Spicy ramen from South Korea is rapidly gaining popularity in India, surpassing the appeal of instant noodles. Following the success of South Korean dramas, beauty products, cars and electronics in the Indian market, Korean noodles have become the latest trend, evolving from a pandemic-induced fad into a lasting phenomenon.
Recognising this shift, Indian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are diversifying their instant noodles portfolios to meet the growing demand for Korean noodles. In November 2023, Nestle India introduced Maggi Korean noodles in BBQ chicken and BBQ veg flavors, expanding its Maggi brand. Hindustan Unilever also joined the trend by launching Korean meal pots under its Knorr brand. Nissin, the maker of Top Ramen instant noodles, had introduced its Gekki variant of Korean noodles three years ago.
According to NielsenIQ, a consumer intelligence firm, the Korean noodles market in India has witnessed substantial growth, surging from Rs 2 crore in 2021 to over Rs 65 crore in 2023. Roosevelt D’souza, Head of Customer Success at NielsenIQ India, noted a 4X increase in value within this segment compared to the previous year, surpassing the 10 per cent growth observed in the broader instant noodles category.
With a multitude of major players entering this segment, responding to heightened demand, the expectation is for key players in the instant noodles category to further expand their offerings to include Korean noodle variants, according to D’souza.
A report from Zepto in May 2023 highlighted that the demand driving this growth originates from major cities like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. Saurabh Maheshwari, Senior Vice-President, Category and Buying at Zepto, attributed this surge to the influence of K-Pop and K-Dramas, bringing Korean culture to India and impacting lifestyle choices, particularly in the realm of new Korean food experiences.
