South Korean food maker Nongshim said Monday its US sales totaled about $164 million in the first half of this year, the firm’s highest-ever figure in the country, led by sales of Shin Ramyun.

The company attributed the notable sales in the US to the brand power of Shin Ramyun, its flagship noodle brand. The company also said the popularity was helped by increased demand for instant food products amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The South Korean company’s instant noodle products are gaining popularity in the US’ mainstream retail scene, and the sales surged in major retailers there, the company said. At Walmart, its sales in the first half of this year rose by 35 percent, while it saw an increase of 51 percent in Costco and 79 percent on Amazon.

“Since we started distribution of Shin Ramyun in all Walmart stores across the country in 2017, we have been establishing a close distribution network in the mainstream market for the past years,” Nongshim said. “Nongshim ramen is among the few foreign food brands that sells across the country in the US.” 

Shin Ramyun led the growth in sales with $48 million in the first half of this year, up 25 percent on-year. Nongshim said it worked hard to raise awareness of the brand by operating special sales events in large supermarkets and colorful Shin Ramyun bus promotions in New York and Las Vegas.

The sales of Shin Ramyun Black are also notable, with the figure reaching $13.5 million in the first half of this year, rising by 49 percent on-year. The product ranked first in The Best Instant Noodles of 11 products last month by Wirecutter, operated by The New York Times.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)