​Focus On Ready Meals and Soups: 7 January

By Rob Brown rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com 

Publishing: 7 January 2023
Advertising deadline: 20 December 2022
Submissions deadline: 16 December 2022

There’s a big freeze going on in ready meals right now. Challenger brands and established peers alike are pouring innovation into the colder end of the category, with offerings including bean bowls, pasta, curries and much else besides. So why are brands focusing so much on frozen ready meals? What does it mean for own label rivals and counterparts in the ambient and chilled sections? And can the category adapt to shoppers’ shifting priorities on health and costs?

Ambient, frozen and fresh: Ready meals in different aisles have seen different sales patterns over the past year. How are shoppers’ choices changing?

Soup: Trendy chilled soup brands are growing while their peers in the ambient section shrink. Is this trend likely to continue?

Health: HFSS rules took effect in October, restricting where unhealthy products could go in stores. How has it affected the ready meals section?

Brand vs own label: Own label ready meals have become more popular of late, likely due to lower prices. How can premium fare improve its performance?

Labour costs: With the British labour market looking especially tight at the moment, what does it mean for manufacturing ready meals?

Innovations: We will profile 4 new products or ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each

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