Ito En releases drinkable cold ramen in Japan

Green tea specialists want us to drink spicy reimen this summer. 

In Japan, and many other parts of the world, Ito En is known for its bottled green tea, but now the famous beverage manufacturer is testing the waters with a new product — drinkable ramen.

Called Nomu Fururu Reimen (“Drinkable Fururu Reimen”) this new canned drink has been produced in collaboration with the Japan branch of Nongshim, noted as “Korea’s No. 1 Ramen Maker” on the can’s packaging.

Nongshim is particularly renowned for its spicy noodles, and one of its products is “Fururu Reimen“, with “reimen” literally translating to “cold noodles” and “fururu” being a play on “suru suru” and “churu churu”, mimetic words for slurping noodles.

▼ In Japan, these noodles are available in a spicy Bibin version…

▼ …and a less spicy, more vinegary “water” version.

While reimen has become a local specialty of Morioka in Iwate Prefecture, it actually originates from Korea, and Ito En’s new drinkable reimen aims to capture all the flavour of the original Korean dish.

According to Ito En, the drink contains ingredients such as cold noodle sauce, kimchi extract, gochujang paste and vinegar to replicate the tantalising sourness, spiciness, and umami of the noodle dish. It has a refreshing taste that’s said to be ideal for quenching your thirst in spring and summer, and it can drunk as is or added to regular meals for extra flavour.

▼ All the flavour of reimen without noodles, which is good news for people with wheat or egg allergies.

This is the first beverage product to be produced in collaboration with Nongshim, and Ito En says it will continue to develop unique creations for the drinks market, so there may be even more surprises in store for us in future.

The drink will be available at stores nationwide from 10 April, at a recommended retail price of 139 yen (US$1.05). Here’s hoping it tastes as good as Ippudo’s tonkotsu ramen broth in a can because that was a drink worth raising a toast to!

Source, images: PR Times 
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