral reflects how big an impact his company had on the world. It's held in a baseball stadium. 34 clergy members officiate. 2 former Prime Ministers attend, one of whom gives a eulogy calling Momofuku the creator of a culinary culture that post war Japan can be proud of. Cup noodles are now sold in 80 countries and territories, each with its own local twist, like mushroom cup noodles in Germany and masala cup noodles in India. Over 50 billion cup noodles have been sold worldwide.

[Nick Martell]

Instant ramen. It may be cheap and it may be fast, but it's also a monster monument to resilience and to the kind of hunger that can build an empire one noodle at a time.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

So, Nick, now that you've heard the story of instant ramen, what's your takeaway?

[Nick Martell]

The magic of instant ramen isn't just in the noodles, it's in the clock. The momofuku's real insight was recognizing the most valuable asset of the 20th time. His innovation wasn't just the flavor or the packaging. It was really an understanding the importance of time and giving people more of it by buying his noodles.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And once you see that lens, you might realize that tons of companies are selling time. Lululemon's pitch yoga pants that you can wear straight from the studio to brunch, no outfit change required.

[Nick Martell]

Sweetgreen and chipotle. Fast, healthy lunches you can eat at your desk. Boom. Time savers.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Even curated newsletters or daily news podcasts are time savers in disguise.

[Nick Martell]

Ramen didn't just just feed people, it gave them back their time. What about you, Jack? What's your takeaway?

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Mine is how instant ramen is a textbook example of economies of scale. The first batch of instant ramen cost a fortune to produce. But once Nissan scaled production, the cost to produce a batch of ramen fell fast. Like down from 10 bucks per ramen to 10 cents fast.

[Nick Martell]

Your fixed cost, the factory equipment and setup, they can all be brutally expensive investments. But if you're cranking out a billion units, those fixed costs start to look tiny.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Ramen's not cheap because it's simple. It's cheap because it's scaled like crazy. That's the magic of economies of scale.

[Nick Martell]

Yes, it is. Now, Jack, it is time for our favorite part of the show. The best facts yet.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

The facts, hero stats, and surprise details. We just couldn't fit into the story.

[Nick Martell]

All right, Jack, hit us up.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

What do you got?

[Nick Martell]

Tee it off.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

There's not one, but two cup noodle museums in Japan. You can walk through the history of instant ramen and design your own custom cup noodles to take home. And yes, complete with your own choice of toppings and packaging.

[Nick Martell]

Also, Jack, there is a children's book about Momofuku's life called Magic the Story of Momofuku Ando. It's beautifully illustrated, by the way, and honestly, a pretty inspiring read, even if you're well past the picture book stage.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Here's another one. Celebrity chef David Chang runs a whole food empire under the name Momofuku, which translates to lucky peach. But it's also a nod to the creator of instant Ramen. Although David admits his $30 per bowl ramen isn't exactly in the spirit of the original Mr. Noodle.

[Nick Martell]

Now look, in a world that craves convenience, sometimes the best ideas aren't the flashiest. They're the ones you can can boil in three minutes and eat with a fork. Kind of Jack.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Like your BPPB, my plastic bag, PB&J.

[Nick Martell]

Your back pocket peanut butter sandwich.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And that, my friends, is why instant ramen is the best idea yet. Coming up on the next episode, the happiest place on earth.

[Nick Martell]

We're talking Disneyland. Hey, if you have a product you're obsessed with, but you wish you knew the backstory, drop us a comment. We'll look into it for you.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And don't forget to rate and review the Pod 5 stars helps us grow the show. Follow the best idea yet on the wondery app, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of the Best idea yet early and ad free. Right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick Martell]

Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey the best idea yet is a production of Wondery hosted by me, Nick Martel.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

And me Jack Crevici Kramer. Our senior producers are Matt Beagle and Chris Gautier.

[Nick Martell]

Peter Arcuni is our additional Senior producer.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Our senior Managing Producer is Nick Ryan and Taylor Sniffin is our Managing producer.

[Nick Martell]

Our producer and researcher is H. Conley.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

This episode was written by Alex Burns.

[Nick Martell]

We use many sources in our research, including the Untold History of Ramen, How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze by George Salt and Fast Company's the Surprising Origin of the Iconic.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Cup Noodles by Alyssa Friedman sound design and mixing by CJ Drummler Fact checking by Brian Pognant Music supervision by Scott Velazquez and Jolina Garcia for Frison Sync Arthur.

[Nick Martell]

Our theme song is Got that Feeling Again by Blackilac. Executive producers for Nick and Jack Studios.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Are me, Nick Martell and me Jack Revici Kramer.

[Nick Martell]

Executive producers for Wondery are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Aaron o' Flaherty and Marshall Louie.

[C]

How hard is it to kill a planet? Maybe all it takes is a little drilling, some mining and a whole lot of carbon pumped into the atmosphere. When you see what's left, it starts to look like a crime scene.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

Are we really safe? Is our water safe?

[Nick Martell]

You destroyed our tap.

[C]

And crimes like that, they don't just happen.

[Jack Crevici Kramer]

We call things accidents. There is no accident. This was 100% preventable.

[C]

They're the result of choices by people. Ruthless oil tycoons, corrupt politicians, even organized crime. These are the stories of we need to be telling about our changing planet. Stories of scams, murders and coverups that are about us and the things we're doing to either protect the earth or destroy it. Follow Lawless Planet on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes of Lawless Planet early and ad free right now by joining Wondry plus in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts or Spot.