instore - August 2017 - 11

merchandising

Winner of the Best New Product
Award at the annual Canadian
Produce Marketing Association
convention in Toronto in May, Nourish
Bowls - the only warm vegetable-based
meal kits in the market, according to Mann
- come in five varieties: Southwest Chipotle,
Monterey Risotto, Sesame Sriracha and, most
recently, Cauli Rice Curry and Bacon Maple Brussels.
Created to tap into the surging popularity of both bowl-based meals
and foods with diverse ethnic flavors, Nourish Bowls bring to the
fresh-cut vegetable category what single-serve salad bowls brought to
bagged salads, according to the company.
In developing the line, Mann wanted a healthy, warm single-serve meal
that could be ready in three or four minutes, Shafer says. To reach that
end, the company partnered with three San Francisco Bay area chefs
to develop flavor profiles.

Veggie-based soups, wraps
In September, two new products from Irwindale, California-based fresh
vegetable shipper Ready Pac Foods will make their debuts in the deli
department, says Alan Hilowitz, the company's corporate communications director.
Ready Pac's Fresh Prep'd Soup Kits and Fresh Prep'd Wrap Kits are
designed to be assembled by consumers right before they're eaten.
That helps guarantee that vegetables stay crisp and, in the case of the
wrap kits, that tortillas don't get soggy. Ready Pac says its soup kits are
the first of their kind in the category.
Ready Pac cited rapid growth in the fresh prepared meal category as a
reason for launching the new lines in deli.
With this contribution to the category, the company hopes to
contribute to consumers eating more healthy foods.
"We saw a great opportunity to diversify the company's offerings and
provide consumers with the convenient meal options they're looking
for, especially as sales of products in the perimeter of the grocery store
continue to grow, Ready Pac's CEO, Tony Sarsam, says in a news release.

Feinreich, says in the release. "With more than 75 percent of households in the U.S. purchasing fresh prepared foods, our Fresh Prep'd
options enable consumers to have a delicious, healthy and convenient
meal at a great value."
Fresh Prep'd is the latest addition to Ready Pac's value-added veggie
offerings. The company's Bistro line, however, has been around for
some time.
And while the majority of Bistro products are sold in the produce
section, Hilowitz says, some retailers opt for a second display in or near
the deli section.
The flagship Bistro product is Bistro Bowl Salads. Within the category,
there are 11 Original Bistro products, six in the Ethnic & Regional subcategory and three in Seasonal & Limited.
Other salad kit products in the Bistro line include Bistro Grilled Chicken
(four SKUs), Bistro Gourmet (three) and Bistro Dinner Solutions (four).
Ready Pac also boasts a full line of items it packs for grocery store delis
in four categories: Salad Bars & Deli Counter, Sandwiches and Wraps,
Fresh Cut Fruit and Platters.
For deli salad bars, Ready Pac's fresh-cut options include chopped
peppers and onions, shredded carrots, pico de gallo and other items.
Shredded lettuce and a variety of cut vegetables are available for
instore sandwiches and wraps.
Ready Pac's large variety of fresh-cut fruits for delis, meanwhile, are
perfect for salads, side dishes and desserts, according to the company.
Product also can be sold in containers, either by individual variety or
in blends.

In surveys leading up to the launch of the Fresh Prep'd lines, consumers
told Ready Pac they often sacrificed taste for convenience or healthfulness for flavor. The company hopes the new lines meet all of those needs.

Cantaloupe, grapes, mangoes and honeydew are among the company's
popular fresh-cut options in grocery delis.

"We wanted to create an easy alternative to lackluster desk lunches
and unhealthy fast food," Ready Pac's chief marketing officer, Galit

Ready Pac deli platters feature customized fruit and veggie options,
paired with sweet and savory dips and dressings.

instore * AUGUST 2017 * 11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - August 2017