EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – It’s no secret that today’s shoppers gravitate towards the more convenient offerings, propelling forward the ready-to-make meal packaging and kits we are seeing from both foodservice and retail operators. The latest to catch this tidal wave is SuperValu, who just announced the launch of its Quick & Easy Meals line.

“While we have long provided meal solutions for busy shoppers, our new Quick & Easy Meals program will now make it even easier for our customers to find a variety of fresh, fast, delicious, and reasonably priced meals to meet their needs on any particular day,” said Anne Dament, Senior Vice President of Retail, Merchandising, and Marketing. “Today’s consumers are seeking changes, impacting where they spend their food dollars. Originally, a grocery store only needed to have the components to make the meal. Now, we need to have the full solution available to time-starved customers at our stores or delivered to their homes, whether it’s ready-to-eat, heat-and-eat, or prepare at home.”

The expanded line of meal solutions will be found at SuperValu retail banners and more than 3,000 independent grocery stores nationwide served by its wholesale business, according to a press release.

Currently, Quick & Easy Meals offers three different levels of food preparation:

• Fully prepared, ready-to-eat, grab-and-go items
• Completely assembled heat-and-eat meals
• Fresh meal kit options with preselected ingredients chopped, sliced, and measured for simpler, faster home prep

Nearly 80 percent of consumers reported they would like to be able to buy meal kits in grocery stores, according to research from Field Agent. In addition to convenience, other factors the company named as important to consumers when deciding where to purchase freshly prepared meals include cost, quality, and variety.

“Independent retailers look to SuperValu for insights on trends and answers to the changing consumer landscape. As the more than 3,000 stores we serve across the country look to evolve and continue to position themselves to best serve their customers, solutions like our Quick & Easy meal program provides a differentiator in their stores,” said Mike Stigers, Executive Vice President of Wholesale.

Each option provides a convenient way to enjoy a high-quality meal without the hassle:

Ready to Enjoy

The Ready-to-Enjoy offerings feature more than 500 items, including hot-and-ready items in the store deli, as well as a diverse variety of freshly made sandwiches, salads, and pre-cut fruits and vegetables. The Ready-to-Enjoy selection includes fresh fruit bowls, yogurt cups, veggie cups to go, macaroni and cheese, and chicken wings.

Heat & Eat

Featuring a wide selection of entrées that offers a delicious alternative to cooking with no planning required. Consumers will find more than 40 different varieties of Heat & Eat options in the deli area, including chicken Alfredo, burrito bowls, and Swedish meatballs.

Prepare at Home

The Quick & Easy Meals Prepare-at-Home lineup includes chef-inspired meal kits, in addition to pre-seasoned, pre-portioned meats with or without vegetables that make it easy to have a quality, restaurant-worthy meal consumers can be proud to serve their families or guests. The Quick & Easy meal kits can be prepared at home in less than 15 minutes and include bourbon peppercorn steak tips and teriyaki chicken stir fry, as well as chicken Marsala and Thai coconut chicken, both of which are gluten-free. Additional Prepare-at-Home options are available.

For more information on Quick & Easy Meals, visit http://myquickandeasymeals.com. And for all the latest in retail innovations, pilots, and strategies, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.

SuperValu