Shin Ramyun Sets "Spicy New Record"... Global Sales Surpass 20 Trillion Won, Marking a Historic Milestone

Nongshim Marks 40th Anniversary of Shin Ramyun Launch... Sets Record as Korea’s First Ramen to Achieve This Milestone
Cumulative Sales Reach 4.25 Billion Packs... Overseas Sales Account for 40%
Launch of Shin Ramyun Rose... A Blend of Gochujang,

Nongshim's Shin Ramyun has made history in the K-ramen industry by becoming the first Korean instant noodle brand to achieve cumulative sales of 20 trillion won. In its 40th anniversary year, Nongshim plans to accelerate its global expansion in markets such as the United States, China, and Japan, leveraging the taste and experience of Shin Ramyun as Korea's leading food brand. Through this, Nongshim has set a goal to increase its overseas sales ratio to over 60% of total revenue, aiming to achieve 7.3 trillion won in sales and an operating profit margin of 10% by 2030.

Nongshim CEO Jo Yong-chul is taking a commemorative photo at the "Shin Ramyun Global Forum," held on the 13th at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Nongshim Shin Ramyun. Courtesy of Nongshim

First Export in 1971... Accelerating Export Network Expansion to the US, China, and Japan

Jo Yongchul, CEO of Nongshim, announced at the "Shin Ramyun Global Forum" held at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on May 13 that Shin Ramyun's cumulative sales have reached 20 trillion won and the cumulative number of units sold has reached 42.5 billion as of last year. If converted to the length of noodles per pack at about 40 meters, this would be equivalent to traveling between the Earth and the Moon around 2,200 times, or between the Earth and the Sun about six times. Launched in 1986 as Korea's first spicy instant noodle, Shin Ramyun secured the number one position in the Korean ramen market in 1991 and has maintained its top spot for 35 consecutive years.

Approximately 40% of Shin Ramyun’s cumulative 20 trillion won in sales came from overseas markets. Since 2021, the proportion of Shin Ramyun's overseas sales has surpassed its domestic sales for the first time and continues to grow annually. According to Nongshim, Shin Ramyun's total sales last year were 1.54 trillion won, with overseas sales accounting for 1.015 trillion won or 66% of the total. More than half of last year's overseas sales were generated in the North American, Chinese, and Japanese markets.

Nongshim explained that by designating the United States and China, where it has local manufacturing facilities, as strategic hubs, and expanding its export network to countries including Japan, Europe, and Australia, it has established a stable global portfolio.

Nongshim first entered the overseas market in 1971 by exporting instant noodles to Los Angeles, USA, and opened its first overseas office in Tokyo, Japan, in 1981. Subsequently, starting with Shanghai in 1996, Nongshim established production bases in Qingdao (1998) and Shenyang (2000), completing its local manufacturing system in China. In the 2000s, Nongshim established a Japanese subsidiary in 2002, opened its first factory in Los Angeles in 2005, and began full-scale operation of its second US plant in 2022. Nongshim is actively expanding its global network by launching subsidiaries in Australia, Vietnam, and Europe, and this year, opening a new Russian subsidiary.

CEO Jo stated, "Achieving 20 trillion won in cumulative sales for Shin Ramyun is not just a financial milestone but a testament to being a part of consumers' daily lives around the world for 40 years," adding, "Going forward, Shin Ramyun will represent Korean spiciness and deliver value in taste, health, and cultural experiences, establishing itself at the center of global food culture as a leader in K-food."

‘Shin Ramyun Bunsik’ Opens in Seongsu, Seoul This June... “For Foreign Visitors to Experience Korea”

Nongshim is currently focusing on boosting Shin Ramyun’s overseas sales amidst the global K-ramen wave. "Shin Ramyun Tumba," launched in the global market in 2024, surpassed 100 million cumulative units sold by the end of last year. Nongshim also signed a partnership with the Netflix animated movie "K-Pop Demon Hunters," themed on K-pop, and released special products inspired by the movie universe, drawing significant attention as the first such collaboration in the food industry.

Additionally, Nongshim appointed the K-pop girl group aespa as a global ambassador to build a trendsetting image. Together with aespa, Nongshim plans to launch the second phase of Shin Ramyun’s global campaign in the latter half of this year.

CEO Jo emphasized, "The direction Shin Ramyun pursues is to become a 'Global Noodle Solution Provider,'" adding that the company will provide solutions to meet consumers’ diverse needs for health, convenience, experience, and culture. Based on this, Nongshim aims to increase its overseas sales ratio to over 60% and become a global leader in food and beverage lifestyle, targeting 7.3 trillion won in sales and a 10% operating profit margin by 2030.

He added, "We plan to establish the Busan Noksan Plant 2, an export-only factory, in the fourth quarter of this year, and expand distribution channels in the US, Japan, China, and other countries," and stated, "If we can secure logistics hubs to support our overseas business, we believe our sales targets are well within reach."

Nongshim will start selling a new product, "Shin Ramyun Rose," commemorating the 40th anniversary of Shin Ramyun, from the 18th in South Korea. Photo by Nongshim

Nongshim operates 'Shin Ramyun Bunsik' experiential stores at major landmarks in Peru, Japan, Vietnam, and the United States to allow global consumers to experience Korean food culture. Next month, Nongshim plans to introduce the globally recognized 'Shin Ramyun Bunsik' to domestic consumers at ‘Stage X Seongsu 52’ in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Shim Kyuchul, Head of Global Marketing at Nongshim, stated, "Unlike pop-up stores operated for just a month or two, we plan to run this store through the end of the year," adding, "We believe the perceived value for overseas consumers will significantly increase when they experience Shin Ramyun in Korea."

At the same time, Nongshim is also launching a new product, "Shin Ramyun Rose," to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Shin Ramyun. It will be released first in the Korean and Japanese markets on the 18th, and from next month, Nongshim plans to begin overseas local production and exports for the global market. Shin Ramyun Rose is a Korean reinterpretation of rose sauce, blending the umami of Shin Ramyun and gochujang with world-renowned ingredients such as tomato and cream. The noodles feature grooves on the surface to better hold the sauce and support microwave cooking methods.

According to Nongshim, this product was developed over more than four years based on popular "modisumer" (a portmanteau of "modify" and "consumer") recipes circulating online. Shim added, "We are confident that the unique flavor of Shin Ramyun Rose will appeal to consumers around the world," and stated, "We will continue to listen to customers and further elevate the status of Shin Ramyun and K-food in the global market."

Meanwhile, regarding the impact of the prolonged Middle East conflict, CEO Jo commented, "There are ongoing challenges in securing packaging materials and pressure on costs, and it is true that not only raw material imports but also exports are becoming more difficult," adding, "This is a situation where risk management is crucial." On the subject of price increases, he said, "This is an issue that must be carefully reviewed and decided upon after considering both the market and consumer situations," and acknowledged, "It is indeed challenging in terms of raw and subsidiary materials and logistics costs due to the Middle East conflict."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.