Natural Grocers touts flexibility of its new value-added frozen seafood meals
As consumer demand for value-added meals continue to grow, Lakewood, Colorado, U.S.A.-based Natural Grocers aims to provide frozen seafood meals in a convenient format. While many U.S. grocery chains tout their fresh seafood meals to go and marinated/seasoned seafood items, Natural Grocers, which operates 162 stores in 20 states, is promoting the value and flexibility of frozen seafood meals.
Its good4u Seafood Meals in Minutes program, launched last fall, allows shoppers to mix and match pre-seasoned, ready-to-cook seafood, side dishes, and frozen vegetables. The meals are designed to “give folks ideas of healthy, delicious, affordably priced meals that don’t take a lot of time,” Natural Grocers Manager of Public Relations Katie Macarelli told SeafoodSource.
The good4u meals incorporates new private-label Natural Grocers brand cod and shrimp value-added products. The pre-seasoned, individually portioned products include: Blackened & Smoked Butter Cod, Lemon & Herb Butter Cod, Sweet Chili Shrimp, and Garlic & Herb Butter Shrimp.
“Value-added products in general are popular because they take some of cooking and prep work out of the equation for shoppers,” Natural Grocers Category Manager of Dairy and Meat Leigh Paone told SeafoodSource.
Lakeland, Florida, U.S.A-based 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink told SeafoodSource said for a while, it seemed meal kits were going to be the “next big thing” at retail.
“But after a year or two of double-digit growth, consumer interest is declining, and sales are trending in the negative," she said.
Her research shows consumers are concerned about the lack of flexibility in meal kits, and that the
“For instance, a chicken curry meal kit when the person is a bigger fan of pork. Or having Brussels sprouts in the meal kit when the shopper isn’t a fan,” Roerink said. “The modularity of this program solves all that. Consumers can mix and match their favorite seafood entrees with their favorite sides and their favorite veggies.”
With inflation taking a bite out of shoppers’ purchasing power, the frozen nature of the sides and veggies means zero food waste, according to Roerink.
“Consumers often have every intention in the world to cook but sometimes simply run out of time or are not in the mood to cook. In these scenarios, restaurants win out in two out of three occasions," she said.
Kroger, Gelson’s Markets, and other U.S. grocery chains are also heightening their value-added meal selection. For instance, earlier this year, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.-based Kroger began promoting restaurant-style meals such as its Home Chef Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Lemon Garlic Butter, Kroger Savory Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Kroger Beer Battered Shrimp, Private Selection Crab Cakes, and Private Selection Bacon-Wrapped Wild Sea Scallops.
Santa Fe Springs, California, U.S.A.-based Gelson’s Markets operates 27 locations in Southern California, also is expanding its ready-to-cook seafood meals program, which include a seafood item and fresh vegetables.
“They have become a customer favorite in a short period of time and adding variety and options for the customer will help that category continue to grow,” Gelson’s Executive Director of Fresh Operations Sean F. Sáenz told SeafoodSource.
Gelson’s recently launched a line of gourmet soups – including clam chowder, lobster bisque, and seafood gumbo – in its seafood departments.
“This category is performing extremely well,” Sáenz said.
While it remains “a small slice” of the total seafood offering, value-added seafood has fared better than average in terms of sales, according to Roerink.
Overall frozen seafood sales have fallen over the past year, but value-added
The share of home-prepared meals rose from 78.9 percent in November to 81.5 percent in December, according to IRI’s December Consumer Sentiment survey. Conversely, the share of households that purchased restaurant meals declined from 80 percent in November to 76 percent in December, according to IRI and 210 Analytics.
Time savings are the obvious benefit of value-added meals, but consumers also value the ...
Photo courtesy of Natural Grocers
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