Việt Nam is considered as having a high purchasing power for instant noodles.” Photo nld.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam passed South Korea to lead the consumption per capita of instant noodles in the world in 2021, according to the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA).

The rate per person increased from 55 servings in 2019 to 72 servings in 2020 and 87 servings in 2021 for Việt Nam, which was 73 servings in South Korea and 55 servings in Nepal, according to Nongshim, a leading noodle maker in South Korea.

Local media said Korea topped the world from 2013 to 2020. The tally was 75 servings in 2019, rising to 80 in 2020 but falling back down to 73 in 2021, while the figure for Việt Nam has steadily increased from 55 in 2019 to 72 in 2020 and 87 in 2021, adding Vietnamese instant noodle market was growing rapidly, from US$5 billion in 2019 to $8.6 billion in 2021, reaching third in market size, following China and Indonesia.

A representative from Nongshim told the media: “Việt Nam has a high purchasing power with its increasing economic growth rate. Also, people tend to eat at home rather than dining out due to COVID-19.” 

Data said after the COVID-19 pandemic, instant noodle consumption in Việt Nam skyrocketed. Overcoming India and Japan, in 2020, Việt Nam became the third largest country in instant noodle consumption with 7 billion packages, up 29 per cent. In 2021 the country consumed more than 8.5 billion packages of noodles, up 22 per cent. In terms of growth rate, no market in the top 10 has surpassed Việt Nam.

Insiders said that about 50 companies are currently producing instant noodles, including domestic and foreign enterprises, adding the market has been in a battle led by Acecook with the Hao Hao noodle brand, Masan Consumer with Omachi, Kokomi and Asia Food with the brand of Red Bear noodles.

A few years ago, Uniben, with the brand of 3 Mien noodles, entered the market strongly and became the fourth major player.

Officially put into operation in 1995, Acecook successfully built the Hao Hao noodle brand to become the national noodle of Việt Nam, occupying the country’s largest market share of instant noodles.

In 2021, Acecook’s revenue was VNĐ12.2 trillion, an increase of 6 per cent and the profit after tax was VNĐ1.36 trillion, down 28 per cent.

At the same time, with the huge ecosystem in Việt Nam, especially the system of supermarkets/convenience stores WinMart/Winmart+ with thousands of points, Masan Consumer’s noodle products have a significant advantage in distribution.

According to data from VNDIRECT Securities Company’s analysis report, Omachi instant noodles dominate the high-end segment with a 45 per cent market share.

In 2021, Masan Consumer’s noodle sales reached VNĐ8.8 trillion, up 28 per cent and equivalent to 72 per cent of Acecook’s revenue.

Ranked fourth in the market, Uniben achieved more than VNĐ3.4 trillion in revenue, up 12 per cent.

In the third place, the revenue of Asia Food in 2021 decreased by 4 per cent to more than VNĐ5.5 trillion. Also recording less income, Safoco and Colusa-Miliket were announced. In 2021, Miliket’s revenue was VNĐ571 billion, down 7 per cent.

As for foreign brands, Korean instant noodles were gaining popularity in the Vietnamese market, especially among young people.

Following the Hallyu wave bringing Korean culture into Việt Nam through movies and music, Korean dishes such as kimchi, rice rolls, tokbukki, spicy noodles, etc. and black soy sauce are increasingly popular.

Korean instant noodle businesses such as Paldo Vina and Nongshim with Shin noodles were earning hundreds of billions of đồng from the Vietnamese market.

In 2021, Paldo Vina recorded revenue of VNĐ912 billion, up 8 per cent and a profit of VNĐ49 billion, which was higher than Asia Food.

Paldo Vina imported original products from Korea, such as Jjajangmen black sauce mixed noodles, which weigh four times more than a package of noodles produced in the local market.

Having been in Việt Nam since 2018, Nongshim reached VNĐ150 billion in revenue and VNĐ9 billion in profit last year. The manufacturer installed noodle cooking machines at some convenience stores and operates food trucks in HCM City. — VNS