It makes us delighted everytime someone listens to our concept and loves it. And it makes us happier still to be able to get a feedback about it’s tastes and what they feel about the product after getting a chance to experience it. Plus, when it comes from people that are immersed in all things culinary, a compliment means a million bucks.

The FoodChannel.com is an authority when it comes to good food and is targeted to the consumer (with an average of 200,000 unique visitors per month and 850,000 pageviews) , bringing over 40 years of experience in working within the food industry, world-class kitchens, trained chefs and knowledge to the table.

And the verdict is out!  “General comments were overwhelmingly favorable. “I could eat this on a regular basis,” said one enthusiastic taster. Whereas ramen noodles are thought to be “junk food, this stuff is real food,” commented another. “Better flavor. Better for you.”

“In short, we were pretty much bowled over.” Read the article below or find it on the front page of www.foodchannel.com in the column Latest News from February 24, 2009 onwards!

Instant Noodles Get Physically Functional

From The Kitchens of The Food Channel

Review of Red Chopsticks Instant Noodles

Instant noodles are a familiar, favorite convenience food. They’re cheap, they’re quick and easy to prepare, and they taste pretty good. They’ve enjoyed a long-term relationship with college students who are notoriously short on cash and kitchen skills.

But instant noodles have never been thought of as a nutritious food. Red Chopsticks aims to change that perception.

The company has introduced a line of products it calls “the world’s first functional instant noodles.” It consists of four microwaveable noodle bowls.

• Beauty Bowl with Marine Collagen and Vitamin E (Chicken flavor). The added collagen is said to help moisturize the skin and help reduce dryness and wrinkles.

• Power Bowl with L-Carnitine (Hot & Sour flavor). L-Carnitine has been shown to promote healthy body weight by reducing body fat, and even to improve sperm count in men.

• Kid Bowl with Omega-3 and DHA (Seafood flavor). Omega-3 fatty acids are heart-healthy and the fatty acid DHA promotes healthy brain development in young children.

• Green Bowl with Dietary Fiber (Seaweed flavor). Fiber is needed to help the body absorb nutrition more efficiently.

All four varieties are free of MSG, with no trans fat, no preservatives or artificial colors.

It’s interesting that, at least in the naming of the Beauty Bowl and Power Bowl, Red Chopsticks places the emphasis on the functional benefit right up front, ahead of the flavor. The company obviously sees this functionality as the products’ key point of difference from other instant noodles.

So, they’re the better-for-you instant noodles…but how do they taste?

The Review

Our taste panel tried all four flavor/function varieties and found them all to be flavorful as well as functional and highly convenient. We also appreciated that the packaging/bowls were reusable as storage containers and are recyclable.

The Beauty Bowl (Chicken) flavor was rated best tasting overall, featuring a rich chicken broth that was satisfying and not too salty.

We also very much liked the Power Bowl (Hot & Sour Shrimp flavor), which had a real spice kick to it.

The Green Bowl (Seaweed flavor) received mixed reviews, with some quite enjoying it, while others found the seaweed taste a bit off-putting.

The Kid Bowl had a sweetness to it that will undoubted appeal to children, but we adults thought it a bit too sweet.

Bottom Line

General comments were overwhelmingly favorable. “I could eat this on a regular basis,” said one enthusiastic taster. Whereas ramen noodles are thought to be “junk food, this stuff is real food,” commented another. “Better flavor. Better for you.”

Chefs noted that it would be simple to use the rice bowls as soup starters by adding chicken or other meat protein, vegetables and spices.

In short, we were pretty much bowled over.

For more information on Red Chopsticks Instant Noodles, you may visit the company’s website.

http://www.foodchannel.com/stories/1205-instant-noodles-get-physically-functional

After just arriving in the UK for a month, Red Chopsticks finds itself in another magazine already! Our product is fully aligned with the article’s contents with regards to our focus to deliver a healthy product, authentic ethnic meals, premium quality products, along with an convenient packaging format that saves time. As a matter of fact, our product truly personifies the article’s statements. I guess that is why our Kid Bowl is prominently displayed above the Headline: “Authentic - as it should be.”    

