Premium instant noodles that cost more than 1,000 won per individual packet are emerging as the dominant product category in South Korea’s competitive ramyeon market.

E-mart, the nation’s leading discount supermarket chain, on Monday said that premium instant noodles accounted for 61 percent of its total ramyeon sales last month, a significant increase from a mere 22 percent over the same period in 2015.


The sharp sales hike was presumably led by the continued success of Nongshim’s Chinese black bean noodle Jjawang and Ottogi’s spicy, seafood-flavored noodles Jin Jjambbong, which have been highly popular among customers since their introduction last year.

With richly flavored sauces and more ingredients, premium instant noodles have “struck the right chord with consumers who are willing to pay more for better taste and quality,” industry watchers said.

According to E-mart, the average amount spent by a customer on ramyeon was 6,520 won last month, 17.3 per cent higher than the average 5,559 won in February 2015.

Meanwhile, another type of instant noodles that is going premium is “bibimmyeon,” a Korean sweet-and-spicy cold noodle dish.

Local brand Paldo, which so far has been leading sales for this type of instant noodles, is now facing competition. Samyang Foods recently launched Got Bibim, made with fermented radish kimchi.  Nongshim and other companies are also planning to introduce bibimmyeon products in the near future.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)