Momofuku Ando was born as Go Pek-Hok on 5 March 1910, in Chiayi, Japanese-era Taiwan. He was an inventor and business man probably best known for inventing and popularizing instant noodles, cup noodles and instant ramen. He was also the founder of Nissan Food Products Co., Ltd.
How rich was Momofuku Ando? According to sources his net worth at the time of his passing was was estimated at over $100 million. Most of this can be attributed to the rise of popularity of his inventions. Instant noodles became a global hit and became an in-demand product all over the world. A successful invention and a fruitful company helped raise his net worth to where it was.
Momofuku Ando Net Worth $100 Million
After the death of his parents, Ando (known as Go Pek-Hok during this time) went on to live with his grandparents who owned a textiles company. Inspired by their work, he decided to open his own textiles company at the young age of 22. In 1933, he moved to Osaka to study economics at the Ritsumeikan University, all the while continuing to establish his own clothing company. After World War II, he would become a Japanese citizen and live in Japan. His name would be changed to Momofuku as a translation of his Taiwanese name, while Ando was a common surname at that time. In 1948, he was convicted of tax evasion and was given two years imprisonment. The reason for his sentence was because he tried to establish a scholarship for poor children, and it was considered tax evasion at the time. After his release, he established Nissin in Osaka, a small family-run company that focused on producing salt. Ando was still managing to increase his net worth.
Around this time, Japan was suffering from a food shortage because of the aftermath of war. The United States had been supplying the country with wheat bread, but it was unfamiliar and people demanded more of the staple, noodles. Noodles took a long time to cook and Momofuku wondered if there was a possibility of speeding up the process. It took a while before the method was perfected, but in 1958, at the age of 48, Ando discovered the perfect way to flash fry noodles. The first pre-cooked instant noodle package was sold as “Chikin Ramen”, the first flavor ever marketed. The product drew criticisms especially from cooks who continued to serve noodles the traditional way. The prices of instant noodles were also much higher compared to that of most shops, however, the cost eventually fell and stabilized, becoming one of the highest demand products in the country and then the world. Nissin would become one of the largest food companies, and Momofuku’s net worth would dramatically rise.
Not to sit on his hands, Ando once again produced a new invention in 1971, with the Cup noodles, serving instant noodles in a cup that serves as container for the meal.
Ando received numerous recognitions and awards for helping the food crisis of Japan. He received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star which was the second highest decoration for Japanese civilians.
On 5 January 2007, Momofuku passed away at the age of 96 due to heart failure. He had married Masako, and they had three children. Ando mentioned that the secret to his long life was eating instant noodles, and it was said that he ate them every day until the day he died.
