Cup Noodles wants to rethink the way you eat ramen with new s’mores flavor

Erika Tulfo, CNN

(CNN) — Ramen isn’t nan first nutrient to travel to mind erstwhile you deliberation of saccharine treats. Cup Noodles is trying to alteration that — pinch a caller s’mores-flavored instant ramen.

The limited-edition offering combines microwavable noodles pinch a sauce-based spirit blend of chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers, positive further mini marshmallows to sprinkle connected top. The result: a saccharine and gooey dessert you tin hole successful conscionable 5 minutes.

While this marks Cup Noodles’ first foray into dessert territory, nan noodle shaper is nary alien to non-traditional ramen pairings. “Cup Noodles Campfire S’mores” is nan latest successful a bid of seasonal flavors aimed astatine shaking up really consumers comprehend nan brand.

Parent institution Nissin will waste nan $1.18 crockery online and astatine Walmart stores nationally while supplies last.

But a inexpensive image is 1 of nan challenges facing Cup Noodles, said GlobalData unit expert Neil Saunders,

He sees nan brand’s experiments pinch unconventional combinations arsenic an effort to elevate its products and grow nan occasions erstwhile a user mightiness take to eat ramen.

“It’s positioned arsenic being thing that’s rather absorbing and novel, not conscionable a boring point you’d bargain because you’re connected a budget,” Saunders said.

Nissin Foods USA Senior VP of Marketing Priscila Stanton pointed to erstwhile constricted offerings arsenic Cup Noodles’ efforts to grow beyond a “pantry staple.” That lineup of flavors includes Pumpkin Spice, Everything Bagel and Breakfast (a substance of nan classical meal operation of maple syrup pancakes, sausage and eggs).

“Ramen is eaten astatine each parts of nan time during each times,” she said. “We judge that ramen tin play successful each of these different areas, and saccharine is decidedly 1 of those areas that we’ve had immoderate occurrence in.”

S’mores season

With summertime play successful afloat swing, there’s been nary shortage of s’mores flavored snacks. Brands for illustration Oreo, Pop Tarts and Goldfish person debuted their ain renditions of nan beloved campfire treat.

Despite nan saturated s’mores market, Saunders sees Cup Noodles arsenic occupying a unsocial position that could get group talking because of ramen’s relation pinch traditionally savory flavors.

“It shakes things up successful nan consumer’s mind,” he said. “When it’s sweet, it’s odd, but that really adds to nan ‘let’s sensation this and spot what it’s like’ factor.”

Nissin sees nan main opportunity among Gen Z and millennials.

Stanton says younger buyers thin to beryllium much playful pinch their tastes, adding that nan s’mores spirit appeals to nan relationship betwixt nutrient and puerility memories.

“We judge this nostalgic spirit is going to commencement a batch of conversations and get group to retrieve those campfire moments that they had increasing up aliases are still having,” she said.

Saunders doesn’t spot nan s’mores inclination ending anytime soon. The snack’s seasonality gives it staying power, he said, comparing it to nan recurring pumpkin herb craze successful nan fall.

“I deliberation nan s’mores point is present to enactment because it is simply a very embedded portion of user culture,” he said. “It is 1 of those things that’s a very well-established portion of nan depletion calendar.”