Supermarket Perimeter - January 2023 - 22

Deli
BRANDED
ENTREES
By Andy Nelson
AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, with restaurants shuttered,
Americans got used to turning to their grocery stores for meal solutions.
For many, that change in behavior became permanent. Helping to
meet the huge new demand are makers of branded entrees sold in
perimeter prepared foods departments.
" Reputation " is one of the key words that comes to the mind of Kevin
McCray, president of Stockton, Calif.-based Kevin's Natural Foods, when
he thinks of the advantages branded entrees have over unbranded or
store-branded entrees.
" It's the ability to create a reputation around solving for a specific
consumer need and then continuing to work with your customers over
time to offer more ways to improve their lives, " he said.
Kevin's focus is on helping to solve one of the most pressing issues
in modern society-how to eat healthy despite the challenges that
come with a time-starved schedule and an abundance of unhealthy
convenient food options.
Since the Kevin's brand is hyper-focused on solving this challenge,
McCray said, the company is set up to respond to feedback from its
customers and create products that make it easier to eat clean without
sacrificing flavor.
Earning that reputation among retailers and consumers take
considerable time and effort for new brands breaking into the market.
The pandemic effect
Ever since the onset of COVID, the prepared foods and grab-n-go
sections of the grocery store have boomed, said Lauren Baghdo,
marketing coordinator for Café Spice, which specializes in fresh Indian
meals sold in grocery perimeter prepared food sections.
" The pandemic shifted the narrative that we were all used to, and the
food and beverage industry was no exception. We saw trends that were
rapidly changing how everyone approached their business plans. "
From a manufacturing standpoint, tamper-evident meal packages
or contactless meal solutions, as many buyers call them, took off when
concerns over the pandemic started to hit the mainstream, added
Giovanni Gomez, Café Spice's director of business development.
Consumers were, and still are, looking for ready-to-heat, ready-to-eat
and freshly prepared meal options for in-store pick up or delivery.
Many people during quarantine were cooking at home more, Baghdo
said. But those who preferred not to cook were buying already prepared
foods, with not much cooking required.
" We speculate that prepared foods and frozen meals were seen
as replacements for restaurant dining, which at the time, was not
available. We're still feeling the aftermath of the pandemic. Consumers'
buying habits have changed, and the bottom line is that they still want
prepared meals. "
Cafe Spice entrees
tap into surging
demand for more
exotic heat-and-eat
dinner options.
22 - JANUARY 2023
supermarketperimeter.com
Cafe Spice, Kevin's
http://www.supermarketperimeter.com
Supermarket Perimeter - January 2023

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