Nongshim doubles the spice to attract young customers

Shin Ramyun The Red. [Courtesy of Nongshim]

Nongshim Co. said its newest Shin Ramyun The Red ramen product, which is twice as spicy as the original Shin Ramyun, sold out 15 days after a test release. In response to the popularity, the company will begin producing additional batches and plans to add a limited edition to its product line as soon as October.

According to the food industry on Monday, around 5 million packets of Shin Ramyun The Red were sold during a test release on August 14. Nongshim had anticipated the batch would last for approximately one month but ended up initiating the production of an additional 5 million packets due to unexpectedly high consumer demand.

With the Shin Ramyun The Red release, Nongshim is projected to earn 4.2 billion won ($3.18 million) in sales last month, the equivalent of the sales generated from another flagship product, Neoguri.

The Scoville index (SHU), a measurement of spiciness, is 7,500 SHU for Shin Ramyun The Red, which is more than double the original’s 3,400 SHU. This makes Shin Ramyun The Red spicer than the brand’s Angry Neoguri pack and Nongshim’s spiciest ramen to date.

The limited edition contains flavoring spices such as peppers, garlic, and onions, all harmonizing with Shin Ramyun’s distinctive flavor profile. It also has twice the number of bonito flakes than the original Shin Ramyun.

The new product was developed after Nongshim found that spicy flavors can appeal to younger customers. A recent analysis of big data conducted by the company suggested that data of 3 key terms, including “Spicy” and “Ramen,” soared by 37.6 percent during the period between January and June compared with the same period last year, suggesting a rising number of consumers looking for spicer ramen.

Other ramen brands are also looking to profit from this new trend. Ottogi Corp. unveiled Mayeol Ramyun on August 16, a flavor incorporating garlic and pepper into its pre-existing spicy offering Heat Ramyun. Samyang Foods Co. recently introduced its spicy broth ramen line Map Tang alongside three other products. Map Tang’s Scoville index is approximately 6,000 SHU.