On 18 September 1965, Nongshim was established under the name Lotte Food Industrial Company in Seoul, South Korea by Shin Choon-ho.

Though Choon-ho was the brother of Lotte Corporation founder Shin Kyuk-ho,[9] the two businesses were separate.

On 6 March 1978, after a dispute with his brother, Choon-ho changed the company's name to Nongshim, meaning "farmer's heart.

[17] Nongshim has been carrying out marketing and advertising that focuses on the characteristics of individual products rather than on the corporate brand as a whole.

Company chairman Shin Chun-ho is quoted as saying "Advertisements should not be prioritized over quality products".

[20] As of 2016, Nongshim has 11 manufacturing plants around the world: Korea (Anyang, Ansung, Asan, Gumi, Busan, Noksan), United States (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), China (Shanghai, Qingdao, Shenyang, Yanbian).

[21][22] There are 7 sales distribution offices in 6 countries outside of South Korea: the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, China and Vietnam.

Nongshim products include instant noodles, packaged snacks, and bottled water.

[23] in 2015 Nongshim introduced new noodle brands: Zha Wang (짜왕) and Mat Champong (맛짬뽕).