Whether you’re a broke college student or a family with young kids, there’s one classic affordable comfort food item Americans can rely on.
This popular food item has become embedded in our culture, and it’s always an easy meal that doesn’t cost a ton of cash.
And now one cheap, classic food staple has just gone rogue with one change that might make you sick.
Cup Noodles now selling s’mores-flavored ramen
When you think of ramen noodles, you likely imagine savory and salty flavors like beef, chicken, or mushroom.
But Cup Noodles has now released a brand-new, s’mores-flavored version of its popular instant noodles, turning the image of this iconic food staple on its head.
The limited-edition flavor blends the microwavable noodles with a sauced-based flavor combination featuring marshmallow, chocolate, and graham crackers.
It also comes with extra mini marshmallows that consumers can sprinkle on top.
The new product is a sweet, gooey “dessert” people can prepare in just five minutes.
Although the new flavor seems odd, it’s not the first time the company has offered some pretty weird flavor combinations.
Its “Cup Noodles Campfire S’mores” is just one of several unusual seasonal flavors the brand has produced.
Cup Noodles’ parent company, Nissin, will sell the new product for $1.18 at Walmart stores nationwide and online while supplies last.
According to GlobalData retail analyst Neil Saunders, the brand’s decision to experiment with new flavor combos is a way to elevate the products and expand the ways consumers might normally eat their favorite noodles.
He said, “It’s positioned as being something that’s quite interesting and novel, not just a boring thing you’d buy because you’re on a budget.”
Senior VP of Marketing for Nissin Foods USA, Priscila Stanton, noted that Cup Noodles has also had other offerings that go well beyond the typical “pantry staple.”
Other unique flavors include Pumpkin Spice, Everything Bagel, and Breakfast, which features a mixture of maple syrup pancakes, sausage, and eggs.
According to Stanton, “Ramen is eating at all parts of the day during all times. We believe that ramen can play in all of these different areas, and sweet is definitely one of those areas that we’ve had some success in.”
S’mores are taking the summer over by storm
Most Americans think of s’mores as a summer treat you enjoy while sitting by the fire.
Other brands are jumping on the bandwagon, including Oreo, Pop Tarts, and Goldfish, each offering their own version of the classic sweet treat.
Even though the flavor isn’t necessarily revolutionary, Saunders believes that Cup Noodles has a unique market position that will get consumers talking.
“It shakes things up in the consumer’s mind. When it’s sweet, it’s odd, but that actually adds to the ‘let’s taste this and see what it’s like’ factor,” said Saunders.
Nissin sees the new flavor ideas as an opportunity to rake in Gen Z and millennial consumers.
Saunders said younger buyers are much more adventurous when it comes to food, and the s’mores flavor appeals to the connection people feel between the food they eat and their memories from childhood.
