Healthier and More Authentic-Tasting Premium Instant Ramens Are The Newest Craze in Korean Groceries in Los Angeles and New York; Stores Double Stocks Due to High Demand
Premium instant ramen is the newest craze in Korean grocery stores in Los Angeles, prompting stores to double their supply of this legendary foodstuff.
An improved version of the usual instant ramen in red packaging has hit the shelves in Korean groceries in L.A. called the Shin Ramen Black. This new range of ramen reportedly boasts better quality than its predecessors, albeit coming with a higher price, Korea Times reports Friday.
The Shin Ramen Black aims to eliminate the common notion in the U.S. that instant ramen, although relatively cheap, is one of the unhealthiest food options ever.
Galleria Market Northridge manager John Yoon said that premium-grade ramen has been a consistent winner among consumers.
"Increasingly, businesses are including regional specialties in new ramen in an attempt to gain consumers' trust in quality," Yoon said.
Among the new innovations in the ramen industry Pulmuone's "Nature is Delicious" offerings which promises 90 percent less fat compared to other ramen brands.
The "Nature is Delicious" line also features authentic flavors such as the jjambbong, which tastes of real Tongyeong oysters.
Over at the East Coast, New Yorkers are enjoying black bean ramen known as "jjajang".
Nongshim's jjajang ramen called Jjawang was first introduced in New York and New Jersey in October after the product reached $17.5 million in sales in the first two months of its release in South Korea.
Nongshim America marketing head Kevin Chang said the company has doubled its supply in the U.S. because of the high interest from Korean-American consumers.
"These ramen offer the strong taste Koreans like, but they also have less sodium than traditional soup noodles," a representative from a local Korean market described the jjajang.
Seeing the recent success of premium-grade instant ramen, a representative from a local Korean grocery said, "Companies will likely keep releasing upgraded versions of these ramen to draw in more consumers."
