Momofuku Ando
Momofuku Ando | ||
---|---|---|
安藤 百福 | ||
Hanyu Pinyin Wú Bǎifú | | |
Hakka | ||
Romanization | Ǹg Pak-fuk | |
Southern Min | ||
Hokkien POJ | Gô͘ Peh-hok |
Transcriptions | |
---|---|
Romanization | Andō Momofuku |
Momofuku Ando (Japanese: 安藤 百福, Hepburn: Andō Momofuku, March 5, 1910 – January 5, 2007), born Go Pek-Hok (Chinese: 吳百福; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Pek-hok), was an inventor and businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd.[4] He is known as the inventor of Nissin Chikin Ramen (instant noodles) and the creator of the brands Top Ramen and Cup Noodles.[5][2][6]
Early life and education
Ando was born Go Pek-Hok (
In 1933, Ando traveled to Osaka, where he established a clothing company while studying economics at Ritsumeikan University.[3] He renounced his Japanese citizenship after Taiwan was liberated from Japanese rule in 1945, in order to keep his property on the island, but again became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 1966.[4]
Career
Founding Nissin
Ando was convicted of tax evasion in 1948 and served two years in jail. In his biography, Ando said he had provided scholarships for students, which at the time was a form of tax evasion. After he lost his company due to a chain-reaction bankruptcy, Ando founded what was to become Nissin in Ikeda, Osaka, Japan, starting off as a small family-run company producing salt.[4]
Invention of Nissin Chikin Ramen
With Japan still suffering from a shortage of food in the
On August 25, 1958, at the age of 48, and after months of
Cup Noodles invention
According to The Financial Times, Ando's invention of Cup Noodles in 1971, at the age of 61, helped spark the popularity of instant noodles overseas. He had observed that Americans ate noodles by breaking the noodles in half, putting them into a paper cup, and pouring hot water over the noodles. They also ate them with a fork instead of chopsticks. Ando was inspired, and felt that a Styrofoam cup—with a narrower bottom than the top—would be the ideal vessel for holding noodles and keeping them warm. Eating the noodles would then be as easy as opening the lid, adding hot water and waiting. This simplicity, efficiency and low price of Cup Noodles went on to transform Nissin's fortunes.[10]
Ando began the sales of his most famous product, Cup Noodle (カップヌードル, Kappu Nūdoru), on September 18, 1971, with the idea of providing a waterproof polystyrene container.[11] As prices dropped, instant ramen soon became a booming business. Worldwide demand reached 98 billion servings in 2009.[12]
In 1972, the Asama-Sansō hostage standoff took place in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Widespread coverage of the event, which included repeated images of the prefectural Riot Police Unit eating the noodles on national television, have been conjectured as boosting awareness of the brand.[13][14]
Industry memberships
In 1964, seeking a way to promote the instant noodle industry, Ando founded the Instant Food Industry Association, which set guidelines for fair competition and product quality, introducing several industry standards such as the inclusion of production dates on packaging and the "fill to" line.
Ando also founded and became chairman of the International Ramen Manufacturers Association (IRMA) in 1997, later renamed to the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), after seeing the need for greater oversight on instant noodles through a regulatory body.[15]
Personal life and death
When Taiwan was handed over to the
Nevertheless, in 1966, Ando naturalized through marriage and became a Japanese citizen. "Momofuku" is the Japanese reading of his Taiwanese given name (百福; Pek-hok), while Andō (安藤) is the surname of his Japanese wife.
Ando died of heart failure on January 5, 2007, at a hospital in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, at the age of 96.[7]
Ando was survived by his wife Masako, two sons and a daughter. Ando claimed that the secret of his long life was playing golf and eating chicken ramen almost every day. He was said to have eaten instant ramen until the day he died.[16][17]
Legacy
Commemoration
On April 8, 2008, a ramen summit was held in Osaka and a bronze statue of Ando was unveiled at the
On October 1, 2008, the company's name was changed to "NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS". At the same time, Nissin Foods Products Co., Ltd was founded. In the same year, Project Hyakufukusi was started.
