In the past year, the instant noodle industry reached a scale of 150 billion yuan, with snail noodles, sour and spicy noodles, and sour soup noodles becoming the growth engines

The rapid expansion of food delivery has not reduced the scale of the convenience food industry. Institutional reports indicate that by 2025, the market size of China's pan-instant noodle industry will reach 150 billion yuan (narrow-caliber data statistics: branded pre-packaged products), an increase of over 40% compared to 2020, becoming a core pillar of the convenience fast food sector. On March 24, the "Zero Oil Fried (Non-Fried) New Healthy Convenience Food Development Report Blue Book" (hereinafter referred to as the "Blue Book"), co-edited by Sichuan Food Network, Chengdu Food Industry Association, and Baijia Akun, was released. The "Blue Book" states that regional flavor fast food has become the core engine of industry growth, with products such as snail noodles, hot and sour noodles, and sour soup noodles from the southwest region achieving nationwide popularity through industrial production. The convenience noodle industry has faced a decline for several consecutive years due to the impact of food delivery, but in recent years, it has maintained steady growth even amidst the food delivery wars. Food industry expert and deputy editor-in-chief of Sichuan Food Network, Hu Yuanqiang, told Yicai that this is mainly due to the vigorous development of various non-instant noodle convenience foods and the comprehensive push of non-fried products. Looking at the development history of instant noodles, they were invented in Japan in 1958; instant noodles appeared in China in 1980, during which time the frying process was used; in 2000, non-fried noodles and rice noodles were introduced; in 2015, quick-cooking noodles and pre-packaged wet noodles emerged; and in 2022, diverse convenience foods exploded. The "Blue Book" shows that in terms of market share by subcategory, traditional fried instant noodles still occupy a core position in the industry, with a market size of 72 billion yuan by 2025, accounting for 48%, achieving a year-on-year growth rate of 6.21%; convenience rice noodles (including rice noodles, vermicelli, wide noodles, etc.) have become the fastest-growing subcategory, with a market size reaching 38 billion yuan by 2025, and a compound annual growth rate of 20% over the past three years; the market size of whole grain fast food is 22 billion yuan, maintaining a growth rate of 15%. Hu Yuanqiang also stated that by 2025, the scale of "zero oil fried" convenience noodles will surpass that of fried varieties for the first time. In 2025, "zero oil fried" fast food will reach a scale of 78 billion yuan (accounting for 52%), surpassing the fried category (accounting for 48%), achieving a historic leap. This turning point is driven by a surge in health demand, technological maturity, and plant-based innovations. According to GB17400-2015 "National Food Safety Standard for Instant Noodles," instant noodles are divided into fried instant noodles and non-fried instant noodles based on different production processes. Among them, non-fried instant noodles are dried using processes other than frying (such as microwave, vacuum, hot air, etc.). In marketing promotions, manufacturers often use the market expression "zero oil fried." The "Blue Book" shows that the market share of the "zero oil frying" sub-category has increased from less than 10% in 2015 to 52% in 2025, becoming the core driving force for industry growth. By 2025, the market size of the "zero oil frying" instant food market will reach 78 billion yuan, including 18 billion yuan for "zero oil frying" instant noodles, 38 billion yuan for "zero oil frying" instant powder products, and 22 billion yuan for "zero oil frying" mixed grains and composite fast food, with instant powder products becoming the core growth driver of the "zero oil frying" category. Chen Zhaohui, Chairman and President of Sichuan Baijia Akun Food Industry Co., Ltd., also stated that in the past, non-fried instant foods were niche and marginalized products. However, with the rising health demands of consumers, mainstream companies in the industry are increasingly entering the non-fried sector, making the market more expansive. However, Hu Yuanqiang also mentioned that the perception of "zero oil frying" surpassing fried products may not be obvious to everyone. The main reason is that there are many categories of "zero oil frying" instant foods, but the brands are numerous yet not strong, with few big brands. Additionally, the sales channels are primarily online, lacking the visibility of traditional instant noodles concentrated in supermarkets, and they do not have the concentration of a few major brands like instant noodles. The "Blue Book" states that instant rice noodles and noodle strips are the sub-sectors with the greatest growth potential in the broader instant noodle industry, with a market size reaching 38 billion yuan by 2025. The core advantages lie in healthy ingredients (natural ingredients like rice, sweet potatoes, and potatoes), rich regional flavors, and diverse textures, aligning with consumers' demands for "health and personalization," becoming the core battlefield for industry innovation. In terms of flavor patterns, the southwestern flavor leads the nation, with Liuzhou snail noodles becoming the absolute mainstream, accounting for over 50% of the transaction volume in instant rice noodle products. Snail noodles, with their unique taste of "sour, spicy, fresh, and stinky," have become a representative of popular instant foods, with brands like Luobawang, Haohuanluo, and Li Ziqi promoting snail noodles from a local snack in Liuzhou to a national category, even exporting to more than 30 countries and regions worldwide. In addition to snail noodles, regional flavors such as Guizhou sour soup noodles, Yunnan crossing-the-bridge rice noodles, Chengdu spicy noodles, and Nanchang mixed noodles are also rapidly breaking into the mainstream. Among them, Guilin rice noodles and raw boiled rice noodles are expected to be the two fastest-growing categories by 2025, demonstrating the market potential of diverse segments. Northern flavors mainly focus on clear soup and soy sauce, catering to the taste preferences of northern consumers, with market share steadily increasing. Hu Yuanqiang believes that the "zero oil frying" category is expected to maintain a high growth rate of 18%-20% over the next three years, with the market size continuing to expand. In the next ten years, it will significantly surpass the growth rate of fried noodles, changing the production and consumption ecology of instant foods. (This article is from Yicai Global)