Ramen Noodles in Japan Switch to U.S. Pork

This transition marks the second time a Japanese ramen noodle chain switches to U.S. pork in 2025. USMEF has been working with Kairikiya and its distributor Prima Ham since last summer to analyze the benefits of switching to U.S. pork. Kairikiya projects that its U.S. pork consumption will exceed 1,000 metric tons this year, according to USMEAT. With USMEF support, the chain also began offering a new limited-time menu product in March, which uses thinly sliced U.S. pork as a topping. The pork is a rarely used subcutaneous muscle, embedded in the fat covering the shoulder blade. The company plans to use 100 metric ...