When you’re in the mood to slurp up the salty, soupy staple that is Cup Noodles, you’ll no longer need to heat up water.
On Oct. 26, Nissin Foods USA announced Cup Noodles will be getting rid of its current polystyrene cup design, introducing a new paper version in early 2024. Nissin says this is a historic change for the brand since it was introduced to the U.S. back in 1973.
And thanks to the redesign, folks who don’t read Cup Noodles’ instructions can finally breathe easy: Cup Noodles’ updated packaging for its on-the-go cup is now microwavable. There is no longer the need to boil water on the stove at home or to hope the water dispenser gets hot enough for your lunch at work.
Nissin adds that its new paper packaging significantly reduces cooking time for its products (which were already pretty zippy). Cup Noodles will now go from the pantry to ready in 2 minutes and 15 seconds, beating its current time of 3 minutes (after boiling water). Noodles so fast, they’d medal at the Olympics.
“Since its invention more than 50 years ago, Cup Noodles has become a cultural mainstay and a staple in households around the world,” said Michael Price, president and CEO of Nissin Foods USA in a press release. “And while Cup Noodles will continue to have that same satisfying taste and iconic look, we continue to find ways to evolve the brand to support the current needs of our consumers, the environment and the world. This updated packaging and the new paper cup marks an important milestone for Cup Noodles and a key step in our environmental commitment.”
Nissin says its new paper packaging will be rolled out across all flavors of Cup Noodles, adding that the cup will be made with 40% recycled fiber, no longer require plastic wrap and feature a sleeve made with 100% recycled paper. With this change, the company is officially retiring the use of polystyrene from its entire portfolio.
Cup Noodles’ transition to a paper cup is part of Nissin’s Earth Food Challenge 2030, an initiative started to minimize its CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Nissin is not the only food company in recent memory that’s making an eco-friendly change. On Oct. 24, McDonald’s announced it is officially phasing out its McFlurry spoon, ending 26 years of confusing customers with the unique utensil. The chain said, in an effort to reduce single-use plastic waste in its restaurants, it is nixing the hollow-handled spoon for a reusable spindle that can be swapped out and cleaned after each McFlurry is made. Customers will receive the chain’s black plastic spoon, which it already serves with its sundaes and uses less plastic, McDonald’s said.
