Top 10 Instant Noodle Consumers in the World in 2025
With astonishing 43.2 billion servings in 2025, mainland China and Hong Kong are the biggest instant noodle consumers in the world.
Instant noodles have become one of the most popular convenient foods in the world. They are affordable, easy to prepare, widely available, and come in countless flavors.
According to the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), people around the world consumed approximately 124.2 billion servings of instant noodles in 2025. The latest WINA data ranks China and Hong Kong first in total demand, followed by Indonesia and India.
The world's biggest consumer was Mainland China and Hong Kong, with approximately 43.2 billion servings in 2025. This enormous figure represents more than one-third of global instant noodle consumption.
China and Hong Kong have diverse noodle cultures, with popular flavors ranging from beef and chicken to seafood. In Hong Kong, instant noodles are also commonly served with toppings in casual restaurants.
Indonesia ranked second with 14.5 billion servings. Instant noodles are extremely popular throughout the country, with fried noodles, especially mie goreng, being a favorite. Spicy flavors and products containing chicken, vegetables, and shrimp are also widely consumed.
India came third with 9.6 billion servings, followed by Vietnam with 8.2 billion. India has strong demand for curry, masala, chicken tikka, vegetable, and tomato flavors. Vietnam is particularly notable for its high per-person consumption, with approximately 81 servings per person in 2025, the highest average in the world.
Japan, where instant noodles were invented, ranked fifth with 5.9 billion servings. Japanese consumers enjoy many varieties, including pork-bone, chicken, seafood, soy-sauce, udon, and fried noodles. The United States followed with 5.2 billion servings, demonstrating that instant noodles have also become firmly established outside Asia.
The Philippines consumed 4.3 billion servings, while Thailand reached 4.2 billion. Thailand is known for spicy varieties, particularly tom yum flavors. South Korea recorded 4.1 billion servings, with spicy ramen being especially popular. Finally, Nigeria ranked tenth with 3.1 billion servings, making it the only African country in the top ten.
These figures show that instant noodles are truly a global food. Although Asian countries dominate the rankings, demand in countries such as the United States and Nigeria demonstrates the worldwide popularity of this convenient meal.
From mie goreng in Indonesia to spicy ramen in South Korea and chicken noodles in Nigeria, local tastes continue to shape how people enjoy instant noodles around the world.