On March 5, 2015, Google placed a doodle created by Google artist Sophie Diao on its main web page commemorating Ando's birthday.[19][20]
The name of the Momofuku restaurants in the United States alludes to Momofuku Ando.[21]
Honors
Ando was repeatedly honored with medals by the Japanese government and the emperor—including The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, Second Class—in 2002, which is the second-most prestigious Japanese decoration for Japanese civilians.
- Medal of Honor with Blue Ribbon (1977)
- Order of the Sacred Treasure, Second Class, Gold and Silver Star (1982)
- Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon (1983)
- Director-General of the Science and Technology Agency "Distinguished Service Award" (1992)
- Order of the Rising Sun, Second Class, Gold and Silver Star (2002)
Foreign decoration
- Order of the Direkgunabhorn of Thailand, Fourth Clastas, (2001)[22]
Order of precedence
- Senior fourth rank (2007, posthumous)
See also
References
- ^ Official Bulletin March 1, 1966 (官報 昭和41年3月1日)
- ^ a b c "What's the story behind instant ramen noodles – and how did post-war America influence their invention?". South China Morning Post. 2020-04-01. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ a b c 速食麵之父 吳百福病逝. Liberty Times (in Chinese). 2007-01-07. Archived from the original on 2007-01-09.
- ^ a b c Hevesi, Dennis (2007-01-09). "Momofuku Ando, 96, Dies; Invented Instant Ramen". The New York Times.
- ^ "Momofuku Ando, 96; inventor's Cup Noodle became an instant hit". Los Angeles Times. 2007-01-07. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "New Google Doodle Honors Instant-Noodle Inventor Momofuku Ando". Time. 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ a b "Ando was king of instant ramen". Japan Times. Kyodo. 2007-01-07. Archived from the original on 2007-05-19.
- ^ "Foreign Currency Units per 1 U.S. Dollar, 1950-2020", by Werner Antweiler, University of British Columbia (2021)
- ^ "RCCラジオ-土曜はドドーンと満員御礼" (in Japanese). RCC Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
- ^ "Obituary: Momofuku Ando". Financial Times. 2007-01-15. Archived from the original on 2007-02-22.
- ^ "Space-age funeral for 'Mr Noodle'". BBC News. February 28, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
- ^ "Expanding Market". World Instant Noodles Association. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
- ^ Murai, Shusuke (22 August 2016). "Cup Noodles slurping strong, 45 years on". The Japan Times Online. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
- ^ Brickman, Sophie (21 May 2014). "The History of the Ramen Noodle". Retrieved February 4, 2020.
- ^ Grundhauser, Eric (2016-04-20). "Meet the Association Upholding the Integrity of Instant Noodles". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ 安藤百福さん 死去前日、社員とチキンラーメン雑煮 [Mr. Ando ate Chikin Ramen with colleagues the day before he passed away.] (in Japanese). The Sankei Shimbun Web-site. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
- ^ Người phát minh ra mì ăn liền qua đời (in Vietnamese)
- ^ "Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda".
- ^ Cavna, Michael (5 March 2015). "Momofuku Ando: Inventor of instant ramen artfully saluted with Google Noodle Doodle". Washington Post. Washington DC, United States. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
- ^ 安藤百福生誕 105 周年 Google Doodle アーカイブ
- ISBN 978-0-307-45195-8.
- ^ ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ให้แก่ชาวต่างประเทศ, เล่ม 118, ตอน 13 ข, 30 กรกฎาคม 2554, หน้า 7
External links
- Beech, Hannah (2006). "Momofuku Ando: A late bloomer invented the instant noodles that fueled the Asian Miracle". Time. Archived from the original on 2008-03-07.
- "Inventor of instant noodles dies". BBC. 2007-01-06.
- Wallace, Bruce (January 7, 2007). "Momofuku Ando, 96; inventor's Cup Noodle became an instant hit". Los Angeles Times.
- Obituary and Appreciation in New York Times. January 9, 2007.
- Noodles Museum, Nissin Instant Ramen Noodles Museum, January 14, 2007
- Rameniac's Ode to Nissin Chikin Ramen
- A Tribute To Momofuku Ando and His Life