Anecoop has launched a new assortment of prepared foods for time-poor consumers looking for affordable healthy meal options for inside and outside the home.
Marketed under the company’s recently launched ¿Y si? De Bouquet convenience label, the Express Slow Food range comprises six solutions – prepared fruit, snack vegetables, vegetable spreads, soups, fruit purées and vegetable-based desserts, each with several flavour options. New products will be incorporated as the range is rolled out, according to Anecoop’s marketing manager Carlota Pardo.
Sold in individual servings of 80g to 700g, the products are made up of 100 per cent fruits and vegetables and all bar two are suitable for vegans. They are also free from gluten, preservatives and colorants, low in salt and have no added sugar.
While Spain’s population has fallen since the start of the decade, there has been an increase in single-person households, along with childless couples or couples whose children have left home and single-parent families. At the same time, there has been a rise in the number of tourists, who are more familiar with – and open to – the whole ready-to-eat concept.
“This brand new category taps into market trends for convenience, speed, tradition, practicality, health, quality and origin,” says Pardo. “The idea is to be able to offer complete menu options at competitive prices. Grabbing lunch at a bar or restaurant can cost you €10-15, while one of our menus comes in at a considerably lower price and is a much healthier option.”
The meals are also designed to appeal to consumers who are too tired to cook when they get home from a long days’ work but don’t want to compromise on quality or nutrition.
A typical menu may comprise carrot sticks with an aubergine, coriander and linseed dip; courgette soup and a papaya and orange mousse.
Pardo points out that the range’s sustainability credentials should also appeal to today’s more environmentally conscious consumers. “Products like these can help tackle food waste as they make use of less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables,” she explains, adding that all the products come in fully recyclable packaging.
The range will shortly go on sale in Spain through retailers Carrefour and Consum and could be rolled out to other markets as production increases.
Express Slow Food is the latest launch from Janus Fruit, the company set up by Anecoop earlier this year to handle its growing convenience offer.
