Frequently Asked Questions
Brand & Product
Our taste adventure began when we were in Seoul, where we were staying in the heart of a southern neighbourhood of the city. We observed that spice is at the core of Korean food, but that not everyone’s taste buds, including our own, can handle the heat. That’s when we knew we needed to take action and made it our mission to bring a taste of Korea to everyone. This has led us to design a product with delicious Korean flavours, but where you can personalise the spice level as you like it.
Namdong as a whole word doesn’t mean anything particular, but when you split up the brand into ‘nam’ and ‘dong’, it is a reference to our time in that southern neighbourhood. ‘Nam’ means ‘south’ and ‘dong’ refers to ‘district/neighbourhood’ in Korean.
The ‘K’ in ‘K-Noodles’ stands for ‘Korean’, as our product is inspired by Korean culture and cuisine.
Although our inspiration for the brand comes from our time in South Korea and the Korean (pop) culture overall, the brand was not created there. Namdong was officially founded upon our return to the Netherlands. From a sustainability perspective, we have also decided to produce our products a little closer to home rather than in Asia/South Korea. Our full range is produced in Lithuania.
‘Jjigae’ means ‘stew’ in Korean. We have carefully crafted our recipes to have a bit of a thicker broth, emulating a stew-like texture.
You are referring to Rami! He is our brand mascot and here to set your taste buds (and maybe your heart…) on fire. He is the ultimate K-Pop fan boy and loves to watch Squid Game while eating our Kimchi Jjigae K-Noodles. Look out for him on our social media accounts on Instagram and TikTok.
Choosing your spice level is at the core of our product to make sure that everyone gets to enjoy our delicious flavours – no matter their spice tolerance. Our product comes with a separate chilli sachet which allows you to dose the heat according to your liking.
We have got 3 flavours (Kimchi Jjigae, Beef Jjigae and Chicken Jjigae) available across our Pot and Block Noodle format.
The unprepared portion size for the Pot format is 83/84g, depending on the variant. After preparation, this format amounts to 383/384g of prepared product.
The unprepared portion size for the Block Noodle format is 120g. After preparation, this format amounts to 570g of prepared product.
For the Pot format: Peel back the lid halfway and add the content of the chilli sachet, depending on your spice preference. Add boiling water to the filling line. Stir and close the lid for 3 minutes. Stir again and enjoy!
For the Block format: Boil 450ml of water in a pan and add the noodles. Add the seasoning mix and content of the chilli sachet, depending on your spice preference. Cook for 4 minutes on medium heat and stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and enjoy on its own or add your favorite toppings, like a hard-boiled egg, spring onion or sesame seeds.
The product cannot be prepared in the microwave.
Namdong is available in almost all major retailers in Poland, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. You will find it sometimes as a promotional item in Switzerland too.
Inquire at your local shop whether they have Namdong as part of their assortment or check the online store of the large retailer chains in your home country.
What makes Namdong unique is that you have the option to personalize the spice level to your liking without compromising on any flavour. For other brands on the market, the flavour and spice often come in the same sachet. Putting less if you cannot handle the heat would unfortunately automatically also mean that you lose out on flavour. With Namdong, you will get the flavour no matter what – and the chilli sachet adds the kick according to your liking.
Yes, the Namdong brand is owned by Unilever.
Recipes & Formulations
We designed Namdong to cater to everyone — those who enjoy an intense spicy kick, as well as those who prefer a more balanced and mild flavour profile.
If you're unsure about which spice level to choose, we recommend starting your Namdong experience by tasting the product without small chilli sachet. This allows you to assess the heat level in the base mix first. You can then gradually add the content of the chilli sachet to your liking. We believe this is the best way to personalize your spice preference for the next time you enjoy Namdong.
If unopened: Please refer to Best Before Date indicated on the product's primary packaging. This date also applies to the chilli mix. It represents the period during which chilli sachet is expected to maintain optimal quality in terms of taste and sensory attributes. While consumption beyond this date may lead to slight changes in taste, or it’s freshness, chilli mix is generally safe to consume if stored properly. For an extra kick of spiciness, consider adding extra chilli from the sachet when enjoying next portion of Namdong noodles.
If opened: Store the sachet in a cool, dark place, similar to other opened spice sachets. For enhanced spiciness, feel free to use remaining chili powder when enjoying next portion of Namdong noodles. If you have any doubts about chili mix quality and taste, dispose of the sachet in accordance with your local recycling guidelines.
We have carefully developed all Namdong variants, drawing upon the extensive culinary expertise of our team, which is further strengthened by scientific knowledge. Each Namdong recipe has been co-developed by chefs in Seoul alongside professional food technologists.
