In a landmark deal for the Asian food and  beverages sector, China-based food producer Tingyl (Cayman Islands) Holdings Corp (Tingyl) has, for the first time, issued a $500 million dollar bond at 3.875 percent notes due 2017. The notes are listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Representing Tingyl   was Sidley Austin, while Linklaters advised the joint lead managers. The Cayman Islands counsel to the ‘issuer, meanwhile, was a 1Hong Kong-based Maples and Calder team led by partner Christine Chang.

The joint bookrunners and managers of the bond offering were Barclays Bank and Deutsche Bank, while UBS and Citicorp International acted as the co-manager and the trustee respectively.

Tingyl is an Investment holding company that specialises in the production and distribution of instant noodles, beverages, and baked goods in the People’s Republic of China. It operates under four segments:  instant noodles, beverages, bakery and others. It is best known for its “Mast Kong” brand of instant noodles.

Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corporation (HK.0322) is the largest producer of instant noodles in China. It specializes in the production and distribution of instant noodles, beverages, baked goods and soft drinks, mainly under its well-established brand name- Master Kong.

Tingyi was founded in Tianjin by the Wei brothers, originally from Changhua County, Taiwan, in 1991. Launching its instant noodles business in 1992, the company has developed itself into a top seller both at home as well as abroad. Wei Ing-Chou serves as the company’s chairman and CEO.

Tingyi, in which Ting Hsin (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp. and Sanyo Foods Co., Ltd. hold 33.27 percent and 33.18 percent in equity interest respectively, was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in February 1996. By the end of 2011, its market capitalization had hit US$16.9 billion.

Tingyi currently boasts 510 production lines at 65 production centers located across cities such as Tianjin, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chongqing, Wuhan and Xi’an. It distributes its products through an extensive sales network which consists of 555 sales offices and 91 warehouses, serving 6,188 wholesalers and 86,755 direct retailers.

In 2011, the company’s sales went up 17.74 percent and hit a record US$7.87 billion, with net profits of US$420 million, a decline of 12.01 percent, due to rising costs.

Over the course of 2011, sales for instant noodles business increased by 22.54 percent, to US$3.59 billion. This represented 45.66 percent of the company’s total sales. Net profits from this segment decreased slightly by 0.3 percent, to US$304 million. The turnovers for bowl noodles and high-end packet noodles however, went up 24.33 percent and 24.55 percent, respectively.

According to market consultant AC Nielsen, the company ranked first in the Chinese market in 2011, in terms of sales value for three of their business segments, namely instant noodles (55.4 percent), ready-to-drink teas (50.1 percent) and bottled water (19.6 percent).

Tingyi is now striving to become the biggest group for Chinese instant foodstuff and beverages in the world.