Maruchan
Also known as: Maruchan Ramen, Maruchan Inc, Maruchan Instant Ramen, マルちゃん, Marucan
Maruchan is an instant-noodle brand that began with a Japanese company founded in 1953; noodles under the name have been made in the US since 1977.
Maruchan is an instant-noodle brand. According to the company, Kazuo Mori founded it in 1953 in Tokyo as a small frozen-fish distributor. In 1961 it expanded into making and selling instant noodles in Japan, and in 1977 it began making and distributing noodles in the United States.
The US Maruchan website lists these lines: Ramen, Bowl, Instant Lunch, Yakisoba, Wonton Ramen, Rice Bowls, Gold and Saucy Noods. The Gold line began to be sold in the US in 2019, and in 1984 Maruchan was the official soup of the Olympic Games.
The US site also links to separate Maruchan sites for Japan, Mexico and Brazil, so the range differs from country to country.
Facts
| Year founded | 1953, Tokyo (Kazuo Mori); noodles from 1961 |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| House range | Ramen, Bowl, Instant Lunch, Yakisoba, Wonton Ramen, Rice Bowls, Gold, Saucy Noods (US) |
How it connects to Noodles
Maruchan → kind of → Noodle brands → kind of → 🍜 Noodles
Links
- Part of
- Noodle brands
- Similar and different
- Nissin Foods, Cup Noodles, Top Ramen
Frequently asked questions
How is Maruchan pronounced, and who started it?
Roughly "mah-roo-chahn": a Japanese instant-noodle brand.
What did Maruchan do before it made noodles?
It was a small frozen-fish distributor.
Which lines does Maruchan list in the United States?
Among them Instant Lunch, Wonton Ramen and Rice Bowls.
Which Maruchan line is the newest in the United States?
Gold, on sale there only for a few years.
Is it true that Maruchan is an American brand that started in the US?
No, it began in Tokyo in 1953 and reached the US in 1977.
What to read next
- Nissin Foods — Nissin Foods is a Japanese company founded by Momofuku Ando that released Chicken Ramen, the world's first instant noodles, in 1958 and Cup Noodles in 1971.
- Cup Noodles — Cup Noodles is Nissin's range of instant noodles in a cup, the first of its kind in the world: sales began on 18 September 1971 in Tokyo.
- Top Ramen — Top Ramen is Nissin Foods' instant noodle line and the company's first product in the United States, launched in autumn 1970; it is sold in packs and bowls.
Similar
What it includes
- Maruchan Instant Lunch
- Maruchan Ramen
- Maruchan Yakisoba
- Maruchan Instant Lunch Cheddar Cheese Flavor
- Maruchan Instant Lunch Chicken Flavor
- Maruchan Instant Lunch Shrimp Flavor
- Maruchan Ramen Hot & Spicy Shrimp Flavor
- Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup Chicken Flavor
All (10) →
- Maruchan Instant Lunch
- Maruchan Ramen
- Maruchan Yakisoba
- Maruchan Instant Lunch Cheddar Cheese Flavor
- Maruchan Instant Lunch Chicken Flavor
- Maruchan Instant Lunch Shrimp Flavor
- Maruchan Ramen Hot & Spicy Shrimp Flavor
- Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup Chicken Flavor
- Maruchan Ramen Roast Beef Flavor
- Maruchan Yakisoba Chicken Flavor