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{{short description|Instant noodle brand}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Maruchan <br /> マルちゃん
| logo = Maruchan Inc Logo.jpg
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1953|03|28}} (Japan) <br /> {{Start date and age|1972}} (United States)
| location = '''Japan''' <br /> [[Kōnan, Tokyo|Kōnan]], [[Minato, Tokyo]] <br /> '''United States''' <br /> [[Irvine, California]]
| area_served = Worldwide
| industry = [[Food industry|Food]]
| products = Maruchan Ramen<br /> [[Cup noodle|Instant Lunch]] <br />''[[Yakisoba]]''
| parent = [[Toyo Suisan]]<br />(Japan)<br />Maruchan Inc.<br />(United States)
| homepage = {{url|maruchan.com}}
}}

{{nihongo|'''Maruchan'''|マルちゃん|Maru-chan}} is a brand of [[instant noodles|instant ramen noodle]]s, [[cup noodle]]s, and ''[[Yakisoba]]'' produced by [[Toyo Suisan]] of [[Tokyo, Japan]]. The ''Maruchan'' brand is used for noodle products in Japan and as the operating name for Toyo Suisan's division in the United States, Maruchan Inc'''.''' In 1972, Toyo Suisan entered the American market with Maruchan USA, and in 1977, established a plant in [[Irvine, California]]. Maruchan has other plants in [[Richmond, Virginia]], and one in [[Bexar County, Texas]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGovern |first=Matt |date=April 8, 2014 |title=San Antonio jumps into ramen noodle market |url=http://www.kgns.tv/news/headlines/San-Antonio-jumps-into-ramen-noodle-market-254382871.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714125904/http://www.kgns.tv/news/headlines/San-Antonio-jumps-into-ramen-noodle-market-254382871.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=[[KGNS-TV]]}}</ref> Maruchan produces over 3.6 billion packages of ramen noodle soup a year. In the [[United States]] and [[Mexico]], Maruchan ramen is widely popular.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Market share of instant noodle |url=https://piece-of-japan.com/investing/instant-noodle/market-share.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528121132/https://piece-of-japan.com/investing/instant-noodle/market-share.html |archive-date=May 28, 2023 |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=Piece of Japan}}</ref>

==History==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2023}}
[[Toyo Suisan Kaisha]], Ltd of [[Tokyo, Japan]], founded on March 28, 1953, is a consumer [[Convenience food|packaged foods]] company in Japan. Toyo Suisan's effort to become an international food company brought them to the United States, where, in 1972, they established Maruchan USA. At first, Maruchan USA was only a marketing company, importing and distributing ramen from Japan. After operating for five years as a distributor of imported products, Maruchan built its manufacturing facility in [[Irvine, California]], in 1977, where it began producing Maruchan brand ramen. Since 1977 Maruchan has grown steadily and has become an industry leader in North America, alongside other instant noodle brands such as [[Top Ramen]] and [[Sapporo Ichiban]].

==Name==
Maruchan is a Japanese word composed of two parts, maru and chan. Maru means circle{{efn|[[wikt:丸|Wiktionary: 〇, 丸 (maru)]]}}, or round, as in the shape of a ball or a happy child's face. In Japanese, roundness has a connotation of friendliness.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maruchan {{!}} Our Story |url=https://www.maruchan.com/about/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Maruchan |language=en}}</ref> The [[honorific]] suffix [[Japanese honorifics#Common honorifics|chan]] is used affectionately for a child or as a term of endearment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 14, 2011 |title=Chan, Kun, Senpai? Japanese Honorifics |url=https://www.japanpowered.com/japan-culture/chan-kun-senpai-japanese-honorifics |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425233710/https://www.japanpowered.com/japan-culture/chan-kun-senpai-japanese-honorifics |archive-date=April 25, 2023 |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=Japan Powered}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of instant noodle brands]]
*{{portal-inline|Food}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category|Maruchan}}
*[https://www.maruchan.co.jp/ Official website] (Japanese)
*[https://www.maruchan.com/ Official website] (English)
{{noodles}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Companies based in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Japanese brand foods]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies of Japan]]
[[Category:Instant noodle brands of Japan]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1972]]
[[Category:Japanese companies established in 1972]]
[[Category:Privately held companies of Japan]]