Momofuku Ando

Profession: Inventor of Instant Noodles

Nationality:

Biography: Taiwanese born, Momofuku Ando moved to Osaka, Japan where he founded Nissin Foods on September 4th, 1948.

With Japan suffering post war food shortages, Ando decided to develop automated production of noodles.

On August 25, 1958, at the age of 48 and after months of trial and error experimentation to perfect his flash-frying method, Ando marketed the first package of precooked instant noodles.

Called "Chikin Ramen", after the original chicken flavor, it was originally considered a luxury item with a price of ¥35, around six times that of traditional udon and soba noodles at the time.

Ando began the sales of his most famous product, the Cup Noodle, on September 18, 1971 with the master-stroke of providing a waterproof polystyrene container.

Born: March 5, 1910
Birthplace: Wu Baifu, Chiayi County, Taiwan

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Dog
Star Sign: Pisces

Died: January 5, 2007 (aged 96)
Cause of Death: Heart failure