“Authentic - as it should be  

The ethnic food market is estimated to be worth around £5billion in the UK alone, and with a 15% growth per annum the ethnic and speciality food sector is expected to further expand globally. The European Ethnic Foods Market Report reveals that the growth of the market is outpacing the food and drinks market as a whole in Western Europe, and while growing ethnic communities have influenced the success of the sector, other contributing factors are hugely responsible.

Changing consumer attitudes to food have prompted the growth of specific sectors such as the Chinese and oriental category which alone, enjoys a market shareof 42% due to its popularity amongst Europeans. In addition, the demand for Thai and Japanese food has grown in recent years, perhaps as a result of expanding age groups. The younger generation ofconsumer is now well travelled, aware of different cultures, and more keen to sample the cuisine of these various different cultures. However, the demand is particularly high for authentic dishes that can be created in the home as well as convenience foods of premium quality.

Driving the market forward, new product development continues to play a key role in the sector, and according to research from Keynote, much of this innovation is being influenced by the trend for healthier eating and for foods that contain lower levels of salt, fats and carbohydrates. Among the other factors influencing NPD are the desires of consumers for more authentic ethnic meals and consumer demand for more premium-range products. The introduction of more convenient packaging formats, such as microwaveable high quality rice, is also helping to boost sales.

The increasing consumer trend towards healthier eating has helped to introduce new products into the sector with health and well-being ethnic products also enjoying market success. Products such as instant noodles have been influenced by the traditional cuisine of Asian countries,but with consumer demand for healthier versions, organic ingredients have been incorporated into existing popular products to provide authenticity in addition to functionality.

The use of organic and healthier ingredients within authentic ethnic products has allowed smaller producers to manufacture their products on a larger scale and expand their product portfolio. As a result, a much wider choice of ethnic products are now available.

Keynote also predicts that the market for speciality and ethnic foods is forecast to show further growth up to 2011, with the factors determining the rate of expansion likely to include ongoing product innovations, continuing demand for convenience products, rising sales of premium ready meals, the introduction of more healthy ethnic meal options and increased numbers of regional and authentic dishes. Further increases in the number of people from overseas settling in the UK should also continue to provide a stimulus for the existing forms of ethnic foods and NPD.

One specialist area in particular that is experiencing successful growth is that of Halal and Kosher foods. With a global value of around £350 billion the opportunities for food manufacturers to enter the market are endless. With Halal and Kosher meat making up large parts of the sector, other areas such as confectionery and cereal are now opening up opportunities in the industry.

But it is not only Muslims and Jews that are choosing to eat Halal and Kosher, consumers are increasingly taking an interest in the methods of slaughter of animals, and the production of other products and associated them with being a cleaner, safer and healthier range of products. As a result of growing demand, major fast food retailers are now incorporating Halal into their menu by offering Halal certified meals and snacks on the high street. Although many are still at trial stage, their success is expected to influence growth in the sector.

The speciality food sector has indeed enjoyed success in recent years, and with consumers looking towards adopting a healthier lifestyle this is set to continue.However, consumer tastes are changing rapidly and so new product development should remain at the forefront of manufacturing as new cuisines emerge as popular choices. Authenticity still remains an important aspect of speciality food purchases, especially for those communities seeking the flavours of their heritage.

Read other interesting articles at http://www.fdimagazine.net/

UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen showcases Red Chopsticks Functional Instant Noodles - Beauty Bowl dosed with marine collagen to benefit skin moisture and flexibility. Guest star is Atomic Kitten’s Celebrity MasterChef 2008 winner Liz McClarnon (a little bit of a noodle freak as she admits). “Good for on the go with health benefits”

See in on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRJJfpIq7s

Though we had been highly anticipated the airing of the Market Kitchen show this past Monday, we did not know earlier that The Sun Newspaper also featured our product on September 20, 2008 as well!

