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Momofuku Ando: The noodle king.
 Momofuku Ando
Mr. Ando was a Japanese entrepreneur and a humanitarian who wanted to end world hunger and he devoted his life to improving noodles as the way to do that.
In the process, he introduced the world to instant noodles. For example, you may recognize these words from Cup Noodle, when you've wanted a quick and tasty meal:
"Peel off the lid - Pour boiling water into the cup - Let sit for three minutes - Stir well and serve."
It took Mr. Ando many years of hard work to create this simple approach but with these four easy steps he introduced us all to instant ramen, a noodle dish that feeds people all over the world.
Yet it began out of a crisis. In 1948, shortly after World War ll, Japan was devastated and its people were desperate for food, standing in long lines for something to eat.
To help feed them Mr. Ando made noodles in his little company.
But in the years thereafter, Mr. Ando was determined to make better noodle products and as he did, his little company grew into a substantial global firm, Nissin Foods Group.
In 1958 at the age of 48, he introduced Japan and the world to precooked instant noodles.
In 1971, 61 year old Mr. Ando introduced Cup Noodle instant ramen. It revolutionized instant noodles and it became a global phenomenon.
But even this was not enough for Mr. Ando who in his 90’s introduced "Space Ram," a product so durable; it could be eaten by astronauts in orbit, and was carried aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.
And along with other Nissin noodle products, it was very durable and could be shipped worldwide to feed starving men, women and children.
Mr. Ando was so determined to make superior products to feed mankind, that he actively did so until his passing at 96 years of age in 2007.
When asked the secret of his long life, he claimed it was playing golf and eating Chicken ramen nearly every day.
But I believe there was a greater factor: Each day Mr. Ando had a purpose and he had a passion, which was to serve mankind an ever better noodle.
Success Tip of the Week:
In the words of Mr. Ando, "Peace will come to the world when all its people have enough to eat."
Editor's Note:
Thank you to my friend and webmaster Jon Barnes for introducing this wonderful story to us and to Google for telling it so well. To learn more click here, here, and here.
To learn more about Mr. Ando’s and Nissin’s extensive charity work, click here.
"In 1983, founder Momofuku Ando established a public interest incorporated
organization at his own expenses, for sports and dietary culture, called the ANDO FOUNDATION. Based on the principle of "Eating and sports are the two axles of health," the foundation is engaged in numerous activities that contribute to society, such as promoting physical and mental health of youth and food education, supporting track and field activities, encouraging experiences in nature, and recognition of new food creation and development products, with the "Ando Momofuku Award".
"During the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, Momofuku Ando headed the mission to deliver warm meals to the victims of the disaster and dispatching mobile kitchens to the affected areas.
"The Nissin Foods Group is conducting the "Hyakufukushi Project", a fifty-year project that started in 2008, the fiftieth anniversary of the Group's founding. Through this initiative, the Group will undertake 100 social contribution activities through 2058, carrying out the aspirations of founder Momofuku Ando, who enthusiastically engaged in social contribution activities. The five themes are "creation", "food", "earth", "health", and "children" and through these themes, Nissin Foods Group will contribute to create a prosperous future through the "Hyakufukushi Project"."
Thank you to Linda Chung of Nissan Food Group for this information on Nissin’s charity work.
In the next KazanToday:
The woman who returned freedom of the press to Cambodia.
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