Recently, liquid soup bases have become a key factor determining the taste of instant noodles in the industry. Once primarily used for mixed noodles and fried noodles, liquid soup bases are now being utilized as a secret recipe to make the broth of premium instant noodles deeper and richer.
According to the instant noodle industry on the 25th, recent instant noodle companies are seeking differentiation not just through noodle thickness or spiciness levels, but through methods of making the broth and the form of the sauce. In a market where long-standing brands like Shin Ramyun and Chapagetti maintain strong dominance, it is difficult for new products to establish themselves with simple stimulation alone. This trend toward implementing deep flavor has led to liquid soup bases as a new option.
Furthermore, liquid soup bases richly implement the taste and aroma of raw materials such as red pepper powder, onions, and garlic. Unlike powdered sprays that undergo a drying process, they are more favorable for preserving the original taste of ingredients, allowing umami, viscosity, and aroma to be expressed three-dimensionally. Being in liquid form allows them to permeate noodles evenly, with color and aroma being conveyed vividly, which is also a strength.
Paldo was the first company in Korea to introduce liquid soup bases for instant noodles. Paldo has applied liquid soup bases to products such as 'Paldo Bibimmyeon', 'Paldo Jjajangmyeon', and 'Paldo Wang Jjamppong'. The recently launched 'Paldo Bibimmyeon Double Lu' uses a liquid soup base blended with eight raw materials, including Taeyangcho Suncheon Gochujang. The same method was also applied to 'Wang Ttukbaegi Guksu Laboki' and the global brand 'ARIH's' 'Modern Noodle'.
Samyang Foods expanded the scope of liquid soup base usage starting with 'Buldak Bokkeum Myeon'. Both last year's premium instant noodles fried in beef tallow, 'Samyang 1963', and the jjajang ramen launched last month, 'Jjarureu', have liquid soup bases as the core of their taste. In particular, 'Jjarureu' was designed to maximize the savory flavor of beef tallow by proposing a cooking method where the noodle water is not discarded but sauce is poured in and mixed.
Harim Industries' 'The Misik Jangin Ramen' is an example of using liquid soup bases as a decisive move for taste differentiation. Its feature lies in containing broth made from beef bone, beef, chicken, mushrooms, onions, garlic, etc., simmered for 20 hours, into a liquid form. It is reported that Kim Hong-guk Ha Rim (Chairman) spent five years on its development alone. Additionally, the dough itself was mixed with the broth to impart umami directly to the noodles.
Nongshim has long compensated for the shortcomings of powdered sprays using the 'Zeo-Drain (Z CVD) process', a technology that concentrates and dries essence extracted through high-pressure cookers at low temperatures in a vacuum state for a short time. However, Nongshim is also currently utilizing both liquid and powdered soup bases as it recently expanded Shin Ramyun into the fried noodle LINE category. The recently released Shin Ramyun Rosé includes both liquid and powdered soup bases to create a spicy taste based on gochujang and Rosé (tomato and cream). Some fried noodles like Chapagetti also contain oil-based sprays.
Instant noodle sauces evolving into liquid forms are expanding beyond mere accessories of instant noodles to become independent brands themselves. 'Paldo Bibimjang' is absorbing cooking and dipping demands and has entered school meal menus through collaboration with Samsung Wellstore. Nongshim launched 'Baehongdong All-purpose Sauce' in 2021, followed by Chapagetti, Meoktae Cheongyang Mayo, and Tumba All-purpose Sauce. Samyang Foods' 'Buldak Sauce' also evolves into various flavors such as Original and Buldak Mayo.
However, liquid soup bases include moisture, making manufacturing processes rigorous regarding Misaeng water management and preservation stability, and costs are higher than powdered sprays. An instant noodle industry official stated, "Ultimately, the competitiveness of liquid soup bases depends on raw material blending methods and quality stability," adding, "As more products apply liquid soup bases, the technology behind the sauce itself will become a new differentiation strategy for the instant noodle market."
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