“Snack your way to bigger boobs“, now that’s a headline.

Though we do wonder about Dr Carol Cooper’s view - after all, who can argue that a generally known fact: “You are what you eat.” Virtually everyone acknowledges this and it’s strange that a doctor wouldn’t know this herself. Besides, all of our ingredients have been scientifically proven to have various health benefits too. Science - you have no choice but to believe it.

Food influences us in so many ways - health, appearance, and mood. The explosive growth of functional foods in the past several years has been able to do so because people want to consumer beneficial nutrients in a form that they want.

We are the world’s first to make available marine collagen (increased skin moisture), inulin (dietary fiber to help intestinal health and digestion), L-Carnitine (helps turn fat turn into energy and excellent for promoting heart health) and DHA and Omega-3 (eye and brain development needed by all ages).

“HOW many of us spend most of our lives wishing for a bigger bust, better skin or plumper lips?

And who would rather chain herself to a lamp post than risk the temptation of the sweet aisle in the supermarket?

Well now we may be able to enjoy these guilty pleasures simultaneously.

Making their debut on UKTV’s Market Kitchen, a new range of treats have hit the shelves, claiming to have the beautifying effect of cosmetic surgery on the body.

The range includes:

F-Cup Cookies

Biscuits that have 50mg of a boob enhancing herb

Collagen Marshmallows

These marshmallows come in blueberry, cherry or grapefruit flavour and each contain 300mg of collagen.

They claim to plump cheeks and lips.

Beauty in a Bowl Noodles

They apparently increase the moisture content, flexibility and general condition of your skin as they contain L-carnitine and omega.

They also contain marine collagen in them which is really good for your skin flexibility and for moisture.

Anti-Ageing Gum

Fuwarinka Gum claims to hold the secret of eternal youth and is supposedly sourced in a village where they claim to live to 150.

But Dr Carol Cooper is not so sure about these so called miracle products.

She says:

“I have never heard something quite so ridiculous as this in my whole life.

“The only way the cookies would give you a bigger bust is if you stuffed them down your bra.

“And the idea that collagen taken through food can improve skin in any way is entirely false.

“The best way to beautiful skin is eating plenty of protein and drinking lots of water.”

These products will be tried and tested by Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon, ‘Market Kitchen’ and ‘A Place In The Sun” presenter Amanda Lamb, Market Kitchen presenter Matt Tebbutt and chef Merrilees Parker on Market Kitchen - Monday 22nd September, 7pm, on UKTV.”

We were very pleased by the request for our Red Chopsticks functional instant noodles for featuring on this highly popular television show on prime time in the UK. It is particularly fortunate to also have Atomic Kitten’s Celebrity MasterChef 2008 winner Liz McClarnon as the distinguished guest on the show as well!

“Merrilees Parker presides over the kitchen, and Celebrity MasterChef winner Liz McClarnon makes roasted onion soup with a Thai twist. Plus, a look at celebrity beauty foods.”

And reruns at:

We are very pleased to have been interviewed by Mr. Chris Burtch (Asia Correspondent) from DEXtv, a leader in online news that differentiates itself by having exclusive interviews, accurate global coverage through a unique perspective.

At the time, he was covering innovative business ideas and our Red Chopsticks Functional Instant Noodles was considered to be a top candidate for reporting.

Please visit this link to view our interview at: http://dex.tv/?v=E7F3334.

Fresh Ideas - THUMBSUP is a regular feature inside T Magazine that showcases exception products that are carried in the isles of both Central Food Hall and Tops Markets nationwide. It is with great pleasure that our Red Chopsticks Functional Instant Noodles was selected for this special spread. Furthermore, we would like specially thank you all of our loyal customers that made this possible.

“These delicious and nutritious instant noodles contain marine collagen, L-Carnitine, DHA, Omega-3 and much more, but no MSG. They come in a convenient ready-to-eat cup.”

