Westbridge Foods
, leading UK importer and developer of Asian foods, announces the launch of the UK’s first Thai-specialist ready meal brand, Kitchen Joy, at Tesco. The brand’s new range of six rice and noodle based frozen meals launches into over 580 Tesco stores this month, and features Thai classics, such as Chicken Panang, Tom Yum, and Green Curry along with fusion dishes including Spicy Sesame Chicken Noodles.
Tapping into the growing consumer demand for more authentic Asian flavours, Kitchen Joy offers restaurant-quality dishes that are microwavable in only 8 minutes. Uniquely manufactured in Thailand by Westbridge’s parent company, CP Foods, dishes are inspired by Bangkok’s mix of culinary heritage and modern foodie culture. By producing in Thailand, each dish uses traditional ingredients, fresh herbs, and spices to give a ‘vibrantly Thai’ flavour.
As consumers are increasingly turning to shop-bought ‘fakeaways’ to treat themselves on a budget, Kitchen Joy’s unique packaging taps into the trend. In a first for the frozen category, the range comes in innovative heat and eat style ‘cubes’, mimicking classic ‘takeout’ packaging for a true fakeaway experience at home. Additionally, with an RRP of £2.75 per pack and a launch price of £2, the meals offer exceptional value for shoppers without compromising taste or quality.
The debut of Kitchen Joy comes as the frozen ready-meal sector is experiencing significant growth, with Kantar* reporting a 6.5% increase in the take-home value sales of chilled and frozen ready meals, bringing the market close to £5bn, alongside a 3.1% rise in volume.
The launch is supported by a £1.5M brand investment in 2025, emphasising Westbridge Food’s commitment to innovation and growth in the frozen ready-meal sector.
Christa Bloom-Burrows, brand director at Westbridge Foods, says: “Thai is one of the UK’s favourite takeaways, but to date, it has been hugely underrepresented in ready meals, and we are proud to be bringing Thai-made options to the market. Gen Z, in particular, craves more authentic, convenient, and affordable in-store options, and we believe that Kitchen Joy’s unique Thai heritage and iconic ‘takeout’ style packaging will bring this ‘Instant Ramen Generation’ to the frozen aisle.
With exciting marketing plans in the works and a fantastic launch partner in Tesco, we’re on a mission to make Kitchen Joy the UK’s number one Thai brand in frozen.”
The Kitchen Joy range includes six flavours: Tom Yum Chicken with Noodles (320g), Sweet & Sour Chicken with Jasmine Rice (350g), Spicy Sesame Chicken with Noodles (320g), Thai Red Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice (350g), Thai Green Chicken Curry with Noodles (320g) and Chicken Panang Curry with Jasmine Rice (350g).
For information on the brand and products visit the Kitchen Joy Website: https://kitchenjoy.
