A TRUE LIFE STORY OF HOW A CREATIVELY SKILLED NINJA FROM FAR AWAY IN INDONESIA DEFEATED THE NIGERIAN MARKET

With the way indomie is branded in all forms, one will easily think indomie is a made-in-Nigeria product. In the midst of the confusion of originality, we can understand if it originated from the US or the colonizers, but Indonesia?? How??

Even the name sounds like it was given by a Nigerian.

The description above shows how well they have been able to take over the Nigerian market while easily beating off competitors. It surprises me most that even the biggest, richest, and most popular brand in Nigeria could not compete. A brand that can beat off and monopolize any market they venture into.

They had to be sold off to be acquired by Indomie. But have you wondered how these guys hacked us and the market? It is so terrific that we see all instant noodles as indomie.

Buyer: Hello, mummy Samuel, I want to buy indomie

Mummy Samuel: Which one?

Buyer: Indomie gan gan

Does this sound familiar? If yes, let me walk you through these 7 hacks that put Indomie as the biggest Noodle brand in Nigeria.

PRODUCT

The first thing to focus on is the product itself. I am of the belief that you cannot market a bad product, and a good product has already done some marketing for itself.

Most times, we spend time trying to figure out the front end of businesses (strategy, partnership, marketing and advertising) when instead the biggest iteration that needs to be done is at the back end (product, customer relationship and so on) which in this case is the product.

According to a FinIntell study, Indomie dominates nearly all customer satisfaction metrics in the Nigerian noodles sector. Tell me a better product disruptor than this. Even Coca-Cola would not cover it all in its own niche.

Safe to say Indomie is to the noodles market what coca-cola is to the soda market. There are at least 16 noodle brands competing for market supremacy in Nigeria. While some of these businesses only have local appeal, others appeal to consumers across the nation. Some of the leading brands include Indomie, Golden Penny, Honeywell Noodles, Chikki Chikki, Cherrie, Tummy Tummy, Bestie, Jolly Jolly, Master Noodles Golden.

I love chikiliki just the way I love Pepsi but we can only agree that Indomie and cocacola are the “GOATS”

PRODUCT INNOVATION

You know, it is one thing to have a product and it is another thing to innovate on the product by either iterating or innovating through customer feedback and discovery.

Indomie today is leading when it comes to OPTIONS AND VARIATIONS IN TASTES. Customers can now have noodles specified to their taste.

Manufacturers of noodles must develop new products that cater to African consumers’ tastes if they want to grow market share and consumption, in this case, Nigeria. Indomie noodle’s current chicken flavor was influenced by the Asia-Pacific region, where it is customary to enjoy meaty flavors from chicken, beef, among other sources.

Unfortunately, Africa has its own preferred cuisine, which provides an opportunity for noodle manufacturers to take advantage of by integrating authentic African flavors. Now we have Indomie jollof, pepper soup, goat meat among others.

I am just waiting for Indomie egusi or begiri flavor.

The bottom line is Indomie discovered that Noodles will continue to become more popular and acceptable across Nigeria, however, what will become the game changer for brands is the flavor.

On the other hand, product innovation is sachetization. Indomie comes in different sizes represented in grams but also in users' needs. They have innovated well with their product discovery, user experiences, needs and backlogs. So you are not just buying a 400g indomie but an indomie belleful

This is quite an innovation that would interest customers to key into.

ATTRACTION MARKETING

Indomie moved from the marketing features of their products to the marketing benefits of their products. They sold the story of how an average Nigerian woman would seamlessly prepare food for her six children in less than five minutes without having to wake up very early, miss the school bus or go late to the market.

They sold the lifestyle of a 35 year old bachelor in Lagos working 9–5 after being dealt with by the Lagos traffic, will get home hungry by 10pm and then prepare food to eat without stress.

This and many other stress saving, cost saving, and lack of technical know-how (because I cannot cook to save my life but indomie?? I am a badass chef in that) lifestyle benefits was a good marketing catch.

An instant noodle supper can be prepared in just five minutes, saving the time of a busy worker, a member of the comfortable middle class, a university student, a mother, and children. Noodles are a go-to supper since they are quick and simple to prepare, especially when you are pressed for time. A variety of seasonings, proteins (meat, fish, or eggs), hotdogs, chili peppers, and vegetables like tomatoes and carrots can be used as garnishes.