What are LDLs?

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) belongs to the lipoprotein particle family. Because LDLs transport cholesterol to the arteries and can be retained there by arterial proteoglycans starting the formation of plaques, increased levels are associated with atherosclerosis, and thus heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. For this reason, cholesterol inside LDL lipoproteins is often called “bad” cholesterol. This is a misnomer. The cholesterol transported on LDL is the same as cholesterol transported on other lipoprotein particles. The cholesterol itself is not “bad”; rather, it is how and where the cholesterol is being transported, and in what amounts over time, that causes adverse effects.

Increasing evidence has revealed that the concentration and size of the LDL particles more powerfully relates to the degree of atherosclerosis progression than the concentration of cholesterol contained within all the LDL particles. The healthiest pattern, though relatively rare, is to have small numbers of large LDL particles and no small particles. Having small LDL particles, though common, is an unhealthy pattern; high concentrations of small LDL particles (even though potentially carrying the same total cholesterol content as a low concentration of large particles) correlates with much faster growth of atheroma, progression of atherosclerosis and earlier and more severe cardiovascular disease events and death.

The American Heart Association, NIH, and NCEP provide a set of guidelines for fasting LDL-Cholesterol levels, estimated or measured, and risk for heart disease. As of 2003, these guidelines were:

These guidelines were based on a goal of presumably decreasing death rates from cardiovascular disease to less than 2% to 3% per year or less than 20% to 30% every 10 years. Note that 100 is not considered optimal; less than 100 is optimal, though it is unspecified how much less.

Source: Wikipedia, January 28, 2008

Thank you for your overwhelming response to our products on the store shelves. Due to your continued interest, Tops has chosen to feature Red Chopsticks, the “Probably the healthiest instant noodles in the world!” right on the cover of their monthly promotion handouts. We hope that you enjoyed the special discount as part of the SPOT Rewards.

“Tops Market brings Great Thai cuisine to your home with “Kitchen of the world” where you can explore exquisite and diverse range of Thai premium export-grade items that will expand your culinary world.

Bringing the unique values to the world stage! One important aspect that has brought Thai food so much recognition is the neatness, the delicacy, and the exquisiteness of the presentation. The combination of high nutritional value with the concentrated, delicious, unique taste also gives a strong impression of how advanced Thailand is in the art of cooking.”

What are HDLs?

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) form a class of lipoproteins that carry fatty acids and cholesterol from the body’s tissues to the liver. About thirty percent of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL.[1]

It is hypothesised that HDL can remove cholesterol from atheroma within arteries and transport it back to the liver for excretion or re-utilization—which is the main reason why HDL-bound cholesterol is sometimes called “good cholesterol”, or HDL-C. A high level of HDL-C seems to protect against cardiovascular diseases, and low HDL cholesterol levels (less than 40 mg/dL) increase the risk for heart disease.[1] When measuring cholesterol, any contained in HDL particles is considered as protection to the body’s cardiovascular health, in contrast to “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Epidemiological studies have shown that high concentrations of HDL (over 60 mg/dL) have protective value against cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. Low concentrations of HDL (below 40 mg/dL for men, below 50 mg/dL for women) are a positive risk factor for these atherosclerotic diseases.

Data from the landmark Framingham Heart Study showed that for a given level of LDL, the risk of heart disease increases 10-fold as the HDL varies from high to low. Conversely, for a fixed level of HDL, the risk increases 3-fold as LDL varies from low to high.

More sophisticated laboratory methods measure not just the total HDL but also the range of HDL particles, e.g. “lipoprotein subclass analysis”, typically divided into several groups by size, instead of just the total HDL concentration as listed above. The largest groups (most functional) of HDL particles have the most protective effects. The groups of smallest particles reflect HDL particles which are not actively transporting cholesterol, thus not protective.

Source: Wikipedia, January 28, 2008