Mars Food and Nutrition UK has unveiled the first products to spearhead its brand-new cupboard ready meal range, marking the start of a multi-year innovation pipeline for Ben’s Original and Dolmio, as it looks to redefine and reinvigorate the ready meal category.
With the ‘heat and eat’ trend growing by 7% annually and a projected UK market size of £1bn by 2028[2], the ready meal occasion is rapidly on the rise. Known best for being high-quality, nutritious cupboard staples, Ben’s Original and Dolmio are now responding to changing consumer shopping habits to give shoppers those convenient, easy and healthy meals they’re looking for that can fit into their busy lifestyles, for meals at home or on-the-go.
Launching exclusively in Tesco in July, with wider trade rollout later in the year, Ben’s Original Favourites and Lunch Bowls are the first ranges to launch.
Ben‘s Original Lunch Bowls are a healthy range of tasty grain and vegetable bowls that can be enjoyed hot or cold, full of textures and flavours that make sure lunch is never boring. Containing no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, the range contains eight different grains and products that are high in fibre and a source of protein.
Ben’s Original Favourites are a range of ready to eat, delicious rice-based dishes with familiar flavours from some of the nation’s most popular meals, bound to elevate mealtime. Containing no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, the range is packed full of a large variety of plants and vegetables.
To coincide with the launch and reflecting the growing consumer appetite for cupboard ready meals, Tesco is undertaking one of the biggest changes in the grocery category in the last ten years. The retailer is creating an entirely new ’easy meal’ fixture in-store – bringing new and existing products into one location, highlighting the opportunities and growing demand for quick, convenient, healthy and tasty meal solutions.
Nick Reade, general manager of Mars Food and Nutrition UK, commented on the news: “We know people want to enjoy healthy, tasty meals, but often don’t have the time to prepare them from scratch. This insight has driven our ready meal innovation strategy which is all about giving consumers a range of tasty and nutritious meals that can be made in minutes.
Ben’s Original Favourites and Lunch Bowls will join an existing line-up of exciting products that have hit shelves in recent years, including Ben’s Original Plant Powered and Dolmio Pronto pasta products.”
David Coulshed, Tesco Grocery Category Director added: “We’re making the biggest change in the grocery category in the last 10 years in response to changing consumer eating habits, ensuring we provide an intuitive shopping experience for our shoppers. We’re seeing consumers want more on the go, convenient meal solutions as well as exploring more diverse global cuisines. A key part of this space redesign is the creation of our easy meals’ destination, and Mars has been a leading partner as we have developed our thinking in this area.”
The new ranges are part of an exciting next chapter for Mars Food & Nutrition and its mission to enable healthier and more flavourful eating to become part of people’s daily lives. Mars Food & Nutrition has brought award-winning innovations to consumers’ plates, including Ben’s Original™ Plant Powered, and Ben’s Original™ One Pan Creations. This is alongside its acquisition of fast-growing trailblazing businesses such as Kevin’s Natural Foods, a nutritious meal company helping to empower even the busiest people to eat clean without sacrificing flavour.
The ready meal roll-out leads a host of other new innovations from Mars Food and Nutrition this year:
- Ben’s Original Ready to Heat rice Family Packs, catering to larger households.
- Ben’s Original Ready to Heat Sticky Rice, tapping into the growing trend for Japanese and Korean meals.
- Dolmio Intensify pasta sauce range extension, for consumers looking to add spice and excitement to their pasta meals.
