Imagine cooking your lobster dish, noodle at a fraction of the cost of using live lobsters – This is made possible by Taiwanese firm Lian Ruey
AFBR recent visit to Food Taipei 2024 has brought us to Lian Ruey Enterprise booth showcasing an interesting line of product prototypes derived from lobsters.
According to Donna Wu, a company spokesperson from Lian Ruey, “We have been processing lobster soup for over 15 years, targeting the Chinese hot pot and congee market. After the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the demand in our home market dramatically dropped by 70%, forcing us to develop new business models or products. With abundant lobster raw materials at hand, we brainstormed how to best utilize these resources and create greater value for our customers and our business.”
Lian Ruey’s accumulated knowledge in Western and Japanese culinary cultures over the past 20 years led it to experiment with extracting lobster oil, a luxurious addition to dishes in various cuisines such as Western (pasta, soup), Japanese (ramen, chawamushi), and Chinese (congee, noodle).
Meanwhile, the concept of lobster noodle emerged after Lian Ruey started producing lobster broth. Donna said, “Our original lobster soup product was designed for hot pot and contained one lobster head in the bag. Once we began producing headless lobster broth, the heads were left behind after cooking. We decided to make lobster powders from these heads, transforming waste into a resource.”
The lobster powders are primarily supplied to spice wholesalers and cracker makers. In 2024, Lian Ruey came up with the idea of making lobster noodles, leading to the creation of our prototype lobster noodle set, which contains a pack of lobster noodle, a pack of lobster soup, and a pack of lobster oil, targeting the retail market and featured noodle shops.
Lobster dishes made affordable
The launch of the lobster noodle as a general retail product is not easy as the cost is much higher with real lobster ingredients compared to those using artificial lobster flavor. Instead of positioning the lobster noodle as an instant ‘fast cooking’ noodle products, Lian Ruey sees a much greater potential in the gift market, where the presence of lobster noodle set is unique, luxurious, and price-friendly. This gift set is recommended to hotels around Asia, high-end herbal shops in Singapore and Hong Kong, and as a festival gift set for Christmas and Lunar New Year period as an example.
Lian Ruey also sees strong global market potential for lobster soup and lobster oil, as lobster products represent a luxurious dining experience globally. Donna said, “We are starting our marketing plan in Asia, including ASEAN markets, where lobster is almost a must in banquets and celebrations to show hospitality to guests.”
Instead of targeting the fine-dining market, Lian Ruey plans to introduce its products to hotels and restaurant chains, which are common gathering places for families, friends, and business events. Chain restaurants worldwide are generally facing a labor crunch and challenges in maintaining menu stability and identity. “With our lobster soup, it is relatively easy for these establishments to standardize their operations while serving affordable lobster dishes such as lobster pasta, lobster risotto, lobster miso soup, lobster congee, and lobster ramen. Adding a few drops of lobster oil before serving enhances the natural lobster aroma, enriching the dining experience and stimulating customers’ appetites,” said Donna.
This simple lobster concept makes the menu more affordable to the general public, who often hesitate before ordering lobster dishes which usually cost at a premium.
Natural ingredients with no artificial flavors
The lobster noodle, lobster soup, and lobster oil in Lian Ruey product prototypes contain natural ingredients. Lobster soup is simply seasoned with salt and yeast extract, while lobster oil is generated from lobster head with soybean oil and preserved with vitamins. The lobster noodle is a simple mix of flour, salt, water and lobster powder.
Lobsters, by itself, are known to contain nutrients like protein, minerals, vitamins, and chitin. Donna added, “We believe our process preserves the protein and amino acids from lobster meat, as well as calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, and phosphorus in the powder, and hopefully chitin and omega-3 in the oil.”
Since the new product launch at Food Taipei, Lian Ruey is working on refining the lobster powder to improve the noodle texture. Once the final version of the lobster noodle is completed, Lian Ruey plans to conduct a thorough lab inspection and provide an official report on the nutritional content.
ODM instead of OEM Service
Instead of providing OEM service, Lian Ruey offers ODM (original design manufacturing) service for selected customers. Donna concluded, “We help create value for our customers, and many of the product prototypes under our Orchid/Orchid Gourmet brands serve as alternative demonstrations for our customers. Our lobster noodle is an example of the utilization of lobster powder, encouraging applications in ramen, pasta, shrimp crackers, or even as natural seafood seasoning. This concept helps food manufacturers in various sectors to create seasonal or tailor-made products for their customers, adding product variety while stimulating marketing.”
