One of the most important elements to consider in business is how to successfully target or approach the right market, and with today’s economic situation and many continuing political issues throughout the world, the stakes are even higher. However, there is one market that consistently thrives in such conditions: the instant noodle market.

The Significance of Instant Noodle

A lot of people have probably tried instant noodle products at least once in their lives because they are incredibly simple to prepare and can be done in five to ten minutes with just a few ingredients. This makes them ideal for people with busy schedules who lead urbanized lifestyles. Nonetheless, it is not just for the white-collar workers or younger generations who may consume them just for convenience, but also for blue-collar workers or lower-class individuals who need to manage their expenses carefully or prefer products with a long shelf life for later consumption.

The Growth of the Instant Noodle Market in Thailand

According to Krungsi’s analysis of Business/Industry Trends 2024-2026: In the Ready-to-Eat Food Industry, Thailand is the world’s ninth-largest consumer of instant noodles, with 3.87 billion servings yearly. The country ranks third in the world for per capita consumption, with 54 servings per year, with Nepal. As a result, this market has shown a highly promising growth rate thus far.

​​However, when discussing domestic consumption numbers, we need also to consider the amount of foreigners who work here, particularly Myanmar people. As of 2024, Thailand has roughly 2.3 million registered Myanmar migrant laborers. This accounts for around 70% of the total registered migrant workforce in the country. 

In terms of export value, the instant noodle product accounted for 36.0% of the Ready-to-eat Foods Domestic Consumption (2022) category, with Cambodia being the largest market (20.3%), followed by the Netherlands (12.8%), Myanmar (12.6%), Laos (10.5%), and the United States (6.6%). These figures show that Thai instant noodle products are also profitable outside the country, particularly in CLMV countries with similar cultures and cuisines.

The Formula of Asia’s Instant Noodle

When it comes to Asian-style instant noodles, they are mostly made up of the noodle and the soup. While the type of noodle—either egg, wheat, or rice noodles—varies little, the soup, which usually comes in little packages of seasoning oil and flavoring powder, offers a great deal of variation. The three main components of a tasty noodle soup in Asia Pacific countries are spiciness, savoriness, and creaminess, according to data gathered by the World Instant Noodle Association (WINA) in May 2021. The spicy flavor is also arguably the most popular, followed by meat flavor and Asian-localized flavors like Korean spicy kimchi or Japanese Tonkotsu flavor. 

The Flavors of Thai-style Instant Noodle

Thai cuisine is well-known for its aromatic spices, including Thai chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, coriander seeds, turmeric, and galangal—a key ingredient in dishes like Tom Yum, which can be recreated in powdered form for instant noodles. Another popular flavor, Thai Green Curry (Kaeng Khiao Wan), uses a replica of coconut milk to bring a rich, creamy taste to the soup, similar to some Myanmar noodle varieties. Above all, most Thai-style flavors are known for their distinctive combination of spicy, sour, and savory tastes. 

Some of the prominent Thai instant noodle brands like Ma Ma, WAIWAI, and Yum Yum have been popular not just inside the country, but also in the Myanmar market for decades. One can even say that they have become as much a part of daily life for Myanmar people as they are for us Thais. Hence, Myanmar consumers are quite familiar with Thai-style flavors.

Ma Ma’s Tom Yum Kung and Kaeng Khiao Wan Flavored Instant Noodles

The Flavors of Myanmar-style Instant Noodle

Meanwhile, one of the most popular flavors of Myanmar instant noodles is Shan noodle, which consists mostly of rice noodles, meat in tomato sauce, and various toppings such as peanuts or pickled vegetables, though it can vary depending on the type of soup, such as Shan Tofu taste. Still, the majority of noodle soups are either thick or clear, whether made with bone or without and have a touch of Chinese-influenced spice, as found in the Mixian flavor. 

These flavors have naturally been adapted into instant noodles to cater to a wide range of consumer tastes. For instance, Ae’ Mee’s Shan Noodle line offers Burmese-inspired flavors like Mee Shay, Shan Tofu Nway, and Shan Yay Pyaw. However, universal flavors like Mala, Hot Pot, and Spicy Chicken have gained significant popularity—sometimes even more than the localized ones—due to their bold spiciness and the influence of global pop culture, especially Korean pop culture.

As we previously highlighted, each brand offers a variety of noodles and flavors that are designed to meet the needs of each target group. However, having so many similar products in one market makes it extremely competitive for everyone. As a result, each brand must outsmart the other in terms of strategies, such as inventing new flavors and redesigning packages, as well as investing in offline and online advertising with famous stars or trendy influencers. Nevertheless, each brand must thoroughly understand its own targets’ insights to achieve its goals.

How Digital Marketing Comes Into Play

To differentiate your brand from the piers, the options in the instant noodles market are quite limited due to the nature of the product, as well as modern customers’ consumption behavior, which is constantly seeking customized or personalized products and services to feel like they matter to the brand. So, building relationships with them is essential for ensuring their loyalty and for the brand to become top of mind, and there’s no better way to do so than by having a social media presence, whether on a Facebook page, Tiktok, or Twitter, in other words, going online for digital marketing.

Let Happio Help You With That

Happio specializes in digital marketing for both Thailand and CLMV countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam) and has gathered over a decade of experience and customer insights. Our team consists of Thais and CLMV natives who are collaborating to help the clients achieve their goals, boost sales, or create brand awareness through a variety of services, from online content creation, localization, graphic designs, and influencer marketing to activation or on-ground booths. We also have partnered with many influential brands, whether in the agricultural products market, food processing, or hospital sectors.

Contact us if you’d like to inquire for more details, and let’s achieve our goals together.