UNFI Adds Meal Kits, Frozen Meals to Meet Growing Demand
United Natural Foods, Inc. has added two meal solutions – meal kits and frozen meals – to its offering to better allow retailers to meet the growing demand for quick, restaurant quality meals, while reducing in-store labor and the time required to create similar products on their own. The meal solutions are available nationwide to the more than 30,000 customer locations UNFI services.
The on-trend meal solutions, fresh meal kits from Cook•Able and flash-frozen meals from Cadence Kitchen, allow UNFI to quickly deliver additional high quality product choices that help customers differentiate their offerings at a time when consumers increasingly rely on their local retailer for meal options.
“With consumers continuing to favor eating at home versus away, retailers are looking to offer delicious and effortless products to time-challenged consumers that replicate the restaurant experience at budget friendly pricing,” said Jody Barrick, vice president of Bakery/Deli at UNFI. “These chef-inspired offerings from Cook•Able and Cadence Kitchen give retailers a fast, delicious and reasonably priced turnkey experience, affording their teams additional time to focus on serving their customers.”
The fresh, simple and flavorful meal kits from Cook•Able feature quick and convenient recipes with pre-portioned ingredients that serve 2-4 individuals and are ready in 20-25 minutes. Shelf stable for 14 days and available at a suggested retail price of $12.99 to $19.99, the meal kits come in familiar flavors, including:
- Chipotle Chicken Tacos
- Creamy Bacon & Parmesan Pasta with Broccoli
- Hot Honey Chicken with Seared Garlic Broccoli and BBQ Roasted Potatoes
- Mediterranean Chicken with Olives, Feta & Rice
- Pan Seared Orange Chicken with Broccoli
- Tuscan Herb Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan Sauce
- Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls with Broccoli & Peanuts
- Weeknight Chicken Pad Thai with Broccoli and Peanuts
With a wide range of international menu items, creative flavor profiles and thoughtfully sourced ingredients, Cadence Kitchen meals go from flash-frozen to ready-to-eat in 15 minutes or less. Designed to provide consumers with planning flexibility, the following frozen entrees and sides are available at a suggested retail price of $5.99 to $9.99.
Entrees:
- American Beef Stew
- Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Five Cheese Pasta (Fiocchetti) in Bolognese Sauce
- Gluten Free BBQ Mac and Cheese
- Lobster Tortellini
- Prime Rib Stroganoff
- Prime Rib Beef and Broccoli
- Prime Rib with Mushroom Gravy
- Shrimp Scampi
Sides:
- Four Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Mexican Style Street Corn
- Vegan Latin Bowl
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Food Industry Investing to Meet Shoppers’ Tastes, FMI Says
Despite a challenging year marked by a persisting pandemic, historic inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and labor shortages, the food industry is making significant investments to meet shoppers’ evolving tastes, according to FMI—The Food Industry Association’s annual comprehensive research report, “The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2022.”
The survey finds that food retailers are focusing on investments in new technologies (73 percent) like foodservice ordering and delivery, dynamic pricing, and mobile checkout systems. They are also increasing labor allocation for online purchase fulfillment (52 percent) and in-store/curbside pick-up (48 percent).
Retailers report they are also expanding numerous fresh or perimeter departments. More than 80 percent are increasing the space they allocate to fresh-prepared grab-and-go products as well as offering foods with beneficial nutrition attributes for health and well-being (70 percent). The departments expected to grow include locally sourced (72 percent) and organic produce (62 percent), plant-based foods and animal protein alternatives (64 percent), allergen-free (38 percent) and gluten-free (35 percent) SKUs.
“A major trend that has emerged from the pandemic is shoppers are looking for fresher, healthier, more convenient options at their grocery store,” said Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI—The Food Industry Association. “Food retailers have absorbed this feedback and are making great strides to create both online and in-person shopping destinations that cater to shoppers’ evolving tastes.”
Despite the macroeconomic challenges, a majority of retailers (61%) pointed to a positive impact on business sales and profits in 2021 from local and national economies. On the other hand, food suppliers – surveyed for the first time in the 74-year history of the Speaks report – were less upbeat (50 percent positive, 36 percent negative). Both retailers and suppliers agree that the current economic climate will not be as favorable, with both retailers and suppliers anticipating that inflation will cause operating costs to increase (78 percent retailers, 90 percent suppliers).
“While inflation is a cause for concern for the food industry, it is much more concerning for American families who work hard to put food on their tables,” said Sarasin. “The food industry is committed to addressing these challenges so we can support families in the communities in which we operate by providing access to healthy and affordable foods.”
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SEG Launches Drive for Red Cross Hurricane Relief
Southeastern Grocers Inc. is launching a community donation program benefiting hurricane relief via the American Red Cross (Spanish site) to raise funds in preparation of peak season. Customers can help equip the nonprofit by donating $1, $5 or simply rounding up their grocery bill while shopping their local Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores through Sept. 27.
According to the National Hurricane Center, mid-August to mid-October is considered the most active months of hurricane season with the peak approaching on Sept. 10. Every dollar donated through SEG’s community donation program will help support Red Cross Disaster Relief, which provides essential aid to those affected by disasters across the country, including food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance.
Raymond Rhee, chief people officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “As a grocer serving five coastal states in the Southeast, our communities have weathered many storms and we know firsthand the devastation that hurricanes leave in their wake. Storm recovery takes a village, and a big part of that village is the Red Cross. It’s vital we ensure our relief organizations are well equipped when disaster strikes because it can mean the difference between life and death. Every dollar donated at our registers will go toward American Red Cross Disaster Relief to support communities in their greatest times of need.”
SEG has a long-standing partnership with the Red Cross, a national nonprofit whose mission is preventing and alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies through the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Last year, SEG, together with the SEG Gives Foundation and generous customers, donated more than $815,000 to aid and support disaster relief efforts.
Donations to Red Cross hurricane relief enable the organization to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie customers can conveniently donate in their local stores through Sept. 27 to support communities and the nonprofit’s mission.
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