Company: New Covent Garden Food Co.
Rsp: £2.99
Market size: £32m
The competition: Linda McCartney Foods, Innocent Tasty Veg Pots
The consumer
The packaging is quite plain and I'd struggle to notice it on shelf. From the name of it I thought the dishes might be filled with Brussels sprouts. I'm no vegetarian but I wasn't put off knowing the cassoulet contained no meat - although the two-of-your-5-a-day message doesn't mean much to me. It looked appetising and was not lacking in substance, as the beans and cobbler were filling. I liked the flavour and the varied texture and was, overall, pleasantly surprised. Four stars (out of five)
Adam Caws, landscaper, West Sussex
The retailer
Having the New Covent Garden brand on the front of the pack would have made me more likely to buy it and a cut-out to see the actual food would be more appealing. I like the emphasis on microwave heating but why not emphasise the point that this is the cheapest way to cook? The cassoulet was delicious and actually tasted quite meaty - in a good way! The cobblers could have been a bit more cheesy but I thought this was a very good meal. Four stars
Julian Walker-Palin, head of corporate policy for sustainability & ethics, Asda
The Grocer
I've been a vegetarian for 15 years but these ready meals didn't stand out. They all tasted nice, but were quite heavy and had a bit too much sauce. The products also look pretty unattractive on the plate, especially if you cook them in the oven because they have to be transferred into an oven-proof dish. Two stars
Beth Phillips, deputy news editor
Rsp: £2.99
Market size: £32m
The competition: Linda McCartney Foods, Innocent Tasty Veg Pots
The consumer
The packaging is quite plain and I'd struggle to notice it on shelf. From the name of it I thought the dishes might be filled with Brussels sprouts. I'm no vegetarian but I wasn't put off knowing the cassoulet contained no meat - although the two-of-your-5-a-day message doesn't mean much to me. It looked appetising and was not lacking in substance, as the beans and cobbler were filling. I liked the flavour and the varied texture and was, overall, pleasantly surprised. Four stars (out of five)
Adam Caws, landscaper, West Sussex
The retailer
Having the New Covent Garden brand on the front of the pack would have made me more likely to buy it and a cut-out to see the actual food would be more appealing. I like the emphasis on microwave heating but why not emphasise the point that this is the cheapest way to cook? The cassoulet was delicious and actually tasted quite meaty - in a good way! The cobblers could have been a bit more cheesy but I thought this was a very good meal. Four stars
Julian Walker-Palin, head of corporate policy for sustainability & ethics, Asda
The Grocer
I've been a vegetarian for 15 years but these ready meals didn't stand out. They all tasted nice, but were quite heavy and had a bit too much sauce. The products also look pretty unattractive on the plate, especially if you cook them in the oven because they have to be transferred into an oven-proof dish. Two stars
Beth Phillips, deputy news editor
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