Ajinomoto enters cup noodle market in Central and South America

Ajinomoto Co. began sales of three varieties of cup noodles chicken, beef and rich chicken flavors under the instant noodle brand Aji-no-men. The Ajinomoto Group aims to cultivate the markets of Central and South America and has positioned the instant noodle business as a growth driver in these regions in its FY2014-2016 Medium-Term Management Plan. In South America, the market continues to grow in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Colombia, where AJINOMOTO DEL PERÚ currently conducts the instant noodle business.
Annual instant noodle sales in these four countries plus the six Central American countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica totaled about 400 million servings in 2014 (Ajinomoto Co. estimate). Cup noodles account for a relatively low share of the instant noodle market in the four South American countries, but their sales growth has outpaced pillow-type noodles in recent years as lifestyles become more diverse.
Aji-no-men is an instant noodle brand (pillow-type) introduced in 2002, currently available in 15 varieties. Sales have grown steadily since the initial launch, and the brand now commands a dominant share of the market in Peru, as well as a high share in the neighboring countries of Bolivia, Chile and Colombia.
To highlight the convenience of preparing noodles simply by pouring hot water over them, the newly launched cup noodle products are sold under the name Aji-no-men Sopa Lista. Using the specialties of soups and noodles that Ajinomoto Co. has cultivated over many years, AJINOMOTO DEL PERÚ will meet customers’ expectations for the new product by achieving the same quality as that of its pillow-type noodles.
The company also made the products microwaveable by using paper containers. The new products are produced at a cup noodle plant constructed on the premises of AJINOMOTO DEL PERÚ’s Callao plant. To showcase the attractiveness of the new plant, a walkway has been included for visitor tours.