IN Brief:
- Samyang is positioning Buldak Swicy at 1,920 Scoville Heat Units, below its original Hot Chicken noodles.
- Tangled incorporates chickpea flour into air-fried protein pasta, with 15g of protein per serving in the products discussed.
- The October interview updates existing product developments; no new manufacturing capacity or equipment investment was disclosed.
South Korean food manufacturer Samyang Foods is broadening its noodle portfolio with milder spicy products and chickpea-based protein pasta as it seeks customers beyond the established Buldak Hot Chicken range. In an industry interview published on 21 October 2026, a company representative described the Buldak Swicy variant, Tangled pasta and market-specific MEP noodles, but did not announce a new factory or production line.
The update concerns formulation and commercial positioning rather than a single new production investment. Some of the products have been available since earlier launches, including Tangled, which Samyang introduced during 2025. The interview provides information about the current flavours, nutritional positioning and possible future additions, without establishing new October manufacturing capacity.
Buldak Swicy combines sweet and spicy flavour characteristics and is positioned below the original Buldak products in heat intensity. Samyang reports 1,920 Scoville Heat Units for Swicy, compared with approximately 4,404 for its original Hot Chicken noodles. Those numbers are reported brand specifications, not independently validated measurements for individual production batches.
The company describes Swicy as the lowest of five heat levels offered to consumers. Moving towards a milder profile may broaden the range of people prepared to try an established spicy product, but Samyang has not disclosed sales volumes, repeat purchase rates or the manufacturing cost of reformulating the seasoning.
Changing perceived heat is a formulation problem rather than simply a marketing decision. Capsaicinoids contribute to pungency, while sugars, acidity, savoury ingredients and aromas influence how the finished sauce or seasoning is experienced. Reducing the heat-producing components can change the balance of the recipe, and a producer must assess flavour consistency alongside any intended nutritional and labelling characteristics.
The interview does not provide a complete ingredient declaration for Swicy or state whether Samyang uses different equipment to prepare the seasoning. The existence of a new flavour should not be presented as evidence of a new chilli extraction process, novel manufacturing technology or specific automation investment.
Samyang is also developing a separate commercial proposition through Tangled, which it describes as air-fried protein pasta using chickpea flour. The company reports 15g of protein per serving for the products discussed in October. That figure applies to the cited formulation and should not be generalised to unrelated noodle ranges or to any serving size not specified by the manufacturer.
The brand currently lists Premium Mushroom, Basil Tomato, Garlic Oil, Garlic Shrimp and Bulgogi Alfredo flavours. Each combines a higher protein noodle concept with different sauces or seasonings. The interview does not quantify the contribution of each flavour to sales or identify where individual varieties are manufactured.
Chickpea flour changes the ingredient balance compared with a conventional wheat noodle. Protein, starch, fibre and water interact during mixing and forming, affecting dough handling and the characteristics of the final product. A manufacturer has to develop a recipe that delivers the intended nutritional declaration without losing the texture or cooking performance expected by its customers.
The amount of chickpea flour in Tangled was not disclosed. Nor did Samyang provide data on dough moisture, shaping parameters, cooking loss or texture tests. The 15g protein figure is a finished product specification rather than a measure of manufacturing efficiency or evidence that the product contains no other protein sources.
The air-fried description refers to an alternative to conventional deep-fried instant noodle preparation, but the company has not published a quantified comparison of oil content or energy use for the products in the interview. Different approaches to cooking and drying noodles require attention to water removal, product stability and final texture; claims of superior environmental performance would need independent process information.
Samyang first described Tangled’s protein and fibre positioning in 2025, when it reported 15g protein and 6g dietary fibre for products in the range. The October update therefore should not imply that its use of chickpea flour or higher protein formulation was first introduced this week.
The company says some consumers have asked about a spicy version of Tangled. That remains a possible future product, not a confirmed launch. Developing such a variant could involve changes to seasoning and recipe specification, but no manufacturing decision or completion date was stated.
Samyang has also introduced MEP, a noodle range developed for the Thai market. The product positioning includes a chewier noodle texture and flavours selected for local preferences, such as Garlic and Clam seafood broth, Gochujang Pad Cha, Red Pepper Chicken and Cilantro, and Korean Chilli Crab. The interview did not identify a dedicated Thai production facility or disclose local sourcing arrangements.
Regional product variants create practical requirements for specification and packaging management. Different ingredients, allergen declarations, flavour systems and market labelling requirements may be involved, while a manufacturer must decide how to allocate production across available lines. Those are relevant operational considerations, but Samyang did not publish new engineering details for MEP in the October interview.
Samyang’s wider Buldak brand gained international recognition through its hot noodle products, while the latest commercial programme uses milder flavours and a protein-oriented alternative to address different preferences. How those products influence manufacturing utilisation and revenue will depend on demand and distribution rather than the number of new flavour names alone.
The current evidence establishes an active formulation strategy, five Tangled flavours and a defined lower heat positioning for Swicy. Production capacity, product-specific volumes and new equipment investments remain undisclosed, and any future spicy Tangled product has yet to be confirmed.
