>>consumers and buyers give their views on the latest launches
Ken HOm Cooks...
From: Westmill Foods
Wok wizard Ken Hom has teamed up with Westmill Foods for a pan-Asian convenience range of sauces, together with microwaveable rices and noodles, aimed at building a premium sector.
Price: £1.49 each
Total score: 36/50
consumer’s verdict
chris lees, 37, mortgage broker, purley, surrey
Convenient cooking sauces and microwaveable products are a godsend for a working mother of two so I really wanted to like these products.
I’m not familiar with Ken Hom but on the packs he looks as though he knows what he is doing and the packaging had a quality look.
Apart from sweet & sour, the sauce flavours were different from others I knew and seemed to have a twist. Cooking time - 90 seconds for the rice and noodles and four minutes for the sauces - was a bonus.
Both the Mussaman and Thai Green Curry recipes were great and Chilli & Garlic had a real kick. I’d try all three again, although the Black Bean sauce was too tangy and the Nasi Goreng rice was disappointing. My daughters (five and two) both loved the noodles.
Score: 18/25
buyer’s verdict
iain troup, category manager, distributor/ mace retailer aberness
Most UK consumers enjoy Chinese food but it is hard to recreate at home. This range manages to be authentic and of restaurant quality and Westmill’s association with an established Chinese chef will help the brand develop.
The packaging is fresh, simple and features Hom himself which helps to identify the brand as premium. The cooking instructions are clear.
The blended ingredients make the sauces full flavoured and they are suitable for meat, fish or vegetable dishes. The high quality of the microwaveable rice and noodles surprised me.
With the increased focus on fresh foods it will be hard for this range to break into the convenience market but I am confident that this brand will do well in the leading multiples.
Score: 18/25
Ken HOm Cooks...
From: Westmill Foods
Wok wizard Ken Hom has teamed up with Westmill Foods for a pan-Asian convenience range of sauces, together with microwaveable rices and noodles, aimed at building a premium sector.
Price: £1.49 each
Total score: 36/50
consumer’s verdict
chris lees, 37, mortgage broker, purley, surrey
Convenient cooking sauces and microwaveable products are a godsend for a working mother of two so I really wanted to like these products.
I’m not familiar with Ken Hom but on the packs he looks as though he knows what he is doing and the packaging had a quality look.
Apart from sweet & sour, the sauce flavours were different from others I knew and seemed to have a twist. Cooking time - 90 seconds for the rice and noodles and four minutes for the sauces - was a bonus.
Both the Mussaman and Thai Green Curry recipes were great and Chilli & Garlic had a real kick. I’d try all three again, although the Black Bean sauce was too tangy and the Nasi Goreng rice was disappointing. My daughters (five and two) both loved the noodles.
Score: 18/25
buyer’s verdict
iain troup, category manager, distributor/ mace retailer aberness
Most UK consumers enjoy Chinese food but it is hard to recreate at home. This range manages to be authentic and of restaurant quality and Westmill’s association with an established Chinese chef will help the brand develop.
The packaging is fresh, simple and features Hom himself which helps to identify the brand as premium. The cooking instructions are clear.
The blended ingredients make the sauces full flavoured and they are suitable for meat, fish or vegetable dishes. The high quality of the microwaveable rice and noodles surprised me.
With the increased focus on fresh foods it will be hard for this range to break into the convenience market but I am confident that this brand will do well in the leading multiples.
Score: 18/25
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