The size of the global noodles market is expected to be worth USD 62 billion in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 5.15% from 2024 to 2029 to achieve USD 79.70 billion by 2029.
The noodles market is growing consistently year-on-year. Currently, organic or plant-based food is gaining popularity. The increasing consumption is encouraged by the rising concern about health and fitness among customers who strive to integrate more natural and less processed or ready-made foods into their diets. Also, in the present industry scenario, the noodles market has experienced noteworthy demand for gluten-free and organic types that support lowering the danger of chronic diseases and enhancing comprehensive well-being. Hence, adding natural supplements has provided new opportunities for diversifying product ranges and increasing sales for industry players like Foodle Noodle, Lotus Foods, etc.
Apart from this, the development of wholesome, healthy noodles has integrated soy-based operational food ingredients. The SPI, FFSF, and DFSF are the alternatives for wheat flour. Hence, changing customer's preference for artisanal soy-fortified noodles in their regular diet is directly proportionate to its sales, further fuelling the expansion of the market in the coming years. Brands like Nestle, Nissan, etc, responded to this by launching a wide range of homemade noodles blended with standard flavors of species for swift and gut-friendly appetizers.
People like the millennial population base look for varied culinary seasoning, herbs, or spices reflecting various cultures and cuisines. Most of the public depends on cuisine versions such as Italian, Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cuisines for local and cultural flavors in food offerings like noodles. This transition in customer behavior is influencing the demand and sales of noodles, spaghetti, and pasta around the world. Consequently, industry players innovate and diversify their menus to satisfy evolving consumer priorities.
Furthermore, the progressive rise in the health-conscious public, particularly young demographics results in a considerable change towards craft and artisanal noodle ingredients. The artisanal ones are gaining popularity with an emphasis on nourishing and operational advantages. They are packed in LDPE/PET-MET and MET-MET/LDPE are not impacted by moisture and are extremely acceptable due to their prolonged shelf life. These noodles comprise healthier ingredients such as atta instead of white flour and are enriched with important nutrients.
The industry is extremely dynamic and fierce, presenting substantial challenges for brands to remain in their position among competitive and cost-sensitive customers. The progress of the market with the latest entrants creates an opportunity for strong price competition that endangers even prominent player's revenues. Making a balance between offering cheap prices while maintaining profits remains a major constraint. This deliberate act becomes tougher as consumer behavior changes, along with newcomer concerns, which will reduce costs in an attempt to enter the industry.
Another component taking the market forward globally is the increased demand for natural additives. The application of organic additives in noodles and pasta will achieve sustained market growth as some of the players have started to add these to their products in the recent past. For instance, Kraft Foods offers a premium-quality company selling boxes of colored noodles. These are organically flavored with spices such as annatto, turmeric, and paprika. Consumers are not very much attracted to this feature. So, the noodles market is expected to expand rapidly during the estimation period.
REPORT METRIC |
DETAILS |
Market Size Available |
2023 to 2029 |
Base Year |
2023 |
Forecast Period |
2024 to 2029 |
CAGR |
5.15% |
Segments Covered |
By Type, Raw Material, Form, End-User, Nature, Packaging Type, & Region |
Various Analyses Covered |
Global, Regional and Country Level Analysis; Segment-Level Analysis; DROC; PESTLE Analysis; Porter’s Five Forces Analysis; Competitive Landscape; Analyst Overview of Investment Opportunities |
Regions Covered |
North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, Middle East & Africa |
Market Leaders Profiled |
Nissin Foods Holdings Co. Ltd., Capital Foods Pvt. Ltd., Mandarin Noodle, Thai President Foods Public Co. Ltd., Sun Noodle, Sanyo Foods Corp. of America, Yau Kee Noodles Factory Ltd., Nestle SA, Sakura Noodle Inc., Ottogi Co. Ltd., Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Co., House Foods Group Inc. Samyang Foods Co., Ltd., Nongshim Co., Ltd. Lotus Foods, and Ebro Ingredients (Ebro Foods) |
The instant segment accounts for a significant portion of the noodles market share. The growing demand for convenience food choices among customers is propelled by the elevated need for easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat meals such as noodles. Moreover, busy routine lifestyles or hectic work timetables drive a large portion of the population towards convenience food items because they provide various advantages, such as quick appetizers with prolonged shelf life. Further, this shift is the reflection of the fast-moving way of living and the growing volume of working professionals with limited to no time for food preparation. Hence, these are the causes of this tendency.
