Japanese instant noodle maker Nissin Foods is unfazed by the shift in China's consumption patterns towards healthier eating as it eyes a bigger share of one of the world's largest consumer markets.
The company plans to dominate the tough Chinese market by focusing on the premium segment, its chairman, chief executive and executive director, Kiyotaka Ando, told CNBC on Monday.
"Some consumers stopped consuming instant noodles, but most consumers want to increase the quality (of food they consume). We can supply high-quality products so we have more possibility to develop our business (in China)," Ando said.
He noted that there has been double digit growth in demand for premium instant noodle brands in the world's second-largest economy, even though consumption of the standard variation of instant ramen plunged 17 percent in 2016.
The company listed shares of its Hong Kong and China business on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Monday, after raising $122 million in its initial public offering. The shares fell as much as 12 percent in early trading.