Del Monte Fresh produce launched itself into the fast-expanding bagged salads market at Food & Drink Expo, with a range it said will “revolutionise” the sector.
The company introduced eleven new lines in its Del Monte Leaf Salad offer, under two new sub-brands Classic and Salad Creations.
The Classic range offers a pre-mix of laves in striking packaging. It is available in three different varieties and in single and dual portions. Salad Creations, however, is the range which Del Monte believes represents “a real advance in this market”. Consumers are able to mix and match fresh leaves to create their own unique mix of textures, flavours and colours.
“This gives the consumer some empowerment, the chance to interact with the category. Never before has mixing and matching of leaves been so easy,” said Del Monte Fresh marketing controller Chris Tune. “Consumers have only generally known Cos and iceberg as varieties - we want to add some of the identity to lettuce that exists in the coffee and wine industries and let consumers know that there is more to lettuce than they would imagine.
“We want to create more excitement in the category. Retailers have welcomed the new ranges and we believe that the products will continue our growth in the fresh prepared sector.”
Tune told the Journal that this is a natural extension for the Del Monte brand into a new category, following last year’s launch of a prepared fruit range. “We have done extensive consumer research and found that the Del Monte brand is synonymous with the highest and consistent quality,” he said. “Consumers are not fazed [by seeing the brand on different types of fresh produce] at all.”
Each Classic and Salad Creation variety is available in a small pack format, starting at 59p, responding to the growing number of single person households and therefore solo eaters in the UK market. Research shows in fact that 46 per cent of all meal occasions are now spent alone.
The range is available now and Tune expects it to be listed in major retailers from the beginning of April.
The leaves are sourced from France and Spain during the winter months, and Tune said that Del Monte will be looking to source as high a proportion as possible from the UK during the domestic production season.
The Del Monte prepared salad range consists of:
Classic Range: Sweet Green Leaf Mix 55g and 110g; Red Leaf Mix 55g and 110g; and Sweet Crisp Salad 100g.
Salad Creations Range: Red Chard 30g; Lambs Lettuce 35g; Lollo Rosso 40g; Roquette 30g; Cancan 40g; and Frisee 40g.
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