Intellectual Property
As a comprehensive food group, NISSIN FOODS Group continues to create and nurture No.1 brands in each category. Our aim is to become a branding corporation boasting a collection of No.1 brands. We strive to secure and enhance corporate value and the common interests of shareholders while building toward an unshakable management foundation. One of our competitive advantages is our position as a Food Tech company, built upon a base of processing technologies developed over the years. These processing technologies are supported by intellectual property, including patents and trademarks across the entire NISSIN FOODS Group product lines. One of the three pillars of our Mid- to Long-Term Growth Strategy announced in May 2021 is to co-create Future Foods with food science. Here, we intend to make further progress by maximizing the use of our intellectual property.
Number of Patents
To deliver deliciousness, healthy, and environmentally friendly products, we engage in basic and applied research on health and nutrition. We also develop production technologies focused on instant noodles. As a result, the group has acquired 444 patents in Japan and 694 patents overseas.
*The number of overseas registered patents and overseas registered designs includes the total number of countries in which product rights were granted.
Patent Position Map for Instant Noodles
The following table is a position map* using patent scores for the NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS instant noodle-related patent portfolio.
Japan Domestic Instant Noodles Sector
U.S. Instant Noodles Sector
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*Patent Result Co., Ltd. survey.
The patent score is an index of the degree of attention given to a patent. The higher the patent score, the higher the patent is rated as having secured a high degree of attention in the market.
The vertical axis represents the overall strength of each company's patent assets, which are evaluated in terms of both quality and quantity. The horizontal axis represents the individual strength of the most valuable patents in the company's portfolio.
The size of the circle indicates the number of patents.
Representative Innovations
Straight Noodle Manufacturing Method
The wavy shape of conventional noodles makes for more efficient manufacturing. However, our unique method achieves both mass production and straight noodles.
3-Layer Noodle Manufacturing Method
A manufacturing method that gives noodles a unique texture through a three-layer structure consisting of an inner layer and an outer layer.
Nutrition Hold-Press Production Method
Nutritional elements that tend to leach out during cooking are trapped in the center of the noodles, while also reducing the impact on taste.
Salt Reduction Manufacturing Method
A manufacturing method that uses magnesium chloride, the most suitable ingredients for saltreduction. We discovered this process after repeated analysis of nearly 170 types of salt.
Mist/Air-Drying Production Method
A process that reduces oil content by mist-showering the surface of the noodles with the minimum amount of vegetable oil necessary. Noodles are then dried using hot air.
Nazoniku, Hoboika
Made from a unique combination of environmentally friendly ingredients, Nazoniku includes pork, vegetables, and soy protein, while Hoboika is made from fish paste with squid flavoring.
Cultured Meat
Collaboration with the University of Tokyo on research and development in
cultured meat, which is expected to solve future food crises and global warming.
Biomass ECO Cups
Containers made of plant-derived biomass plastic with a biomass content of 81%.
the WAVE
the WAVE creates new waves of food technology
The Global Innovation Center and the Global Food Safety Institute are the centers for NISSIN FOODS Group technology, development, and research. The mission of the WAVE is to create the most advanced wave of food technology, emanating powerful vibrations across the globe. Our enduring values state that peace will come to the world when there is enough food, create foods to serve society, eat wisely for beauty and health, and food related jobs are a sacred profession. Based on these values, we are committed to INNOVATION (technological innovation) and FOOD SAFETY as our promise to the world as a food manufacturer.
Next-Generation Smart Factories
The NISSIN FOOD PRODUCTS Kansai plant began operations in October 2018. The plant boasts state-of-the-art equipment and uses IoT technology to achieve automation and efficiency. The plant reduces the risk of human error by automating the formerly manual checks, inspections, and the transport of raw material containers, etc., and by establishing work processes that eliminate human intervention. As a result, we achieved a product defect rate of less than 1 per 1 million pieces and establish a safer production system.
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NASA Room, the Heart of the Quality Control System
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Automated 50% of Manual Processes
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Panoramic View of Kansai Plant
Work Processes With No Human Intervention
Significant Reduction in Defects; Safer Production System
TOPICS
Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit
Four Commitments Announced by the NISSIN FOODS Group
The NISSIN FOODS Group participated in the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit held in December 2021. CEO Koki Ando and several other team members spoke at sessions organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and other organizations. At the Summit, companies and other stakeholders were encouraged to announce their own commitments to set effective goals for improving nutrition around the world. The NISSIN FOODS Group developed our own commitment to improved nutrition and sustainable food systems.
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Improve the health and nutritional properties of all products.
Expand annual sales of wellness products
to 23 billion yen by 2030. -
Develop a new testing method capable of simultaneous and highly accurate testing of all allergen-labeled products by 2030. Conduct at least 100,000 cumulative tests using this method; expand and encourage wider adoption.
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Increase the use of plant protein in instant noodles compared with animal proteins; raise use of plant proteins to 1,100 tons by 2030.
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Reduce total waste in distribution and sales fields in Japan by 50% by 2030 (compared with 2015).
TOPICS
The CHICKEN RAMEN Shima-Shima (stripe) registered as a color trademark!
On March 25, 2022, we were granted registration of the symbolic color scheme of CHICKEN RAMEN as a color trademark (registration number: No. 6534071). Invented by NISSIN FOODS founder, Momofuku Ando, CHICKEN RAMEN was the world's first instant ramen. This product has been a long-selling brand enjoyed by a wide range of people since its launch on August 25, 1958. CHICKEN RAMEN has kept the same product design throughout the years, becoming a loved visual by all, regardless of age group. After three-and-a half-years of hard work, we were finally granted the registration in recognition of the CHICKEN RAMEN brand and its highly identifiable shima-shima (stripe) color scheme. The registration of the CHICKEN RAMEN color trademark is also significant from the perspective of anti-counterfeiting. We had already received a position trademark for the decorative pattern of the CUP NOODLE container in 2018.