A person’s consumption habits may alter as their lifestyles change. One of these modifications is the rising acceptance of quick noodles in place of rice. In fact, because they are convenient, reasonably priced, and can fill the stomach, noodle products are gradually becoming the consumer’s preferred diet. Due to Indomie’s status as one of the Top Minds in the instant noodle industry, its reputation is so strong in the Nigerian market that some consumers mistakenly associate instant noodles with the company.

POSITIONING — PROPOSITION — TARGET AUDIENCE

It is interesting to see how Indomie has become a staple food in Nigerian households and has dominated the Nigerian instant noodle market, controlling over 60% of the market share.

The global instant noodle market is also projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.95% within the forecast period, 2022–2029. Indomie’s success can be attributed to various factors such as having a good product, product innovation, attraction marketing, and effective positioning.

If I am asked to define the perfect description of a brand meeting product market fit. I would define it as that cross point where the 3Ps of marketing meets the 3As.That is, where Price, Place and People meets acceptability, availability and affordability

Acceptability is the taste of Indomie that can be accepted by consumers (Product).

Availability of Indomie products that are easy to find and obtain anywhere (Place)

Affordability is the price per pcs that is affordable for consumers (Price)

COMMUNICATION AND ADVERTISING

Mama do good ooo … you do good

Mama wey cook for us … you do well

She give us indomie… Indomie

(If you can continue singing from here, you should get married this year, unfailingly)

At a time when jingles were the beast of communication in Nigeria advertising space, Indomie played a lasting one on us with sweet, melodious jingles that held our hearts and pockets together.

Indomie identified as a healthy food eaten by a healthy and happy family. I could beat my chest to say the marketing manager was an ex of coca cola because you see a lot of similarities in the communication and positioning.

Sometimes they communicate to us an unhappy child who suddenly becomes happy after seeing the hot serving of indomie coming.

Indomie moved a step further with aggressive and guerilla forms of marketing. For a brand with wonderful positioning and communication, the advertising just garnished the entire pot.

From billboards to skaters on fliers to jingles, to hosting and sponsoring programs… You cannot help but see indomie everywhere you go, sharing happiness (if you get what I did there, you get it)

GROWTH — STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION

Do you remember the Indomie Fans Club? I was a big member and won various prizes in the multiple excursions we went for.

One of the biggest and most profitable partnership/sponsorship programs is with primary and high schools. It became an annual carnival that pushed product awareness and immediate activation which grew into high retention.

At some point, Dettol started to grow interest in collaborating with schools which was not a bad one even, but Indomie played that hack better.

Indomie also engaged in various CSR programs supporting students such as offering scholarships, providing books and writing materials to them among many others.

One other profitable strategy Indomie pulled for its growth plans, was the acquisition of Dangote Noodles. This kept me in high spirits, thinking about how Dangote was subjected to the power of Indomie.

This would go on to become one of the very first Dangote franchises that he sold off to a competitor

USER GENERATED CONTENTS

Business or business activities will never be separated from the marketing process and the marketing process will never be separated from content.

Content marketing plays a significant role in a business. it can attract customers to buy its products with ease, especially through social proof.

So many of us hustled very hard for Big Boy and Speedy stickers. I remember falling down into the canal opposite the Sickle Cell Center at Surulere, just because I searched for stickers to collate to win a prize. one that will be utilized to create user-generated content.

Do you remember also customizing acts to imitate a lot of these indomitable superheroes?

Along the way, the constant replication of the brand in our faces tends to manipulate our sales psychology.

The global instant noodle market is projected to grow from $54.60 billion in 2022 to $81.84 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 5.95% within the forecast period, 2022–2029. In terms of the continental split, 85% of the global market is from the Asia Pacific region, 5% from Latin America, 6%, from Europe, and 4% from Africa.

But in recent times, we have seen a lot of game plays around the noodle market. Are we seeing the end of Indomie or experiencing what will become a renaissance?

Too much to say, but fingers crossed. This experience reminds me of my everyday thoughts about business and entrepreneurship…

Entrepreneurship is quite a dynamic and interesting game. Every strategy has its pros and cons. No strategy lasts forever, leaving one to keep testing the waters and massively implementing what works. In the end, it is not to him who has the best business idea, nor to him who is better branded. It is rather to him who is able to keep his head up in the game long enough to play his card well and check up with a pick 2