How much instant noodles do Vietnamese people eat?

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Per capita, Vietnamese people consume instant noodles an average of 85 times a year, the highest in the world .

According to the World Instant Noodle Association (WINA), in 2022, the Vietnamese market consumed approximately 8.48 billion packets of instant noodles, maintaining its third position after China/Hong Kong (45.07 billion packets) and Indonesia (14.26 billion packets). Per capita, Vietnamese people consume instant noodles an average of 85 times a year, ranking first in the world.

Compared to 2021, Vietnamese consumer demand in 2022 decreased slightly, by nearly 1%. Meanwhile, in 2021, Vietnam consumed 8.56 billion packages, an increase of more than 20% compared to 2020.

Statistics from the association also show that the consumption of instant noodles continues to be concentrated mainly in Asian markets such as China, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, etc.

In Southeast Asia, with five main consumer markets including Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, the region accounts for approximately 23.5% of the world's instant noodle demand.

Over the years, Vietnam has consistently ranked among the top countries/territories consuming instant noodles in the world (Photo: Foodeli).

Notably, in Vietnam, there are currently around 50 instant noodle manufacturers, including both domestic and foreign companies . However, the majority of the market share is held by a few companies, including Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company; Masan Group; and Asia Foods Joint Stock Company.

According to a Euromonitor report at the end of 2022, Acecook and Masan were the two leading instant noodle companies, holding a combined 33% market share. Following these two giants were brands such as Uniben (3 Miền noodles), Asia Foods (Gấu Đỏ noodles), Saigon Vewong (A-One noodles), Safoco, Colusa Miliket, Thiên Hương Food, Vifon, and others.

Instant noodle products are also clearly categorized into budget segments priced at around 1,500-3,000 VND/pack; mid-range segments priced at 3,500-5,000 VND/pack; and premium segments priced from 7,000 VND/pack and above. In Vietnam, the majority of the market share is concentrated in the budget segment.

Previously, the South Korean newspaper Korea Herald reported that Vietnam had surpassed South Korea in per capita consumption of instant noodles. The newspaper stated that the average Vietnamese person consumes approximately 87 packets of instant noodles per year, while the average South Korean consumes 73 packets. Prior to that, the figure in Vietnam was 55 packets in 2019 and 72 packets in 2020.

However, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 led to numerous lockdowns, forcing people to stay at home, resulting in a surge in demand for home-cooked meals. Instant noodles also have the advantage of convenience and affordability.

The impact of the pandemic also contributed to a sharp increase in global instant noodle consumption during the period from 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic began to break out, affecting the financial situation of many households around the world.

Dantri.com.vn