Core Insights - The article discusses the historical competition between Taiwanese instant noodle giants, Master Kong and Uni-President, in the Chinese market, highlighting their initial successes and subsequent challenges due to a food safety scandal and changing consumer preferences [2][17]. Group 1: Historical Competition - In the 1990s, both Master Kong and Uni-President entered the Chinese market, with Master Kong successfully adapting to local tastes by offering beef-flavored noodles and convenient packaging, while Uni-President failed to cater to the preferences of migrant workers [4][6][8]. - Master Kong's strategy of conducting extensive market research and focusing on cost-effectiveness allowed it to surpass Uni-President in revenue by 1998, achieving over 10 billion in sales [8][10]. Group 2: Product Innovation and Market Dynamics - The introduction of Uni-President's pickled cabbage beef noodles in 2008 successfully tapped into consumer demand for flavor variety, leading to annual sales exceeding 4 billion [10]. - Master Kong quickly responded by launching a similar product, resulting in a fierce price and promotional war that ultimately harmed both companies' profitability [12][15]. Group 3: Industry Crisis - A food safety scandal involving the pickled cabbage product severely damaged consumer trust in both brands, leading to a decline in the overall perception of the instant noodle industry [17][20]. - The instant noodle market has faced significant challenges since 2011, with a decline in sales attributed to a shrinking migrant worker population and the rise of alternative food options, such as high-speed rail and food delivery services [19][22]. Group 4: Current Market Trends - Official data indicates that instant noodle consumption in China dropped from 47.23 billion servings in 2020 to 43.12 billion in 2023, reflecting a significant downturn in the industry [20]. - Master Kong reported a decline of 1.1 billion in sales over six months, indicating broader struggles across its product lines as consumer preferences shift towards healthier and more diverse food options [24].