SAN ANTONIO — Add water, pop it in the microwave, wait three minutes and your ramen is ready.
The crinkled noodles originated thousands of years ago in countries like Japan to help feed low-income families.
"Really, everyday Japanese food, Ramen is that food. It's every man's food. From the poor to the rich, everybody in-between, from the young to the old, everybody loves Ramen,” Mark Horikawa, general manager of sales for Maruchan Texas Inc. said.
The Japanese company began to expand into the United States in the late 1970s, eventually opening its Bexar County facility in 2014.
"We have one of our best customers right here in San Antonio, that had something to do with it. We also are close to a big market in Mexico," Horikawa said. "We are a dominant player in Mexico in the ramen market. And in general, Texas is our key demographic."
More than 240,000 cases of Ramen roll out of the south-side plant every day and make their way to fans who are ready to heat, stir and serve.
“People are always wanting to experiment and appreciate innovation,” Horikawa said. "You can do more things with ramen. You don't have to just boil noodles and just put the soup in it. You can customize it. And that's where we are sort of going now."