From soup to nuts: the sky is the limit in prepared meals - Food Merchandising - Editorial

Discount Store News, July 15, 1996 by Laura Liebeck

It may be overstated and by now even cliche, but today's consumers are more time-pressed than ever before. Two-income families move in numerous directions, and they - I really can say we - are constantly looking for ways to increase leisure/family time.

Even stay-at-home moms, who juggle the schedules of active children with home responsibilities, look for fast and easy ways to save time, effort and expense.

The supermarket industry answered their call with prepared meals that require little or no cooking time at reasonable prices.

This issue's cover story, "Ready, Set, Eat," highlights the efforts of a number of the nation's supermarket and supercenter retailers in the pre-made meals area and identifies the growth issues and challenges that face discounters interested in food programs.

Prepared meals is still a relatively new phenomena. While most food retailers - including the young supercenter operators like WalMart, Kmart and Target-offer an assortment of pre-cooked or pre-made dishes through their assorted fresh departments, the move toward full-meal programs marks a turning point in the food market/foodservice industry. These efforts answer the needs of real families for fully coordinated and balanced meals that are attractively presented and nutritious.

Variety is still lacking in most programs, but that is due largely to the newness of the efforts. As the programs mature, I'm sure more variety will emerge. Taste tests, like those at Ukrop, are sure to help retailers expand their menus and customize meal selections to appeal to local tastes. From these tests, retailers will learn about the dishes and preparation that shoppers are looking for, helping each chain - or certainly each market area - to offer full meal programs suited to their clientele.

The sky is the limit, really. Perhaps the next stage of program development will include restaurants joining forces with local supermarket/supercenter stores to promote their prepackaged cuisine, food manufacturers and packagers partnering with markets to introduce or expand a food line, and individual markets digging deep within their ranks for signature dishes or preparations that can be the talk of their towns. Maybe the prepared meal efforts will diversify to include vegetarian entrees (a personal favorite since I'm a vegetarian).

As do many experts, I believe that discounters will probably never be known as purveyors of ready-to-eat meals like their supermarket cousins. But opportunities still exist for discounters and even drug retailers to expand upon the snack food programs they do have by offering their customers logical food/meal options more reasonably associated with their type of store. This could include sandwich or salad plates. With the increasing presence of coolers and freezers available at discount stores, party platters may be a logical addition, positioned next to cottage cheese and fruit juices in the convenience food area.

Have fun customizing a program suited to your demographics. Bon appetit.