Inspired by traditional Korean dishes, every Namdong variant offers an authentic taste and a rich combination of Korea-specific flavours. In our product formulations we use ingredients sourced from around the globe — some originating from Asia, while others are sourced from the EU.
Each Namdong variant boasts a complex and flavourful taste profile. Beef Jjigae profile has a very diverse yet well-balanced taste, combining slow-cooked beef, vegetables, mushrooms, and spices. You'll also find roasted garlic notes complemented by pleasant dry paprika profile in the background, providing natural sweetness and a smoky touch.
Each Namdong variant boasts a complex and flavourful taste profile. Kimchi Jjigae variant offers a well-balanced taste with a characteristic sweetness that lingers delightfully. Thanks to its distinct kimchi notes, this variant delivers an excellent, fresh aroma reminiscent of kimchi fermentation, accented by a subtle touch of pickled undertones. When enjoyed with the chili sachet, the overall flavour is intensified, bringing its bold and vibrant taste to the forefront.
Each Namdong variant boasts a complex and flavourful taste profile. Chicken Jjigae variant is exceptionally juicy, with intensely rich roasted chicken tones. Its taste is characterized by a lingering depth, anchored by a subtle sweetness that enhances its umami-rich nature. The entire experience is beautifully complemented by a delicate touch of seaweed, adding an extra layer of complexity.
The noodle formulation remains the same for both pot and block formats, ensuring a delightfully chewy, slurpy texture with just the right bite. The key difference between the two formats lies in the size and cut of the noodles, which is tailored to their respective preparation methods—pour-over for pot format and stove cooking for block format. This ensures that, regardless of the chosen format, the taste and texture are consistently excellent.
Yes, Namdong formulations contain MSG which is typical and commonly used ingredient in Asia originating dishes.
Namdong formulations adhere to strict food safety regulations, ensuring both a safe and enjoyable consumption experience. All our formulations comply with EU standards, as outlined in the Food Information to Consumers legislation and guaranteed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). For detailed information on product composition, we recommend referring to on-pack product declaration. To learn more about food additives, please visit the EFSA website (https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/food-additives).
Namdong products are not allergen-free. For the most detailed and up-to-date allergen information, please refer to the on-pack product labelling, which includes allergen declarations in accordance with EU-approved standards.
We are pleased to inform that Kimchi Jjigae variant (both pot and block formats) is EVU Vegan classified and carries the officially approved EVU Vegan logo. However, please keep in mind that according to EVU standards, Vegan classification does not necessarily equate to a ‘dairy-free’ composition. Therefore, we recommend checking ingredient list and ‘May contain’ section for detailed information. For further details, please visit Criteria for the V-Label - V-Label (guidelines for unintended traces).
No. Namdong compositions aren’t lactose-free or gluten-free by design.
Namdong compositions deliver strong and complex taste profiles. To ensure an authentic flavour experience, we have carefully formulated our products using a variety of taste boosters (incl table salt) to enhance richness. While Namdong's sodium levels are typically higher than those of European brands such as Knorr, Maggi, and SuperNoodles, they remain lower than those of other brands specializing in Korean-style noodles, such as Nongshim. We are continuously working to optimize sodium levels in our products and will continue applying the most advanced technologies to refine our formulations in the future.
We have designed Namdong products to ensure a shelf life of 12 months for the block format and 9 months for the pot format. Both are counted from the date of production. The best before date printed on the packaging indicates the period during which consumers can expect the best product quality in terms of taste and other sensory attributes. After this date, the product may experience slight changes in taste, texture, or freshness, but it is generally still safe to consume if stored properly.
Please store Namdong products in a cool, dry place.
Packaging & recyclability
We are packing Namdong into virgin materials (paper, plastic) that are technically recyclable based if infrastructure exists. We do everything we can to make sure they are recyclable however it can differ country by country and their local legislations. By design, all our packages are recyclable. For each country specifically, please refer to on-pack recycling instructions.
We are making sure our products comply with high quality standards for food contact packaging. To keep the product safe and fresh throughout its whole shelf life, we only use virgin materials for primary packaging. For secondary packaging (i.e. outer cases, hoods and trays) we are using recycled materials of at least 96% of weight.
We are making sure that our production complies with high quality norms and that each product is perfectly packed and sealed with no defects. However, during high million production volumes there might be single products with some defects. We urge our consumers to report each of them so that we can improve our quality control systems and implement corrective actions.
For country specific recycling, please refer to on-pack recycling instructions.
Namdong is a new brand on the market but a part of Unilever family, which means it follows same high quality standards as any other of our brands (Knorr, Hellman’s, etc). All our products comply with EU food contact standards. Namdong brand is produced in Europe and sold in Europe.