Although innovation in the prepared category has changed over recent years, those in the know tell FPJ that there is currently less focus on driving growth through value-added products, and more focus on products which hit the key customer drivers in the category.
The big three selling points now therefore, are convenience, wastage and quality. So says Matt Walton, of Fenmarc, who adds: “Low carb, spiralised veg products and soup mixes are great examples of this.”
Low-carb foods have become hip and trendy in the food industry recently, and have driven a lot of interest into the prepared vegetable category as a result. Over the last six months the market has seen an influx of products designed specifically to cater for these needs, such as vegetable rice and spiralised vegetables: “This allows health-conscious eaters to reintroduce otherwise avoided meals back onto their weekly menu,” Walton explains.
Alistair Whitaker, of Freshtime, also highlights some of the products that fit this bill: “Spiralised vegetables including courgette, known as courgetti, butternut squash and carrots have been performing strongly in the market, selling as a non-carb alternative to pasta.
“On the same line, cauliflower cous cous is a big talking point. Soup mixes are showing a revival too, driven by the health trend ‘souping is the new juicing’, and the growth of soup makers making it easy and more convenient.”
It’s not just those companies involved in vegetables that are seeing the opportunity for innovation on the back of boodles (butternut squash noodles) et al either. Tony Walsh, category controller at salad giant Florette, says: “This trend offers consumers a carbohydrate alternative, and provides scope for product innovation in the leafy prepared category, looking at how salad can be used in alternative ways.”
Another area for innovation in the category, according to Whitaker, is packaging: namely packaging that makes it even easier for the consumer to cook the products to the best quality and as evenly as possible throughout.
Freshtime also has one eye on outdoor cooking, and the race back indoors when the British summer ends as abruptly as it usually does, as Whitaker notes: “The forthcoming summer is aimed at adding convenience to the barbecue, such as vegetable kebabs. Other products then for next winter include roasted cauliflower,and soup mixes to include grains, with the success of grains such as quinoa.”
Kale is still in vogue too, and Nick Walker, of MyFresh, expects this to remain the case, “especially as shoppers are looking for more ways to add extra portions of veg to their diet.”
His tip for the next big product is an interesting one. Walker lets FPJ in on the secret: “As always our product development team is working hard to continue to offer exciting new things to our customers,” he says.
“They tell me sorrel is definitely making a comeback – set to be the new kale apparently.”
A bold prediction, for sure, given that sorrel doesn’t appear to be listed by any of the major retailers on a widespread capacity at present, but if Walker and the MyFresh team have a direct line to Gwyneth Paltrow, then watch this space.
