​​Thana’s noodles from Coleraine proving popular in Eastern Europe

The first shipment of instant noodles has been delivered and a second order has already been confirmed for dispatch before Christmas̶, signalling strong early demand and growing global interest in the Northern Ireland artisan brand that’s well

established here.

The breakthrough deal in Eastern Europe was revealed by Whoosh founder Thana Thammavongsa, a chef/entrepreneur and creator of the small business in 2008 “to share the rich flavours, vibrant culture, and authentic stories of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine”.

What began as private and corporate catering soon evolved into a street food café in Coleraine. a distinctive range of Instant Noodle Pots inspired by the same culinary heritage. Whoosh then expanded into the production of a range of instant noodles for home cooks.

Thana continues: “Whoosh noodles and other foods are crafted with care, using only the finest ingredients. Ready in just five minutes, Whoosh’s instant pots deliver authentic taste and wholesome nourishment - a versatile base for creativity and quick, flavourful Asian meals at home

“Customers can easily personalise their noodles by adding their own protein, vegetables, or even leftovers ̶ helping to reduce food waste while creating a satisfying, balanced dish,” adds Thana.

The Whoosh range of instant noodles, she continues “currently features seven flavours, each offering a balance of quality, convenience, and vibrant taste that reflects the brand’s Southeast Asian roots”.

The Coleraine company’s first international shipment was dispatched via the client’s established logistics hub in Belgium.

“We’re thrilled to see Whoosh beginning to travel beyond the UK and Ireland,” says Thana “It’s a great sign that there’s growing international appetite for quality, convenience, and rich flavours,” adds Thana.

The business opened its innovative Thai and Vietnamese street food café in 2013 in Coleraine town centre and quickly gained a reputation for its fresh selection of Thai and Vietnamese street food, freshly cooked by Thana and her team on site every

day.

The small café’s unique menu is made up of a blend of Thai, Lao and Vietnamese foods that “offer a great balance of delicate flavours and textures to give you all the enjoyment of great food as well as a healthy diet”.

“Our food is all about fresh, healthy and delicious fast food served in a casual setting or as an ideal food on-the-go alternative. Following the success of the café, we invested time in product development and turned our recipes into a range of instant rice noodle products for the food-on-the-go retail market,” adds Thana.

The rice noodles proved to be a hugely successful new direction for the business.

They were recently included in the Grow with Aldi initiative with the German-owned supermarket chain in the Republic of Ireland.

As well as customers here, Whoosh has also supplied instant noodles to the iconic Selfridges in London, one of the UK’s most prestigious and influential department stores that also features an impressive and popular food hall. Whoosh is among a handful of local companies supplying food products to Selfridges. It was then the company’s first business for instant noodles outside Northern Ireland.

Thana remembers: “I was thrilled to receive the approach from such a prestigious and influential food store as Selfridges, one of the biggest stores in the world and one with a great commitment to quality and innovative food.”

Cartons of Whoosh Vietnamese instant curry, Thai red curry and Thai Tom Yum noodles were supplied to the prestigious store in London’s busy Oxford Street.

Thana says it was “tremendously exciting business for us”. “At Whoosh, we love cooking, we love eating! We always think about food, we dream about food… especially Thai and Vietnamese food.”

A graduate and postgraduate in Languages from Ulster University, Thana says she launched Whoosh with the aim “to share a love of food, our culture and the stories behind every recipe and every dish we cook”.

“Our belief is in fresh, delicious food that’s cooked with love and really makes a difference, keeping consumers healthy, happy and satisfied. Over the years, we gradually won the hearts and appetites of so many foodies here,” she adds.

2022 marked the launch of Whoosh’s own range of instant rice noodle pots that can be eaten everywhere in a matter of minutes for a nourishing and flavoursome meal.

“The noodles are authentic, three-minute meals that have been handcrafted with care, using only the best quality and purest ingredients,” continues Thana.

She believes in “eating healthy, eating happy, eating together”. “Our mission is still to bring people together through food – at work, at home, or anywhere in between.”