Top Ramen facts for kids
Chicken flavor packages of Top Ramen
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| Introduced | 1970 |
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| Markets | Instant noodle |
Top Ramen (トップラーメン, Toppu rāmen) is a well-known American brand of instant ramen noodles. It was first introduced in 1970 by a company called Nissin Foods.
The History of Top Ramen
Instant noodles were invented in 1958 by a person named Momofuku Ando. He was the founder of Nissin, a Japanese food company. His very first instant ramen product was called Nissin Chikin Ramen.
By the late 1960s, Ando wanted to sell his noodles in the United States. However, he noticed that most people in the US did not have big bowls for ramen or use chopsticks. During a trip, he saw a store manager put a block of noodles into a paper cup. Then, the manager poured hot water over them. This idea inspired Ando to create the Cup Noodles brand.
In 1970, Nissin started a branch of their company in the US. They opened their first factory in the US in 1973, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Top Ramen quickly became a very important brand in the worldwide noodle market.
What People Think About Top Ramen
Today, ramen is sometimes seen as a cheap food, especially for college students. But when Top Ramen first came out, it was actually considered a fancy item. In 1958, it cost about the same as eating Chinese noodles at a restaurant. This was much more expensive than other noodles you could buy at the store.
At first, many stores were not sure if Top Ramen would sell well. They were hesitant to stock it on their shelves. However, by the end of that year, the product was everywhere. Stores even had trouble keeping enough of it in stock because so many people wanted to buy it.
People have different opinions about how Top Ramen tastes. Some food reviewers have said the noodles alone are good. Others have found the taste to be "commercial" or "very instant." One reviewer liked its strong beefy and salty flavor. Another review mentioned that the broth was "bland" and the noodles were "too-soft." However, they liked Cup Noodles more because of its good food bits.
See also
- Frozen noodles
- Instant noodles
- List of instant noodle brands
- Maruchan – a company that makes instant noodles
- Noodles
- Pot Noodle
- Sapporo Ichiban – a company that makes instant noodles
