Stinky Noodles saw exports soaring in 1st half 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, one unusual product from China saw demand soaring from both local and export market, making it one of the best-selling ready-to-serve food during this period.
Luosifen, an iconic rice noodle menu known for its pungent smell in the southern Chinese city of Liuzhou, registered remarkable growth. It was estimated that around Rmb 7.5 million yuan (US$1.1 million) worth of Luosifen were exported from Liuzhou, southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region during the 1st half 2020, more than 8 times the total export value in the same period in 2019.
Apart from its traditional export markets such as the US, Australia and some European countries, shipments of the ready-to-serve food were also delivered to new markets including Singapore and New Zealand.
Luosifen is a delicacy of rice noodles boiled with pickled bamboo shoots, dried turnip, fresh vegetables and peanuts in spiced river snail soup. It emanates a “stinky” smell after being boiled. It is listed as an intangible cultural heritage of Guangxi in 2008.
Meanwhile, local producers have also adapted the recipes to cater to the taste of overseas foodies. “Luosifen is traditionally made from river snail soup, but we have developed a new product that uses beef bone broth while maintaining the original flavor. It was very well received,” said Liu Qingshi, Chairman of Liuzhou Luozhuangyuan Food Co., Ltd., a major producer of Luosifen.