Richard Branson says Jetlag Noodles are 'a great idea'
Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson has given a 'thumbs up' to Globetrender spin-off product Jetlag Noodles, designed specifically for travellers looking for 'functional' convenience food. Jenny Southan reports
Jetlag Noodles has caught the attention of famous, self-made entrepreneurs Simon Squibb and Richard Branson.
"Jetlag is a big problem for a lot of people," said Simon. "I just got back from LA. I need to get over jet lag - I need those noodles NOW!"
"Well, nobody who ever goes into our hotels ever gets drunk or wasted..." joked Richard, highlighting how Jetlag Noodles will also be great as a late-night snack or hangover "cure".
"On a serious note - it's a great idea," said Richard.
"It's a great name isn't it," said Simon.
"Trying to come up with a good name for a company is tough these days," said Richard.
What's the back story?
As the founder of Globetrender – the world's leading travel trend forecasting agency – I make it my business to study innovation. And every now and again I get a good idea myself for a new business endeavour. About two years ago, when I was on my way to Dubai via a London airport, I came up with the idea of Jetlag Noodles.
I resent paying for expensive room service when arriving late in a new city, and sometimes it's not safe or convenient to seek out food beyond the confines of a hotel. Unless you are staying in a rental apartment with a kitchen, normally the only means you have of cooking is a kettle to boil water, which made me think of instant noodles, which are already a travel staple among airline crew and savvy Asian travellers who will pack some in their case.
Some airlines even stock them onboard as an on-demand snack, although the quality is usually fairly poor. Done well, instant noodles are the perfect comfort food – light, tasty and when served in a soup, hydrating.
Convinced that I had identified a gap in the market for "functional" noodles (enhanced with specific vitamins and ingredients to help alleviate the symptoms of jet lag), I forged a partnership with my brothers Ben Southan – a graphic designer and illustrator, and Jack Southan – a chef and co-owner of Med restaurant in Brighton.
Rather than sell directly to consumers, we have designed Jetlag Noodles to specifically be stocked on airlines, in hotel minibars, airport lounges, cruise ships and even commercial spaceports. I was so confident in my idea that I first pitched the concept to Richard Branson when I was on Necker Island as part of a press trip (you can read my review here).
He said he loved it, so we proceeded to develop the product and worked with London-based design agency SeymourPowell on the packaging. (The fact that they also designed the interiors for Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spacecraft was kismet.)
Ahead of the launch of Jetlag Noodles later this year, we took a second opportunity to pitch the idea in spring of 2025. This time it was a one-minute video presentation at the Virgin Hotel in London's Shoreditch, an initiative called the "Elevator of Dreams" organised by entrepreneur Simon Squibb and his start-up platform Helpbnk, in partnership with Virgin StartUp.
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Although we didn't win the competition, we actually achieved an even better result – a personal response to our pitch from both Squibb and Branson, shared across their social media platforms, with Branson posting it on his @richardbranson Instagram stories ("Such a fun idea", he wrote) and grid to an audience of five million followers.
Simon Squibb/Helpbnk wrote: "Jetlag Noodles will work. Not just because of the product itself. But because of where, and how, it fits into the market. Hotels. Airport lounges. Hotel mini bars. Places where people are out of synch… Tired and unfocused. Looking for something simple to bring them back. That’s the REAL insight here. Routine keeps people regulated… And when it’s broken they will reach for anything that helps them feel in control again.
"These entrepreneurs simply built a product for the moment that is needed. Most don’t. Most build first then scramble to figure out where it belongs. But at the beginning, product and placement carry the same weight."
