Instant ramen for dogs reaches other Asian markets

The instant noodle for dogs was a success in South Korea when it launched in 2020.

Ramen For Dogs
Courtesy Youngin Bio

An instant noodle for dogs has become an instant success in South Korea after it launched there two years ago. The brand, Ansim Daengmyeon by a relatively new food company, Youngin Bio, now finds its way into other Asian markets like the Philippines, Singapore, India or where the e-commerce company Shopee operates. 

A 2020 report by the World Instant Noodle Association indicated that 116.6 billion servings of instant noodles were eaten globally that year, with as many as 320 million servings eaten every day. The report listed China, Indonesia and Vietnam as the top three consumers of instant noodles, but in terms of per capita consumption, South Korea has the highest with 79.7 servings per person. Today, South Korea's pet dogs add to that market as they slurp down their very own ramen noodles.

Youngin Bio was formed in 2018 with the assistance of South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Wadiz, a crowdfunding platform, to develop fermented food ingredients for human and animal consumption. Its animal food line called Dr. Pat Pat worked with veterinarians to create the dog-only instant noodles, which was inspired by their CEO Choi In-jeong's pet poodle who loves to eat boiled ramen.

The first and only ramen for dogs in South Korea, Ansim Daengmyeon uses less wheat flour and more of white rice barley malt that is rich in beta-glucan dietary fiber and B vitamins. The instant ramen's protein component comes from dried pollack, a type of cod that also provides amino acids and collagen. Its salt-free soup stock has yellow turmeric and live lactic acid bacteria to aid good digestion. 

Also added to the mix of ingredients are egg yolk, apple, chicken powder, sweet pumpkin, cabbage, carrots, spinach, broccoli and coconut oil. The company and its partner veterinarians said Ansim Daengmyeon is especially beneficial for senior dogs because the noodles are soft to chew and the soup is nutritious. 

The special noodles should be boiled for three minutes, the same way instant noodles for humans are prepared. A pack comes with a sachet of powdered mix to be added to the boiled noodles to create the broth. Ansim Daengmyeon is priced around US$3 for a 70g pack. 

Choi said their next product researches will be on products that can restore the health of companion animals exposed to diseases and deterioration due to aging. The Youngin Bio team is currently developing nutritional supplements and functional snacks in the form of churros and treats. 

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