Momofuku Ando
Who was Momofuku Ando?
Taiwanese-Japanese businessman, created instant noodle (ramyeon), Nissin Chikin Ramen
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Momofuku Ando (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Momofuku Ando (March 5, 1910 – January 5, 2007), originally named Go Pek-Hok, was born in Puzi City. He was a Taiwanese-born ethnic Chinese who became a naturalized Japanese citizen. He founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. and is known globally as the inventor of instant noodles, a food product that significantly changed how millions of people make and eat meals. In his later years, Ando was one of the most celebrated figures in Japanese food industry history, earning numerous honors from the Japanese government before passing away in Ikeda at the age of 96.
Before Fame
Ando was born in 1910 in Puzi City, which was part of Japanese-controlled Taiwan at the time. He grew up mostly with his grandparents and showed a knack for business early on by running a small textile business. Later, he went to Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, where he continued honing his business skills. His initial business efforts had varying outcomes, and he faced legal issues after the war, but these experiences helped form his determined approach to tackling challenges and being innovative. He married Masako Andō, who stayed by his side throughout his life and career.
Key Achievements
- Invented Nissin Chikin Ramen in 1958, the world's first commercially available prepackaged instant noodles
- Founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd., which became one of Japan's most prominent food manufacturing companies
- Created Cup Noodles in 1971, revolutionizing portable food packaging and expanding the global instant noodle market
- Received the Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class in 2002, among several prestigious Japanese government honors
- Oversaw the development of Space Ram, a modified instant noodle suitable for consumption in zero-gravity environments
Did You Know?
- 01.Ando developed the concept for instant noodles in 1958 by watching his wife fry tempura and observing how hot oil removed moisture from food, inspiring the flash-frying process used to dehydrate ramen noodles.
- 02.He invented Cup Noodles in 1971 after observing American food buyers breaking his instant noodles in half to fit them into a paper cup of hot water, leading him to redesign the packaging entirely.
- 03.Ando ate Cup Noodles with chicken flavoring nearly every day for lunch in his later years, a habit he credited in part for his long life.
- 04.In 2005, at the age of 95, Ando saw his invention travel to space when Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi brought specially developed Space Ram noodles aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.
- 05.He founded the Nissin Chikin Ramen brand in 1958, selling the product for 35 yen per package at a time when fresh noodles cost only six yen, making it considered a luxury item initially.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class | 2002 | — |
| Medal with Blue Ribbon | 1977 | — |
| Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd Class | 1982 | — |
| Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon | 1983 | — |