Milling & Baking News - April 24, 2007 - 8

Editorial

Hearty salute to the industry's leading innovator

or several reasons, the temptation is great to pose ucts. His faith was justified from the very first year
this question, Who is the only executive of grain- and the Nissin story now makes for one of the greatest
based foods to be memorialized by an editorial food manufacturing start-ups. In its latest fiscal year,
in The New York Times on his/her death? The Times is a the company had sales of $2.7 billion. Nissin has 29
newspaper known for being extremely parsimonious subsidiaries in 11 countries. The United States was its
in selecting those worthy of an obituary in its news first target market outside Japan, and its current focus
columns, much less an editorial. Such praise for a busi- is on China, where several factories have been opened
ness executive, no matter how notable, is rarely, if ever, to serve that exploding market for branded foods.
given. Thus, it was with considerable awe that an ediNissin estimates instant noodle sales have reached
torial titled "Mr. Noodle," honoring Momofuku Ando, a cumulative aggregate of 90 billion servings. A mathe inventor of Chicken Ramen and Cup Noodle, who jor share of that is in the Cup Noodle, introduced
died in the first month of this year, was
by Mr. Ando in 1971 as a water-proof
read and appreciated. Even before the Millions of people rely Styrofoam cup into which boiling waTimes tribute appeared, it is important
on instant noodles as ter is poured to provide an instant,
to note that this page had decided Mr.
inexpensive meal. But there is more
significant parts of
Ando deserved such a tribute for his
to his innovation than Chicken Ratheir diets.
product innovations that created a
men and Cup Noodle. His early focus
new industry within grain-based foods, and also for on chicken reflected his finding that "there is not a
the way in which he single-handedly expanded con- single culture, religion or country that forbids the
sumption of grain-based foods.
eating of chicken." He also insisted on product flexiConsidering the ubiquity of Cup Noodle, as evidenced bility to allow development of foods made to fit each
by its availability in nearly every food store in developed area's taste. Ease of preparation and low prices were
and developing countries, it is difficult to believe this dominant in product development, as were storage
product was created by one man. Mr. Ando in 1948 start- stability and food safety.
ed a small food company in war-devastated Japan. From
Translating those billions of servings into bushels of
the start, he focused on making ramen, Japanese noodles, wheat and hundredweights of flour does not define Mr.
into a convenient, low-priced product that would supply Ando's success as powerfully as the awareness of how
nourishment at a time of severe food shortages. This idea his product transformed eating habits in many other
came to him as he had observed that people were will- parts of the world. That certainly includes the United
ing to stand in line for a long time to buy ramen cooked States, where not just Nissin but other leading food
in stores, the traditional suppliers. It was in 1958 that he manufacturers have taken giant steps to enhance the atintroduced Chicken Ramen, the first instant ramen, sold traction of this instant food. Millions of people rely on
in a cellophane package. The product is placed in a bowl, instant noodles as significant parts of their diets, and this
which is filled with boiling water and covered for three would not have happened had it not been for Mr. Ando.
minutes. It is then ready for eating.
Measured on any scale, it is obvious that the markets
As so often happens with simple innovations, Ja- and the products that Mr. Ando developed have added
pan's conservative food industry turned its back on more to demand for grain-based foods than many other
the product as a novelty without a future. Mr. Ando, innovations. Saluting Mr. Ando, on this page, in many
believing fiercely in eventual acceptance of the prod- other publications and in The New York Times is a poweruct he made by a flash-frying process, proceeded on ful reminder of what product innovation may accomhis own. He renamed his company Nissin Food Prod- plish in markets some might mistakenly call mature. MBN
MORTON SOSLAND, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
WE'RE EAGER TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK: E-mail editor@sosland.com or write to us at
Milling & Baking News, 4800 Main Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, Mo, 64112

EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-chief
Morton I. Sosland

Managing editor
Eric J. Schroeder

Graphic designer, market graphics, data
Christina Sullivan

Associate publisher
G. Michael Gude

Director of distribution
Gary Humbert

Associate editor
Jeff Gelski

PUBLISHING STAFF

Vice-president, chief financial officer
Melanie Hepperly

Digital systems analyst
Marj Potts

Assistant editor
Ron Sterk

Chairman
Charles S. Sosland

Audience development director
Don Keating

Manager of Advertising Design
Becky White

Internet editor
Allison Sebolt

Vice-chairman
L. Joshua Sosland

Director of design services
Sadowna Conarroe

President and publisher
Mark Sabo

Circulation manager
Judith Arnone

Marketing communications
manager/reprint manager
Carrie Fluegge

Executive editor, markets
Neil N. Sosland
Editor
L. Joshua Sosland
Senior editor, markets
Jay S. Sjerven

9 bakingbusiness.com
/ March 13, 2007 / world-grain.com
Milling & Baking News

Milling & Baking
bakingbusiness.com
News
April
/ world-grain.com
24, 2007 / 9

http://www.bakingbusiness.com http://www.world-grain.com http://www.bakingbusiness.com http://www.world-grain.com

Milling & Baking News - April 24, 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Milling & Baking News - April 24, 2007