Annabel Karmel has ousted rival Little Dish from Sainsbury’s - a year after losing its Tesco kids’ ready meal spot to its rival.

Annabel Karmel this week launched Fuss Pots - a range of microwaveable ready meals for children aged four to 12 - into Sainsbury’s and struck a deal to become its exclusive branded supplier for children’s ready meals.

The move saw Little Dish - which had seven lines in-store - delisted, although Little Dish told The Grocer it was confident it would be working with the retailer in the near future.

Fuss Pots - which comprise chicken Korma, Chicken ‘N’ Rice Nasi Goreng, Spaghetti Bolognese with Hidden Veg, and Chicken Chow Mein (rsp: £2.89/300g pot), will join Annabel Karmel’s baby pureés range in Sainsbury’s.

Each meal features the image of a different monster on pack and the range is supported by a microsite detailing ways to decorate and use the pots, as well as brand information.

The range, which is based on Karmel’s cookery book recipes, would help develop kids’ palates for world cuisines and capitalise on the demand for healthy infant ready meals, which have risen 41% year-on-year to £24.8m [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 5 August], said sales director Steve Glencross.

“We have the potential to become a much bigger player in this sector through further innovation and our brand ethos of improving the quality of children’s food in the UK,” he added.

Fuss Pots will be supported in store, online and through digital activity, print advertising and consumer couponing.

Last year, Tesco shook up its chilled toddler meals by delisting three Annabel Karmel lines and making Little Dish its exclusive brand, although it extended Karmel’s Disney toddler snacks and doubled their distribution.

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