Ito En is known for its bottled green tea and the beverage manufacturer teamed up with Korea's top ramen maker to create drinkable ramen in a can. This beverage called Nomu Fururu Reimen (Drinkable Fururu Reimen) packs all of the flavors of a favorite dish into a beverage format that's ready to be enjoyed anywhere.
The drink captures the essence of the umami noodle dish with ingredients like cold noodle sauce, kimchi extract, gochujang paste and vinegar. As a whole, the drinkable ramen is said to be sour, spicy and thirst-quenching during the spring and summer.
There's a growing demand for meals in drinkable formats, particularly from busy people who prioritize convenience and efficiency in their daily routines. Quick and easy-to-consume beverages are flavorful and nutritious and some prefer the taste and texture of drinkable meals over traditional solid food options.
Cold Ramen Drinks
Ito En's Drinkable Ramen Captures the Flavors of a Favorite Dish
Trend Themes
1. Drinkable Meals - There is a growing demand for meals to be consumed in drinkable formats, creating opportunities for innovative meal replacement products.
2. Hybrid Beverages - The combination of unexpected flavors and formats in beverages, like Ito En's Drinkable Ramen, presents a space for disruptive innovation in the beverage industry.
3. Umami Flavor Surge - The increasing popularity of umami flavors in beverage formats, like Nomu Fururu Reimen, creates a potential for new savory, meaty flavor offerings.
Industry Implications
1. Beverage - As consumers demand new drink formats with unique flavors, the beverage industry has an opportunity to create innovative and enticing products.
2. Meal Replacement - Demand for efficient and convenient meals continues to grow, providing opportunities for the meal replacement industry to create more diverse and flavorful offerings.
3. Snack Food - As more people prioritize convenience and nutrition, snack food companies can innovate by creating snackable meal options in drinkable formats.