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Hot NPD: Nissin launches first cold-water Cup Noodles

Nissin is taking one of Japan’s most iconic instant meals in a completely new direction with the launch of the first cold water-only Cup Noodles in the brand’s 55-year history.

Cup Noodles launched in 1971 as the world’s first cup-style instant noodle product. It has since become one of the most recognisable instant food brands worldwide, with countless flavours released over the decades.

At a glance:

• Nissin has launched the first cold-water Cup Noodles.
• The innovation was five years in the making; the company’s “cold rehydrate” manufacturing process has been patented.
• Convenience and climate change consumption patterns are at the heart of the innovation.

However, with record-breaking heatwaves becoming common in recent years, the popularity of cold snacks has been rising. Nissin has been working for five years on how to tap into this trend.

In July, it launched two Chilled Cup Noodle varieties – spicy kimchi and chicken salt lemon – nationwide in Japan.

‘Cold rehydrate’ method: Noodles ready in five minutes

At the heart of the new instant snacks is the patented “cold rehydrate” method. This ensures the noodles rehydrate in cold water in around five minutes, so slightly longer than the hot versions.

The new method helps “achieve a firm, springy, and smooth texture simply by pouring in water chilled in the refrigerator and waiting five minutes. There is no need to prepare hot water or ice, allowing you to enjoy a refreshingly cool meal perfect for hot days”, the company said in a press statement.

The spicy kimchi version features a chicken-based umami broth, while the chicken salt lemon offers “a refreshing taste, combining the savoury flavours of chicken, bonito, and dried sardine (niboshi) with the crisp aroma of lemon”.

As some commentators noted, this NPD “breaks one of ramen’s biggest rules… no boiling water”.

Breakthrough on cold convenience as temperatures climb

The breakthrough is also an example of a food company adapting to a changing climate and the changing consumer patterns that are beginning to come through as a result.

The Financial Times noted that the launch “appears timed to perfection”, coming in the same week that Japan’s Meteorological Agency released a three-month forecast promising another scorching summer.

In April, Japan’s weather agency formally adopted a term for “severely hot day” – kokushobi.

As one expert noted on social media: “Sometimes, innovation isn't about creating something completely new. It's about rethinking something everyone already knows.”

Bela Schweiger, chief executive at Sans Frontier, which provides expertise to brands looking to enter the Japanese market, and adjunct professor at Temple University Japan, explained: “Japanese innovation in every nook and cranny of life is solution, and inconvenience elimination oriented.

“Cold noodles as a summertime tradition have been around for at least 600–700 years, depending on the specific type. Perhaps it was time someone came up with a convenient way to enjoy it.”

Mordor Intelligence has forecast the global instant noodles market size to grow from $55.68 billion in 2026 to $87.21 billion by 2031, a CAGR of 9.39% during the five-year period.

Growth is being fuelled by rising demand for affordable and convenient meal solutions, increasing urbanisation, expansion of e-commerce channels, and growing consumer interest in fortified and premium noodle variants.

“Health-focused products enriched with vitamins, minerals, and protein, alongside sustainable packaging innovations and rapid delivery services, are reshaping the competitive landscape,” the agency concluded.