Happy days are here again for Chinese instant noodle makers

China's instant noodle makers are back in the black after a three-year hiatus, with most companies reporting higher sales and net profit.

During the first six months of this year, instant noodle sales rose 7.5 percent year-on-year in the country, according to Nielsen Holdings Plc, a data analytics firm.

That follows the unexpected sales growth of 3.3 percent to 51.5 billion yuan ($7.25 billion) last year, said the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, after the institute analyzed sales data from 22 of China's major instant noodle makers.