Post by harlem on Jan 6, 2007 9:02:37 GMT -5
...for the developer of Ramen noodles has died.
Momofuku Ando, the founder-chairman of Nissin Food Products Co., died
of a heart failure on Friday evening at a hospital in Ikeda, Osaka
Prefecture, his family said. He was 96.
Ando was widely known as the inventor of instant noodles.
Born on March 5, 1910 in Taiwan, Ando initially ran clothing
companies in Taipei and Osaka while he was a student at Ritsumeikan
University. In 1948, he founded the precursor of Nissin, before
introducing ''Chicken Ramen,'' the world's first instant noodle
product, in 1958.
Ando was inspired to develop the instant noodle after coming upon
a long line of people on a cold night shortly after World War II
waiting to buy freshly made ramen at a black market food stall,
according to Nissin. The experience convinced him that ''Peace will
come to the world when the people have enough to eat,'' it said.
In 1971, Nissin introduced the Cup Noodle, instant noodles in a
waterproof styrofoam container that could be used to cook the noodles,
ahead of his competitors.
Dubbed the ''Ramen King,'' Ando is credited with expanding Nissin
into the No. 1 company in the industry and was well-known for his
dedication to his job.
Kei Kizugawa, head of the ''Kamigata Geino'' journal, said Ando
was a great food product inventor whose accomplishment equals that of
Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
who was dubbed in Japan as the ''Father of Consumer Electronics.''
''I believe generation after generation will talk about Chicken
Ramen. I don't think there will ever be an instant noodle product that
beats the taste of Chicken Ramen,'' Kizugawa said.
Ando became a chairman after handing over the presidency in 1981
to his eldest son, but came to double as the president again two years
later after having a conflict over the company's policy, including
development of new products.
In 1999, Ando opened the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum in
Ikeda after posting his second son, Koki, as the president.
Ando retired from chairman's post in June 2005 to serve as
founder-chairman.
In July 2005, Nissin introduced a vacuum packed instant noodle
specially designed for Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi to eat during
the U.S. space shuttle Discovery's mission.
Showcasing his ''Space Ram'' noodles in front of reporters, Ando
said, ''I'm happy I've realized my dream that noodles can go into
space.''
Momofuku Ando, the founder-chairman of Nissin Food Products Co., died
of a heart failure on Friday evening at a hospital in Ikeda, Osaka
Prefecture, his family said. He was 96.
Ando was widely known as the inventor of instant noodles.
Born on March 5, 1910 in Taiwan, Ando initially ran clothing
companies in Taipei and Osaka while he was a student at Ritsumeikan
University. In 1948, he founded the precursor of Nissin, before
introducing ''Chicken Ramen,'' the world's first instant noodle
product, in 1958.
Ando was inspired to develop the instant noodle after coming upon
a long line of people on a cold night shortly after World War II
waiting to buy freshly made ramen at a black market food stall,
according to Nissin. The experience convinced him that ''Peace will
come to the world when the people have enough to eat,'' it said.
In 1971, Nissin introduced the Cup Noodle, instant noodles in a
waterproof styrofoam container that could be used to cook the noodles,
ahead of his competitors.
Dubbed the ''Ramen King,'' Ando is credited with expanding Nissin
into the No. 1 company in the industry and was well-known for his
dedication to his job.
Kei Kizugawa, head of the ''Kamigata Geino'' journal, said Ando
was a great food product inventor whose accomplishment equals that of
Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
who was dubbed in Japan as the ''Father of Consumer Electronics.''
''I believe generation after generation will talk about Chicken
Ramen. I don't think there will ever be an instant noodle product that
beats the taste of Chicken Ramen,'' Kizugawa said.
Ando became a chairman after handing over the presidency in 1981
to his eldest son, but came to double as the president again two years
later after having a conflict over the company's policy, including
development of new products.
In 1999, Ando opened the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum in
Ikeda after posting his second son, Koki, as the president.
Ando retired from chairman's post in June 2005 to serve as
founder-chairman.
In July 2005, Nissin introduced a vacuum packed instant noodle
specially designed for Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi to eat during
the U.S. space shuttle Discovery's mission.
Showcasing his ''Space Ram'' noodles in front of reporters, Ando
said, ''I'm happy I've realized my dream that noodles can go into
space.''
