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Meal Makers
Conagra Brands Inc., Chicago, used Natural Products Expo West to launch a range of new items including meals and entrées.
Four new Blake's comfort meal entries include Homestyle Meatloaf, Country Fried Chicken, Roasted Chicken and BBQ Seasoned Pork. Debuting under the evol brand were Hot Honey Chicken, Garlic Herb Steak, Chicken Adobo, and Meatballs and Orzo. Conagra also extended evol’s bowl entrée line with a new Garlic Shrimp Cavatappi. Joining the Frontera Mexican cuisine line were new Chicken Enchiladas with Chile Verde Sauce, and Cheese Enchiladas with Red Enchilada Sauce.
Joining the Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Bowls line was a new Chick'n Fried Rice variety. Conagra also bolstered its plant-based Purple Carrot meals line with a Vegetable Tikka Masala and a Sweet & Sour Cauliflower.
No Passport Needed
Saffron Road Foods, Stamford, Conn., introduced four frozen entrées to transport tastebuds to Korea, Thailand, and Mexico with “no passport needed.” New offerings include Korean Fire-Roasted Chicken, Vegetable Bibimbap, Drunken Noodles and Fire-Roasted Adobo Chicken. All four offerings are Certified Gluten-Free and Halal.
“Perfectly-portioned, better-for-you meals, like Saffron Road, offer valuable nutrition and are often high in protein, catering to the needs and preferences of health-conscious consumers,” said Saffron Road Founder & CEO Adnan Durrani. “Additionally, given the surge in menu prices at restaurants, Saffron Road’s meals prepared at home provide huge value and are a convenient alternative to takeout. Indeed, our delicious, clean-label, authentic, and globally inspired meals are a win-win for the health-conscious, adventure-seeking, and the budget-minded, alike.”
More Organic Options
Organic and natural foods specialist Amy’s Kitchen Inc., Petaluma, Calif., greeted the new year with two new entrées: Penne with Mushrooms & Spinach Bowl and Mole Enchiladas. Penne with Mushrooms & Spinach Bowl and Mole Enchiladas are sold nationwide at Walmart, Meijer, and Wegmans at a suggested retail price of $6.69
"These new products mark the beginning of an exciting year for Amy's innovation pipeline. Our Penne with Mushrooms & Spinach Bowl and Mole Enchiladas showcase how we will push culinary boundaries in 2024 and beyond with delicious organic meal options that are cooked from scratch," said Fred Scarpulla, Amy’s chief culinary officer.
Authentic Formula
Deep Foods Inc., Union, N.J., extended its frozen entrée line with Matar Paneer. Officials say it features fresh paneer cheese crafted at Deep Indian Kitchen's dairy plant in upstate New York. It’s combined with a creamy, tomato-based sauce, peas and comes spiced with mild, slightly sweet flavors like cashew and turmeric. It is served over cumin rice and delivers 14g of protein per serving.
"The demand for vegetarian options that feature global flavors continues to grow, and we are thrilled to extend our line of frozen Indian entrees to enable a superior in-home experience of one of the most popular Indian dishes, Matar Paneer," said Kiernan Laughlin, general manager.
Crave-able Comfort
This spring saw Bellisio Foods Inc., Minneapolis, extend its Boston Market At Home frozen retail line with new entrées, sides and snacks. Two new entrées are Chicken Fajita Rice and Chicken Cordon Bleu.
"Boston Market Frozen Retail is a great, convenient solution for consumers who seek modern and classic comfort foods but don't want to make meals from scratch," said Nicole Grimmius, Bellisio vice president of marketing and innovation. "We are thrilled to expand the Boston Market portfolio with innovations that reflect new and evolving eating occasions."
On Trend—At Target
Sustainably grown fruit and vegetable specialist Daily Harvest, New York, N.Y., said it began distributing frozen Smoothies, Harvest Bowls and “Pops” at Target stores nationwide.
Eight Harvest Bowl frozen entrées include Black Bean + Cheeze, Brussels Sprouts + Tahini, Spinach + Shiitake Grits, Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash, Lentil + Tomato Bolognese, Broccoli + Cheeze, Cauliflower Rice + Pesto, and Herbed Squash + Asparagus Risotto.
"We're thrilled to partner with Target to bring an assortment of delicious, quick-to-prep Daily Harvest food to their guests across the country. Target is a crucial discovery retailer for us as we broaden our reach from online DTC to freezer aisles coast-to-coast," said Daily Harvest Chief Commercial Officer Annie Streit.
Seafood Simplified
Scott & Jon's, Auburn, Me., introduced a line of three new Scott & Jon's 10-Minute Meals. Developed for stovetop preparation are new Shrimp Alfredo, Shrimp Fajita, and Shrimp Scampi. Each multi-serve meal includes portions of shrimp, vegetables, and home-made sauces or seasoning blends, the company says.
"We are thrilled to introduce 10-Minute Meals, which provide a time-saving solution for families seeking healthy and satisfying seafood meals," remarked Scott Demers, co-founder of Scott & Jon's. "We understand that today's consumers are searching for convenient meal hacks that do not compromise on flavor or healthfulness. Our 10-Minute Meals fulfill this demand while offering the flexibility to cater to diverse dietary preferences within families."
