Meet Nepal's only billionaire, 'The Noodle King,' who transformed a simple idea from Thailand into a global empire

Wai Wai noodles , which you’ve probably seen in stores or enjoyed as a quick snack, have become incredibly popular across Asia and beyond. But behind this tasty brand is a fascinating person—Binod Kumar Chaudhary, a businessman from Nepal who turned a family business into a global empire. Thanks to his achievements, he earned the nickname “The Noodle King” and became Nepal’s first and only billionaire.

From modest beginnings in Kathmandu to sitting atop a multinational conglomerate, Binod Kumar Chaudhary 's existence is a compelling testament to hope, entrepreneurship, and service. Whether through his world-renowned noodles, his vast business empire, his venture into politics, or his philanthropic efforts, Chaudhary continues to leave an indelible footprint—not just in Nepal, but worldwide.




Binod Kumar “The Noodle King” early life and career


Binod was born on 14th April, 1955, in Kathmandu, Nepal. His family is a business community of Marwaris, who are famous for their business skills. His grandfather was a native of Rajasthan, India, but relocated his base to Nepal and started a textiles business. Binod's father subsequently set up Nepal's first departmental store, a huge achievement for the country's retail industry.

Binod is not just an entrepreneur—he's a politician as well. He's a Nepali Member of Parliament and is a member of the Nepali Congress party. Through his political membership, he uses his skills in shaping economic policy and national growth.

He's also passionately committed to philanthropy. In 1995, he founded the Chaudhary Foundation, which works in such areas as education, healthcare, disaster relief, and sustainability. After Nepal's devastating 2015 earthquake, his foundation was among the first to lead the recovery effort—giving money, constructing schools and houses, and distributing emergency supplies.




The Noodle King successful business venture



When Binod took over, he did not just carry on the family business—he made it a giant. Now he is the boss of CG Corp Global, which operates more than 160 enterprises in dozens of countries and has over 15,000 workers. They have fingers in all kinds of pies: real estate, hotels, education, electronics, energy, telecom, biotech, etc.

Among all these enterprises, the brand Wai Wai noodles are the firm's biggest hit. Loved for their unique crunch and versatility of taste, they've achieved beloved status not only in India and Nepal but worldwide as well.

The idea to create the instant noodle brand was inspired by his trip to Thailand, shortly after launching Wai Wai, his business experienced a significant surge. The noodles were then introduced in India, where they quickly won over the hearts of noodle enthusiasts and developed into a successful venture.



Wai Wai noodles: ‘ The Noodle King’ net worth

According to the reports, Binod Chaudhary today stands at USD 2 billion, or Rs 17,200 crore. He's not just highly valued for his commercial success, but also for his vision, persistence, and social work. His story reflects how a person can turn a local small-scale venture into an international behemoth and yet keep their roots strong in the motherland and help society.





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