Wai-Wai (food)

Wai Wai Instant Noodles

Origin
Place of origin	Nepal and Thailand
Region or state	Sikkim, West Bengal, Nepal
Creator(s)	Chaudhary Groups (Nepal), Thai Foods Industries
Dish details
Course served	Snack
Variations	regular, tom yom, chicken, vegetarian

Wai Wai (Nepali: वाई वाई) is a brand of instant noodles produced by Chaudhary Group under CG FOODS (Nepal) Pvt. Ltd in Nepal and India. ^[1]

History

Wai Wai was launched in Nepal initially with the collaboration of Thai Foods Industries, and has led to establishment of a huge market for instant noodles in Nepal. After about 2 decades, there are over 20 different brands of instant noodles in Nepal, providing various seasoning, flavors and diets. Nirvana Chaudhary is currently the company's Managing Director and overseeing its rapid expansion plan.

Serving Styles

Wai Wai can be eaten straight from the package or cooked in soup form. Unlike ordinary noodles, wai wai is pre-cooked, flavoured, seasoned and fried before packaging. It comes in various seasoning flavours. A pack of Wai Wai includes chili powder, masala (mixed spices) and onion oil which can be used to prepare the soup. Wai Wais are rich in carbohydrates, minerals and proteins. Chicken and vegetarian flavored Wai Wai are the most popular flavours.

Flavors

Maruchan offers three distinct products with a wide variety of popular flavors in cup and 'quick' variants.

• Chicken
• Vegetarian
• Spinach
• Schezwan
• Manchurian

Popularity

Wai Wai is perhaps the most common brand of dry foods in Nepal.^[2] Instant noodles consist of a major part of the dry foods sold in Nepal and are available in any part of the country.

Wai Wai produced in Nepal used to be exported to India. The rising popularity of Wai Wai in India led CG Foods to open factories in India. Wai Wai has gained popularity in about thirty countries around Asia and Europe, with most foreign tourists taking a liking to it and importing it into their respective countries.^{[citation needed]}

Health concern and criticism

Wai Wai is often criticised for the presence of Monosodium glutamate in it, although it is said to be present in less than 1%. A warning mentioned on the packet clearly forbids infants below 1 year age to eat Wai Wai. Being very popular among kids in Nepal, its a major health concern. A case of bone malfunction of a 12 year old child due to heavy consumption of Wai Wai was once reported in the national channel, NTV, of Nepal.^{[citation needed]}

Ingredients

Ingredients used to prepare vegetarian Wai Wai:

• Wheat flour
• Vegetable oil
• Salt
• Chilli
• Onion
• Garlic
• Soya sauce
• Spices
• Hydrolysed vegetable protein
• Edible gum
• Black Pepper
• Monosodium glutamate (1%)

Advertising

Wai Wai Vividta ma ekta was a multi-lingual, TV Commercial communicating that whatever be the caste, creed, language or geography all Nepalis enjoy Wai Wai.

See also

• IndoMie Mi Goreng
• Indomie Nigeria
• Koka noodles
• Maggi noodles
• Mr. Noodles
• Pot Noodle
• Sapporo Ichiban
• Shin Cup
• Shin ramyun
• Super Noodles

References

1. ^ http://ecs.com.np/feature_detail.php?f_id=311
2. ^ http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Brand-Audit-Of-Waiwai/642621

External links

• Wai Wai? It's Nepalese noodles
• Chaudhary Group website
• List of Wai-Wai noodles flavor
• [1]
• Wai Wai Quick in Chinese Flavours
• Wai Wai now in available in a Cup!
• [2]