Self-heating canned ready meals are finally making inroads into the mass market with products under the Hotcan brand getting nationwide listings.
Launching now in Moto service stations, the range is also listed in Palmer & Harvey, Aldi, Spar forecourts and student union sites.
Self-heating products have been used by the Army and emergency services for many years and they are already available in US and European outdoor pursuits outlets.
However, the concept has been slower to take off in the mainstream UK market.
Most recently, Nestlé withdrew its Hot When You Want hot drinks range, which launched in summer 2001, 18 months ago because the technology was temperamental.
"I don’t think anyone underestimated the potential of self-heating meals," said Kenny Richardson, sales and marketing director of Hotcan UK. “People have been talking about it for years and the technology has been sitting there. In recent years there has been a massive upsurge in food-on-the-go and the consumer is now ready for it."
Each Hotcan dish takes between eight and 15 minutes to heat up thanks to the reaction between quicklime and water, which is set off when the outer casing is punctured, and stays hot for up to 45 minutes.
Launching now in Moto service stations, the range is also listed in Palmer & Harvey, Aldi, Spar forecourts and student union sites.
Self-heating products have been used by the Army and emergency services for many years and they are already available in US and European outdoor pursuits outlets.
However, the concept has been slower to take off in the mainstream UK market.
Most recently, Nestlé withdrew its Hot When You Want hot drinks range, which launched in summer 2001, 18 months ago because the technology was temperamental.
"I don’t think anyone underestimated the potential of self-heating meals," said Kenny Richardson, sales and marketing director of Hotcan UK. “People have been talking about it for years and the technology has been sitting there. In recent years there has been a massive upsurge in food-on-the-go and the consumer is now ready for it."
Each Hotcan dish takes between eight and 15 minutes to heat up thanks to the reaction between quicklime and water, which is set off when the outer casing is punctured, and stays hot for up to 45 minutes.
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