What is "maruchan"

Maruchan (マルちゃん) is a Japanese brand of instant ramen noodles and related products produced by Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd of Tokyo, Japan. The Maruchan brand is used for noodle products in Japan, and as the operating name for Toyo Suisan's division in the United States, Maruchan Inc. In 1972, Toyo Suisan entered the American market with Maruchan USA, and in 1977, established a plant in Irvine, California. Maruchan has other plants in Richmond, Virginia, and one in San Antonio, Texas. Maruchan produces over 3.6 billion packages of ramen noodle soup a year.