Rsp: £3 per pot
Competition: Pot Noodle; Golden Wonder: The Nation’s Noodle
The sell: Kabuto Noodles is a samurai-themed pot snack, which has been designed to “inject a bit of fun and life into a known product”, much like Innocent and Gü have done in their respective categories
The consumer
Student staple turned gourmet fare? Not quite. The pot provides a sizeable portion, and the flavour was surprisingly fresh for this kind of product. However, it was also a bit too weak for me. I'd probably keep one in my desk as a fall-back lunch option at work, but it is not a product I will be rushing to the shops to buy. Two stars (out of five)
Jo Reynolds, public health researcher, Camberwell
The retailer
The packaging looks great, with quirky messages included that give a 'fun' element to the product. It's quick and easy to prepare and tastes authentic, although it is a little bland to a ramen connoisseur. It seems rather a lot of money for only a few ingredients, but this will appeal to consumers of quality noodles looking for a quick fix. Four stars
Tina Hird, trading controller, Spar
The Grocer
The samurai-themed design and Sun Tzu-style quotes give this challenger a comic advantage over the laddish efforts from Pot Noodle and The Nation's Noodle. And as a packed lunch, it will provide a fun talking point. Sadly, it will also generate a mighty thirst, with its somewhat overpowering salt content. It is also six times pricier than Pot Noodle probably owing to the freeze-drying process and it's massive, as well. Top marks for looks, but Sun Tzu himself would struggle to battle through a pot. Three stars
Alex Beckett, products editor
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