Taiwan goes crazy for Ippudo Ramen – mass-market stores to launch instant Ippudo Ramen packs first

▲ Instant Ippudo Ramen. (Photo / Provided by Carrefour)

Reported by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

It was just recently reported that Ippudo Ramen will make its debut in Taiwan in the fall of 2017. Carrefour has secured official authorization and will sell instant Ippudo Ramen and Ippudo Cold Noodles in Taiwan from October 5 to October 18. A nationwide limited quantity of 7,000 boxes (each box contains 5 packs) is available, with each priced at NT$699.

Currently, instant Ippudo Ramen is only available in the Fukuoka region of Kyushu, Japan, priced at NT$300 per pack. A 5-pack bag costs NT$1,290 (calculated at the exchange rate on the 4th, about NT$395), while a box of 5 packs is priced at NT$1,500 (calculated at the exchange rate on the 4th, about NT$459). Due to the huge popularity of Ippudo Ramen among Taiwanese, and the fact that it’s only available in Fukuoka, resellers have already been selling it on various platforms. It can be found on auction sites, with prices ranging between NT$600 and NT$700, and Facebook-based resellers have been operating for years.

Recently, the Nikkei Asian Review reported that Ippudo Ramen could arrive in Taiwan as early as the fall of 2017. Currently, it only has two overseas branches in Hong Kong, with a third expected to open in New York, USA, in mid-October