The 8th World Instant Noodles Summit shall open at the Renaissance Tianjin TEDA Convention Centre Hotel in Tianjin, China, running from May 19 to May 21, 2012.

The biennial summit, themed "Instant Noodles for Better Life-Safety, Delicacy and Convenience," is organized by the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) and hosted by Tianjin-based Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corporation, China's leading instant noodles maker.

The company, renowned for its Master Kong brand, has, for the past two decades, been the leading innovator in the industry in terms of flavors, techniques and operational concepts.

As a leading household name in the industry, Master Kong has played a leading role in localizing this instant food to fuel its development in China. The company scored a big hit by introducing its classic braised beef noodles to the market in the early 1990s. The flavor has long been a favorite with Chinese people.

When the instant noodles market stagnated due to weak demand from consumers, who were growing tired of the one available flavor on offer, Master Kong undertook a range of innovations and studies with the aim of developing a range of flavors in line with both traditional Chinese culinary and noodle culture and customers' tastes.

As a result, the company has developed a range of nearly 300 flavors based on local flavors. In 2011, sales of locally-flavored products accounted for about one-quarter of the company's total revenue.