Momofuku Ando and the Globalization of Noodles

This case examines the entrepreneurial career of Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-born Japanese entrepreneur who pioneered instant boodles with his Chicken Ramen (1958) and Cup Noodle (1971) products. It begins by reviewing his many previous unsuccessful ventures, including two jail terms, during the turbulent era of the 1930s, World War II, and postwar Japan. Following the development of Cup Noodle, Ando and his company Nissin began globalizing the product, beginning with the United States, Brazil and Southeast Asia. The case enables a discussion of the factors behind his many entrepreneurial failures, and his eventual success in the food industry. It looks at the social and economic changes which provided the context for his subsequent development of a successful business in instant noodles, and its globalization. The case also provides an opportunity to discuss the responsibilities of the food industry for the health of consumers. Although instant noodles were cheap and convenient, the high sodium content posed potential health risks, while the packaging of Cup Noodle had an adverse environmental impact.