Lyons Seafood has decided to go back to the drawing board with its branded seafood meal kits just four months after launch.

The company withdrew its Creative Combination kits from Sainsbury’s in late December and is now working on a revised format, with a view to relaunching it later in the year.

The range continues to be stocked by The Co-operative Group, where it will remain until it is replaced by the new, revamped range.

Lyons Seafood marketing director Paul Vita said the meal kits had achieved Lyons’ primary goal of attracting younger consumers to the chilled seafood category, but adjustments needed to be made to the packaging format and the way the products were positioned in-store.

“While the sales of Creative Combinations were in the top quartile of added-value raw seafood sales, this did not justify the continued listing,” he said. He added that the seafood industry had been struggling to find “a compelling proposition” to attract consumers to added-value raw seafood.

Vita said Lyons was now working on developing an improved format for the kits, but would not be drawn on what changes would be made. “Discussions are underway, with the range being reintroduced later in 2012,” he said.

Lyons launched Creative Combinations in September, offering four variants - Malaysian King Prawn Laksa, Kerala Seafood Curry, Sweet Thai Chilli Prawns and Catalan Fish Stew.

The range originally carried an rsp of £5.99 per pack but was launched with an introductory price of £4.99. Data from BrandView.co.uk shows the kits were sold for £4.99 or £3.99 for the majority of their time in Sainsbury’s.

Lyons said it was too early to confirm what the rsp for the revamped range would be.

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