The popularity of Spicy Ramen from South Korea is rapidly increasing in India, surpassing the demand for instant noodles. Following the success of South Korean dramas, beauty products, cars, and electronic goods, these noodles have now emerged as the latest trend to penetrate the Indian market.
What began as a fad during the pandemic has now evolved into a lasting trend that is here to stay.
Recognizing this trend, Indian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are diversifying their instant noodles portfolios to meet the increasing demand for K-noodles.
In November 2023, Nestle India expanded its Maggi brand by introducing Maggi Korean noodles in two flavors – BBQ chicken and BBQ veg.
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In a similar vein, Hindustan Unilever has also broadened its product range by introducing the Knorr Korean Meal Pot, further tapping into the growing demand for Korean-inspired food options in India.
Nissin, renowned for producing Top Ramen instant noodles, introduced its K-noodles variant called Gekki three years ago.
Korean Noodles Market Soars to INR 65 Crore
According to the latest data shared by consumer intelligence firm NielsenIQ, the size of the Korean noodles market surged from INR 2 crore in 2021 to over INR 65 crore in 2023.
“In terms of value, this segment has experienced a 4X growth compared to last year. It surpassed the 10 per cent growth in instant noodles,” said Roosevelt D’souza, head of customer success – India – at NielsenIQ (NIQ).
“With over a dozen major players in this segment, and in response to the increased demand, we anticipate key players in the instant noodles category expanding their portfolio to include this variant,” D’souza added.
In a report from May 2023, quick-commerce platform Zepto highlighted that the growth is being propelled by demand from Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
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“The recent wave of K-Pop (Korean pop music) and K-Dramas has not only brought Korean culture to India, but also influenced various lifestyle choices cutting across age groups and regions in India. This is particularly seen in new Korean food experiences. It has been fascinating to see the impact of new Korean instant food brands, and an increasing number of restaurants serving the cuisine,” Saurabh Maheshwari, senior vice-president, category and buying, Zepto, stated in the report.
The report additionally indicated that brands offering Korean and Asian products on the platform observed a 400 percent increase in sales in the six months leading up to May 2023.
