MARUCHAN RAMEN

Maruchan Ramen has had the same design for... well forever. Rebranding this ever so popular iconic noodle soup was exciting but also had many challenges. The main goal was to keep this design retro while bringing it into 2021. This design had many stages. The first big change was putting it into a box instead of a bag. This brought new display options to the table. It also adds the option of using a die-cut where the noodle flavor is to show the contents of the box. A big challenge was selecting the typography and what should be the focal point. After countless drafts just to choose the typeface it continued to change until its final transformation. The colors for the final design include Maruchans original red but also showcase brighter flavor colors for happy, retro ramen.

MOODBOARD

BOX DIMENTIONS

In the first stages of design, I put together a compilation of moodboard themes for inspiration with a focus on Asian and retro designs and colors. My goal for the design was to make it bright and happy and pop off the shelf!

BOX DIMENTIONS

I decided to change the packaging and put the noodles into a box, so I found this couscous box. I dissected and used it to map out the dimensions of the new ramen box. I needed something square and narrow, this was a very helpful guide.

ROUGHS

BOX DIMENTIONS

ROUGHS

Rough drafts from different design stages experimenting with different layouts, hierarchies, typography, and colors.

FIRST PACKAGE REDESIGN

When I first started this redesign, I created designs for the Chicken, Shrimp, & Beef packaging. I wanted it to feel retro/Asian and the circles were meant to look like a rising sun behind the flavor illustration. The colors would later be simplified and the focal point changes from RAMEN to the flavor of the ramen. Note the "Pro Tip" on the back of the box instructing the user to crack an egg into your noodles while they cook. All of the boxes have a note on the left side panel telling the user how to find more recipes for the ramen to be used on Maruchans website.

FINAL SOLUTION

The final design for Maruchans revamped Beef & Shrimp, & Pork. The new focal point is the flavor by using bold typography and showing the flavor type with a little illustration to match. The design has a clear flow from the top left where Maruchans logo is in white and leads your eye to the center and then down to the die-cuts. By simplifying the entire design, front, back & sides, these new designs are clean and present a clear focal point and create ease for the consumer to select their ramen flavor quickly when shopping. Classic Maruchan red was brought back to create a brand system and keep the brand identity known to consumers.

REFELCTION

This redesign of Maruchan took much longer than I thought it would initially but I am very happy with all the iterations it took to get to the end. It made it that much more satisfying once it all came together. Choosing a cohesive typographic family and color scheme was difficult and I had to sift through a million options but it paid off. I feel the final design is much more successful with the flavor as the focal point and I loved coming up with the pro tips for each flavor.

I could expand this project further with more Maruchan Ramen flavors. I would love to bring the chicken design into the new format and add chili, & roasted chicken.

MARUCHAN RAMEN

MOODBOARD

BOX DIMENTIONS

BOX DIMENTIONS

BOX DIMENTIONS

BOX DIMENTIONS

BOX DIMENTIONS

ROUGHS

BOX DIMENTIONS

ROUGHS

MARUCHANS CURRENT PACKAGING

FIRST PACKAGE REDESIGN

FINAL SOLUTION

REFELCTION

OTHER PROJECTS