Chinese instant noodle market cools down

When it comes to instant noodles, China is the world's biggest producer, and its biggest market.

But as more and more Chinese people pursue healthier lifestyles, the market for the cheap and convenient snack faces falling demand.

Instant noodles, invented in Japan in the 1950s, have flourished in China since the 1980s.

The cheap and time-saving snack became a popular convenience food in China, despite concerns that they are unhealthy.

"For example, when I go aboard, I like to buy some noodles in case I am not used to the food there. And I like to choose the noodles packaged in bags rather than bowls, because those plastic bowls might contain something unhealthy," said a consumer who did not give her name. 

A citizen selects instant noodle at a supermarket in Nanjing city, east China´s Jiangsu province, on January 20, 2018. [Photo: IC]

Data from the World Instant Noodle Association shows that more than 46 billion packets of instant noodles were sold in China in 2013, which is equal to 1,500 packets every second.

However, sales of instant noodles started to plunge in the same year, as online food delivery services started to spring up in the country.

The number of noodle packets sold fell 17 percent in 2016, which is equal to 8 billion fewer packets sold than in the peak year.

"The most important thing is that innovation in the instant noodle industry fell far behind demand. With people becoming rich, they would like to eat fresh, nutritious, and healthy food. But instant noodles just can give people convenience. People would like to eat some meat and vegetables, people would like to eat some fiber," said Zhao Ping from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Thanks to the boom in China's online food delivery industry, consumers can order any food they like and have it delivered to their home or office.

And consumers are more willing to pay a higher price for take-out food as it is fresher and offers more varieties of taste.

"The second reason is that more and more competitors have appeared. In China, the Internet has become part of daily life for everybody. So if people would like to eat something fresh and hot, they can order take-out food online," said Zhao.

Railway staffs deliver the meal to passengers who order food online on a high-speed bullet train at the Nanjing South Railway Station in Nanjing city, east China´s Jiangsu province, on July 21, 2017. [Photo: IC]

Sales of instant noodles on railway trains during the Spring Festival travel rush are also falling, after railway authorities launched an online meal ordering and delivery service on high-speed trains last July.

China laid out a national fitness plan for the population in 2016, which led to the increasing participation of the general public in exercise. This growing attention to healthier lifestyles has also contributed to the contraction of the instant noodle and soft drink markets.