Maruchan

Maruchan Inc.
東洋水産
Private
Industry Food
Founded March 28, 1953 (Japan)
1972 (United States)
Headquarters Japan
Kōnan, Minato, Tokyo
United States
Irvine, California
Richmond, Virginia
Products Maruchan Ramen
Instant Lunch
Yakisoba
Parent Toyo Suisan
Website Maruchan.com

Maruchan (マルちゃん Maru-chan) is a Japanese brand of instant ramen noodles and related products produced by Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd of Tokyo, Japan. The Maruchan brand is used for noodle products in Japan, and as the operating name for Toyo Suisan's division in the United States, Maruchan Inc. In 1972, Toyo Suisan entered the American market with Maruchan USA, and in 1977, established a plant in Irvine, California. Maruchan has other plants in Richmond, Virginia, and one in San Antonio, Texas.[1] Maruchan produces over 3.6 billion packages of ramen noodle soup a year.

History

Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd of Tokyo, Japan, founded on March 28, 1953, is a consumer packaged foods company in Japan. Toyo Suisan’s effort to become an international food company brought them to the United States, where, in 1972, they established Maruchan USA. At first, Maruchan USA was only a marketing company, importing and distributing ramen from Japan. After operating for five years as a distributor of imported products, Maruchan built its own manufacturing facility in Irvine, California and in 1977 began producing Maruchan brand ramen at the Irvine factory. Since 1977 Maruchan has grown steadily and has become an industry leader in North America, alongside other instant noodle brands such as Nissin Top Ramen and Sapporo Ichiban.[2]

Name

Maruchan is a Japanese word composed of two parts, maru and chan. Maru literally means round, as in the shape of a ball or a happy child’s face. In Japanese, round has a connotation of friendliness. The word chan is an honorific suffix, used affectionately for a child or as a term of endearment.[3]

Products

Flavors include:

See also

References

  1. ↑ San Antonio jumps into ramen noodle market
  2. ↑ About Maruchan
  3. ↑ Chan, Kun, Senpai? Japanese Honorifics
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