Mars disrupts instant noodles category with launch of new Street Food Noodles
This strategic expansion marks a significant shift for the brand, which has long been synonymous with side-dish rice products, as it moves toward a “center of the plate” strategy.
CANADA – Ben’s Original™, a Mars‑owned rice and meal brand, has launched a new line of instant noodles in Canada under the “Street Food Noodles” sub‑brand, aiming to reshape the instant‑noodle segment with bold, globally inspired flavours and a strong health‑positioning angle.
The Street Food Noodles line targets time‑pressed consumers seeking quick meals that are both convenient and flavourful, delivering full‑flavoured, ready‑meal‑style noodles in microwave‑ready pouches that heat in about 90 seconds.
The new range draws from popular street‑food cuisines, including Chinese Stir Fry Noodles, Korean Style BBQ Noodles, Spicy Indonesian Noodles, Thai Stir‑Fry Noodles, and Japanese Teriyaki Noodles, each combining pre‑cooked noodles with vegetables, seasoning blends, and savoury or mildly spicy profiles.
Mars Food & Nutrition Canada said the launch reflects the growing demand for instant noodles that are “authentic‑tasting” yet healthier, with no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives and a focus on fibre and protein content.
According to the company, the ready‑meal noodles plug into a broader global trend, with the ready‑meal category in Canada projected to grow roughly 46% between 2024 and 2030, reaching a US$7.18B industry, as reported by Statista.
Derin Bello, General Manager, Mars Food & Nutrition Canada, described noodles as one of the fastest‑growing convenient‑meal categories, with consumers increasingly seeking “bold, globally inspired flavours” they can prepare in under two minutes.
“Noodles are one of the fastest-growing convenient meal categories in Canada, and consumers are increasingly looking for bold, globally inspired flavours they can prepare quickly,” said Derin Bello, General Manager, Mars Food & Nutrition Canada.
“With the success of our Ben’s Original™ Street Food ready meals, expanding into noodles was a natural next step, bringing exciting international flavors to Canadians in a format that’s ready in just 90 seconds.”
Ben’s Original™ Street Food Noodles are now available at most major grocery retailers across Canada and will also be sold on amazon.ca.
The brand is also promoting a limited‑time offer in which consumers who purchase two or more packs receive an exclusive set of bamboo chopsticks in a travel case, underscoring the product’s positioning as a snackable, on‑the‑go meal rather than a traditional instant‑noodle block.
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