White flour is the biggest subsegment in the noodles market. It is the main ingredient utilized in dried noodle-making. This can be attributed to the flavor, texture, versatility, gluten content, availability, and cost. Apart from this, prolonged consumption of white flour-based noodles has made their taste and flavor adjust to this. Also, the lack of availability and potential alternatives have strengthened its market share. But wheat options are quickly gaining popularity.
The narrow strip is the most prevalent form in the noodles market and holds the maximum share. Narrow strip wheat-based noodles are significantly famous in Asian economies like China and Japan for udon and ramen cuisine. Also, their adaptability in soups, stir-fries, etc. are the main ingredient in several cuisines.
Restaurants and food services are the leading segment in this category of the noodles market. It involves fine dining, casual dining establishments, and fast-food chains. Restaurants are major contributors to the market growth. The industry progressed rapidly due to the versatility of noodles, which can be added to various dishes and gain traction as affordable food for gourmet experiences. This flexibility enables restaurants to serve a wider consumer base and boosts revenues. Moreover, the proliferation of food culture has elevated the popularity of international cuisines involving APAC noodle dishes. This has influenced the market share of restaurants and food services.
Additionally, the growth of food delivery services or platforms and the rising demand for takeaway meals have fuelled consumption via restaurants. Furthermore, trains and airplanes also participated in the industry's development through premium costs for onboard foods.
The organic or vegan segment has been gaining traction over the market share in the past few years with the rising consumer preferences towards eating healthy food options in a regular diet. People nowadays are more aware of selecting food options to focus on health and wellness, which is probably a major factor in the market's growth rate. Conventional segment is likely to have the prominent growth rate by the end of 2029.
The packets segment is leading with the largest size of the noodles market, whereas the cups segment is likely to have potential growth opportunities throughout the forecast period. The rising prominence of eating ready-to-cook meals, especially in urban areas, is anticipated to fuel the growth rate of the market. The launch of innovative technologies in making ready-to-eat meals, which are mostly preferred by the working class people, is absolutely to propel the growth rate of the market.
Asia Pacific continues to be the dominant noodles market, with the largest industry shares. India, Indonesia, and China are among the biggest noodle-consuming nations in the world. With 42.2 billion instant noodle servings eaten, China and Hong Kong are in the top position, Indonesia with 14.5 billion, India with 8.7 billion, Vietnam with 8.1 billion, and Japan with 5.8 billion are driving the regional market size. In addition, product differentiation is considerably fuelled by several factors like cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and cultural taste. Moreover, year-on-year demand is consistently surging, with around 100 billion servings eaten annually. Instant noodle consumption in the area is mainly pushed forward by key contributors, including China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan. Roughly 40 billion packages of instant noodles are eaten annually in China, accounting for approximately 39 percent of world consumption.
The North American noodle market is another major player, and this is improved by a customer base that shows an inclination for premium and healthier noodle choices. This industry is identified by a notable transition to premiumization with a special focus on artisanal and gourmet noodles. The retail sector in the region has adopted this pattern by broadening its noodle items, thus improving their availability to customers. Therefore, this development presents new opportunities for the industry players to explore the niche noodles market.
Major players in the global noodles market include Nissin Foods Holdings Co. Ltd., Capital Foods Pvt. Ltd., Mandarin Noodle, Thai President Foods Public Co. Ltd., Sun Noodle, Sanyo Foods Corp. of America, Yau Kee Noodles Factory Ltd., Nestle SA, Sakura Noodle Inc., Ottogi Co. Ltd., Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Co., House Foods Group Inc. Samyang Foods Co., Ltd., Nongshim Co., Ltd. Lotus Foods, and Ebro Ingredients (Ebro Foods)
By Type
By Raw Material
By Form
By End User
By Nature
By Packaging Type
By Region
Frequently Asked Questions
Several factors contribute to the market growth are Noodles are easy and quick to prepare, making them a popular choice for busy consumers, Wide range of flavors and types cater to diverse taste preferences, and Generally low cost compared to other meal options.
The future trends in the noodles market are Healthier Options are Increased demand for whole grain, gluten-free, and fortified noodles, Introduction of new and exotic flavors to attract diverse consumers, Use of eco-friendly packaging and sustainable sourcing of ingredients, and Products offering customizable flavor and ingredient options.
The key challenges in the noodles market are High sodium and preservative content in some noodles can deter health-conscious consumers, Presence of various brands and alternative quick meal options, and Raw material price fluctuations and supply chain disruptions can impact production costs and availability.
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