Store Offering 70 Brands of Instant Noodles a Big Hit Among Youth
It is perhaps surprising that instant noodles have become a popular hit in Thailand, a country known for its flavorful, spicy cuisine and street food.
For teens like Ratchadaporn Krongngam, however, a store that sells more than 70 types of instant noodles from around Asia and allows you to cook and eat them right away is an experience worth having.
Thousands of young customers have browsed Good Noodle’s bright orange shelves for noodles from Indonesia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong since it opened in a Bangkok mall last October.
The third time I came here was because I wanted to try new and different kinds of instant noodles and I wanted to know how they all tasted,” Ratchadaporn, 18 told Reuters.
The store’s customers often choose to eat in by cooking their own three-minute meal, which costs between 6 and 250 baht ($0.18 – $7.46).
As compared to eating in restaurants, Sirayakorn Charoenthat, 18, said the prices were reasonable for students.
350 Types of Instant Noodles
In several Asian countries, instant ramen noodles are hugely popular because of their taste, versatility, convenience, and low price. However, health experts warn against consuming too much highly processed food because it lacks key nutrients and is extremely high in sodium.
Ungkool Wongkolthoot, the store’s managing director, said he scoursed Bangkok’s convenience stores and supermarkets for all the instant noodles he could find, which turned out to be more than 350 types.
As a result, he saw an opportunity for business.
“I wanted customers to experience the noodles immediately and not just buy them from other convenience stores or supermarkets, then forget about them at home,” he said.
