Rara noodle (रारा चाउचाउ or रारा तयारी चाउचाउ) manufactured by Gandaki Noodles (P.) Ltd. in
Pokhara
Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
is the first instant noodle of
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
and also the
SAARC
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, ...
nations. The product was introduced in the 1980s. The noodle was named after the largest lake of Nepal, the
Rara Lake
Rara Lake also known as Mahendra Lake is the largest fresh water lake in the Nepalese Himalayas. It is the main feature of Rara National Park, located in Jumla District, Jumla and Mugu Districts of Karnali Province. Rara National Park stretches ov ...
. The noodle held as the first position in the noodle market until Wai-Wai was introduced in 1984. Currently, it is produced by Him-Shree Foods.
The company also created an iconic marketing catchphrase ''आरएआरए रारा मिठो भन्छन् सारा'' which was the theme jingle for the product.
The noodle is pre-cooked and flavoured and it can be eaten straight from the packet or cooked.
History
According to the founder and CEO of company Krishna Acharya and Phanindra Man Shrestha, the company first started by purchasing Chinese noodle-making machines to produce the ''Cinke Chaumin'' (सिन्के चाउमिन).
To make the production in large scale, they contacted the Japanese machine manufacture and purchased machine in NPR 3,500,000.
To get permission from the government, they applied for a license but it was declined saying the market is small and big industries are not feasible. Later the licence was agreed, but they were asked to set up the factory in Kathmandu instead of Pokhara. However, after a meeting with King Birendra in his visit to Pokhara, permission was granted to open the factory in Pokhara.
While paying for the machine, the company had to face a charge of money laundering because the office in charge thought NPR 3.5 million was too large for a ''Needle'' manufacturing machine. This was settled after it was explained that it was a ''Noodle'' making machine.
After about six months of the launch of RARA noodles,
Maggi
Maggi ( or ) is an international brand of seasonings, instant soups, and noodles that originated in Switzerland in the late 19th century. The Maggi company was acquired by Nestlé in 1947.
History
Early history
Julius Maggi (1846–1912) ...
was launched in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
Price Chart
*Launching price in 1980, NPR 3.50 per piece
*Price in 2020, NPR 20 per piece
Recognition
* IX International Food Award (1986)in Barcelona,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
See also
*
Wai Wai Noodle
*
Maggi
Maggi ( or ) is an international brand of seasonings, instant soups, and noodles that originated in Switzerland in the late 19th century. The Maggi company was acquired by Nestlé in 1947.
History
Early history
Julius Maggi (1846–1912) ...
Noodle
References
Instant noodle brands
Nepalese brands
Products of Nepal
1980s establishments in Nepal
{{Nepal-stub