Vite Ramen Batch 4 Mini Patch Notes, and a Vault Vote!

Batch 3 has closed, and Batch 4 has opened!

Things I’ll be discussing: Pricing(it’s not what you think), Vault Vote, and where Batch 2 is!

Let’s start with the mini patch notes! Basically, we’ve received some initial feedback on VMK, so Batch 4 onwards, we’re intending to make some changes and fixes:

UPDATE: Vite Flavor Base bags are wider
- Small hands, no problem
- Big hands, big problem
- I’m ngl I’ve been pouring so I never reached in to get the scoop
- otherwise i should’ve found this problem because i have meat paws
- whoops

UPDATE: Sticker Labels Removed from Vite Flavor Base, Direct Print

• Labels covering the Vite Flavor Base tear notch
• Used sticker labels to test sizing
• Good idea, sticker design sizing was too big on production bags
• Stickers stronger than intended
• Instead of nerfing them we remove them entirely
• Design fixed and printed directly onto bags
• Tear notches work as intended now
  

UPDATE: Finishing Oil label redesign

• Color notch meant to help quickly differentiate flavors
• Color notch not big enough, color notch made beeeeg
• Sticker label also sometimes too beeeeeeg
• Sticker label made smaller
• Direct print TBD on minimum order quantities

UPDATE: Vite Flavor Base Pricing

• ???????

Okay, this one I’ll talk about more candidly. Vite Flavor Base bag changes to a wider format might create some logistics changes as well that might increase prices, BUT, we’re trying not to. This has to do with packing efficiencies-- the current taller design was meant to use the same rough space format as our Vite Noodles bags, allowing us to keep an efficient packaging and box configurations.

Wider formats mean we might need to ship in separate box types, which would mean buying special boxes, but that all depends on what we’d be able to make work. Also, we’re not sure if the wider format might just cost more to produce in general yet.

Ideally, y’all just buy enough that we get the economies of scale going and all that gets absorbed in the difference :^)

THAT BEING SAID.

V3.1 Vite Ramen will NOT be increasing in price.

Vite Noodles will NOT be increasing in price.

I know that right now, the global oil crisis and shipping has caused all kinds of issues all across the globe.

We have been affected as well. In fact, between v3.1’s announcement to now, our cost of materials has risen a ton. Because we don’t use just flavorings, but build our broth bases out of real dehydrated vegetables, miso, soy, broths, etc, etc, we are significantly more affected by these shipping prices.

I also want to apologize to all international customers for delays-- we’ve been struggling with our international shipping partner, and the rate at which international orders can be sent out at the moment is extremely slow.

We are also committed to paying ALL extra duties, tariffs, and shipping costs for you. If you’re an international customer, what you paid at the beginning is what you will pay, and not a cent more. If a service tries to charge more, please let us know immediately, as it should not happen.

We have been pre-paying the additional costs for you.

But Tim, you may ask, I understand how those could be affected by tariffs, but those aren’t made out of petroleum or oil, right? How do they get more expensive?

I’m glad you asked, hypothetical audience member made up as a narrative device to explain this question!

Let’s take a pound of soy sauce, for instance. Let’s say it costs $10/lb, just so math is easy. All numbers here are made up for the sake of ease of understanding, rather than realism.

The raw material cost of this is $10. But after purchasing, you gotta ship it over to yourself!

If shipping costs $2/lb, then your total all in cost is $12. If fuel costs double, like they have been, then instead, your cost is actually $14, or a 17% increase.

This cascades down the chain, because the soy sauce supplier had to get materials too, and so their original price is likely raised from $10, because they have to charge more to make up for THEIR fuel cost as well. That means they’ll increase THEIR baseline cost as well, so if they increase it to $11/lb to cover their increased transportation costs too... it’d be actually $15 in total...

Or a 25% increase in costs.

...Anyway, for us, we’ve faced an average of a 23% increase in these material costs since 2025.

Ouch.

But we’re not going to cut corners here either, and make a worse product. People getting v3.1 have said that it’s the best version of Vite Ramen yet, and I’m not about to change that.

We’re negotiating and testing multiple different suppliers, as well as streamlining operations to be more efficient in order to help make up for the difference. VMK is a big part of that, but also things like bringing more things in house(higher up front costs, lower running costs, but more to manage), and decreasing the amount of flavor types we’re producing at any one point.

This is also why the Small Batch System exists, and why a lot of our ramen is on pre-orders, so that we can keep the costs from rising.

Speaking of flavor types though--

Batch 4 WILL be receiving a VAULT VOTE.

Now we’re getting more comfy with how the batch system works, I want to slowly bring back some old flavors that don’t exist anymore.

Favorites such as:

• Vegan Japanese Curry
• Beef Bo Kho
• Beef Pho
• Radiant Crab Rieu

As well as a few new potential contenders will be entering the ring in a single elimination tournament format!

We’ll have more information about that soon, so look forward to it!

And also speaking of batches(i give up on smooth transitions man)--

We’ll be sending out a survey for Batch 1 VMK and v3.1, to see what you guys thought of it! While Batch 3 is locked in, Batch 4 can still receive some changes here and there, meaning we can figure out what else you guys would like to see improved.

Batch 2 is also currently being blended and made at our blending co-packer! This does contain popular partner flavors too, like Coq Au Blanc, Chomp Chomp Lime, Beef Bougie-Wan, Spicy Tonkotsu, Yuzu Shoyu, and Spicy Seiso as well!

If we end up having extras from cancellations and such, those will be listed out for sale, so keep an eye out!

Once they’re done, they’ll be shipped to our facility where we can begin producing the noodles for them and final packaging assembly. Much shorter timeframe between Batch 1 and Batch 2, and we’re hoping to continue making timeframes shorter between 2 and 3, and 3 and 4 as well.

Batch 4 especially, we hope to have more in stock items permanently available as well, but time will tell on what’s possible.

Whew. That was a big update, I know. I’m sure I could keep going on about more and more but, I’ll leave it at that for now!

Remember, as always, to be kind, and to savor life’s little victories.

-Tim, Founder Vite

Order Batch 4 Now