Instant noodles, once labeled as "cheap," "outdated," and "unhealthy," and greatly impacted by the growth of food delivery, have recently made a remarkable comeback in China, showing a strong recovery.

In mid-August, the top two major instant noodle brands, Kangshifu (Master Kong) and Uni-President, released their financial reports for the first half of 2026. Kangshifu's instant noodle business achieved sales of 13.733 billion yuan (approximately 325 billion yen), a 2% increase year-on-year, and Uni-President's instant noodle business achieved sales of 5.634 billion yuan (approximately 133 billion yen), a 4.7% increase year-on-year. Both companies achieved stable positive growth and are believed to have fully emerged from their slump.

Regarding this, industry insiders cited the strong recovery of instant noodles in China as being due to general consumers' spending habits reverting to more mature and rational ones. In the past, consumers prioritized sophisticated, high-end dining and ceremonial experiences, preferring to pay premium prices. However, nowadays, they are becoming increasingly practical, avoiding food waste, and tending to prioritize "convenience and cost-effectiveness." As a result, instant noodles perfectly align with this rational consumption trend and minimalist lifestyle.

Furthermore, in present-day China, the population living alone is continuously increasing, and as lifestyles such as the "singles economy" and "lazy economy" flourish, this brings a stable customer base to the fast food and instant food markets.

On the other hand, the instant noodle industry in China is gradually escaping the vicious cycle of low-price competition. Each brand is focusing on product diversification, developing products that cover various consumer segments, such as low-priced general products, mid-to-high-end products, and healthy low-fat products. Through flavor innovation, quality improvement, and the segmentation of consumption scenarios, they have achieved double growth in sales volume and revenue, further revitalizing the market's potential. (Provided by/CGTN Japanese)