Posh chilled meal kit brand Charlie Bigham's is relaunching the range for the second time in as many years and reducing its prices in a bid to encourage recession-hit shoppers to trade up from premium own-label alternatives.
Five new products are being added to its 31-strong portfolio: macaroni cheese, fish pie, sweet & sour chicken, Moroccan chicken tagine and steak & mushroom pie. The supplier has also revamped the range's packaging, introducing quirky cartoon-style graphics.
The new look and lines will hit shelves on 6 October, priced between £5.99 and £6.99 less than before but still more expensive than meal kit rival Menu from Waitrose, most of which retail at between £3.99 and £5.99.
Prices had been cut in response to the economic climate, said founder Charlie Bigham. "Feedback from our customers was that we were a bit expensive, so we have worked hard to deliver efficiencies and have reduced our price," he said.
"We've taken it down by about £1, which makes us typically 25% more expensive than an own-label equivalent instead of 50%."
Consumers would pay a premium for better quality as long as it represented value for money, he said.The multiples were focused on enhancing the premium appeal of their own-label ready meals, but the food often didn't live up to the packaging's promise, he added. "If they can't follow this through they will be found out," he warned.
The £1m relaunch will be supported by Charlie Bigham's first-ever outdoor advertising campaign, as well as promotions and sampling, later this month.
"We are targeting the 'outnumbered generation'," Bigham said. "There are around 13 million busy couples who simply want to take some time off and give themselves a nice treat at home with a glass of wine and a lovely meal for two. We are going to let them do that."
Charlie Bigham's recorded 20% sales growth last year and last relaunched in June 2008 with a major packaging revamp to give it a more "deli and farm shop feel".
Five new products are being added to its 31-strong portfolio: macaroni cheese, fish pie, sweet & sour chicken, Moroccan chicken tagine and steak & mushroom pie. The supplier has also revamped the range's packaging, introducing quirky cartoon-style graphics.
The new look and lines will hit shelves on 6 October, priced between £5.99 and £6.99 less than before but still more expensive than meal kit rival Menu from Waitrose, most of which retail at between £3.99 and £5.99.
Prices had been cut in response to the economic climate, said founder Charlie Bigham. "Feedback from our customers was that we were a bit expensive, so we have worked hard to deliver efficiencies and have reduced our price," he said.
"We've taken it down by about £1, which makes us typically 25% more expensive than an own-label equivalent instead of 50%."
Consumers would pay a premium for better quality as long as it represented value for money, he said.The multiples were focused on enhancing the premium appeal of their own-label ready meals, but the food often didn't live up to the packaging's promise, he added. "If they can't follow this through they will be found out," he warned.
The £1m relaunch will be supported by Charlie Bigham's first-ever outdoor advertising campaign, as well as promotions and sampling, later this month.
"We are targeting the 'outnumbered generation'," Bigham said. "There are around 13 million busy couples who simply want to take some time off and give themselves a nice treat at home with a glass of wine and a lovely meal for two. We are going to let them do that."
Charlie Bigham's recorded 20% sales growth last year and last relaunched in June 2008 with a major packaging revamp to give it a more "deli and farm shop feel".
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