National: 100 Billion People Can't Be Wrong
Ando invented the pre-cooked, freeze-dried noodles in 1958, when he was 48 years old. When he was 61 he invented their kissing cousin, cup noodles. "In life," he was known to remark, "there is no such thing as too late."
This year, demand for his inventions is expected to surpass 100 billion servings. Staggering, yes, but surprising? No. As the man famously (and perhaps cryptically) said, "mankind is Noodlekind."
Iconic Noodle Celebrates 50th Anniversary [NPR]
[Photo: Ramen selection, via davidrmunson's Flickr]
