Indo Nissin Foods opens new factory in Odisha

To launch new short noodles brand 'NISSIN Scoopies' in March

Indo Nissin Foods Ltd, a subsidiary of Japan based Nissin Foods Holdings, today commissioned its third factory in the country with an investment of about Rs 100 crore.

The new production facility, located at Idco Food Processing Park at Khurda Industrial Estate, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. It has an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonne per annum.

It is the company’s first manufacturing unit in the eastern part of the country while the other two are located at Haryana and Karnataka with a production capacity of 10,000 tonne per annum each.

“We are aiming to run the new plant in Odisha in full capacity in next two years,” said Yuji Tabeta, managing director, Indo Nissin Foods limited. Officials said, the company will now operate at 25 percent capacity.

In a first of its kind in the country, the company plans to manufacture the short noodles ‘NISSIN Scoopies’ at the new facility to explore the demand in instant noodles market.

“The Scoopies brand will be introduced in the market by March or April. Presently the Top Ramen bag noodles will be manufactured at the unit,” said Tabeta. Scoopies, the newly developed type of noodle, is short (only 3 cm) compared to 20 cm noodles and is a mixture of masala and noodles.

“There is no need to add the tastemaker in the new brand and can be consumed with a spoon without using a fork,” company officials said.

Scoopies is priced at Rs 10 for a regular 75 gm pack and Rs 5 for a small 35 gram pack.

The company aims to grab a market share of ten per cent in Indian noodles market by 2015, which mainly competes with Nestle and ITC in the country.

Indo Nissin Foods Ltd, which enjoys about 30 per cent market share, aims to increase it to 50 per cent with the launch of the new product, said AJ Tharakan, Chairman of the company. The company aims to generate 500 jobs at its new production unit.