Consistently Convenient

Prepared Foods, April, 2000 by Lynn Dornblaser

Some potato products also focused on easy preparation. Fresh From the Start Potatoes, Riverhead, N.Y., are a typical introduction. Sold refrigerated, the 6-item line consists of washed, peeled, cut, and blanched potatoes in cuts like scallop and diced. Heinz USA, Pittsburgh, and Bob Evans Farms, Columbus, Ohio, both whipped up some fully prepared mashed potatoes. The Heinz Ore-Ida line is flavored and sold frozen, while the Bob Evans Original variety is sold refrigerated along with two types of gravy. General Mills debuted a Mashed Potatoes and Gravy dried mix under its Betty Crocker brand, and Pillsbury, Minneapolis, tried a similar concept under its Hungry Jack brand.

Stuffing mixes that prove stuffing isn't just for Thanksgiving anymore fueled the "other" subcategory, as did exotic, ethnic grains and salads. Kraft, Glenview, Ill., introduced a Country Apple mix to its Stove Top line and also tried a microwaveable variety. Melting Pot Foods, a division of Hormel, launched an aggressive marketing campaign supporting its couscous introduction. The company offered flavored mixes of Marrakesh Express Couscous Grande (a larger version of the original) and Plain Couscous packaged in a canister with a scoop similar to oatmeal.

All Souped Up

Campbell Soup, Camden, N.J., certainly took its "soup is good food" to the max with its newest 1999 product introduction. Its Campbell's Plus! ready-to-serve soups are fortified with added calcium and 7 essential vitamins. A soup fortified with added vitamins was a first for the industry, let alone Campbell's.

The company also expanded its line of pour-and-eat tomato soups with the introduction of Ready to Serve Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic. They are convenient because they allow consumers to pour a little or a lot with no waste and no mixing. Campbell's also introduced Simply Home Soups, more upscale varieties packaged in glass jars that "seal in the fresh taste of homemade."

D'Arrigo Brothers, Salinas, Calif., came up with another convenient way of serving soup at home. Its Andy's Fresh Soup Selections consist of a concentrated soup base and a separate package of fresh vegetables. Consumers add the appropriate amount of water and simmer for a fresh batch of soup without the fuss.

Several gourmet soup lines debuted in cans rather than glass jars. Restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is turning his name into quite a popular brand. He worked with Country Gourmet Foods, Pittsburgh, to create an 18-item line called Wolfgang Puck's Hearty Soups. The ready-to-eat varieties include restaurant-style flavors like Country French Onion, Roast Chicken with Wild Rice, and Country Tomato with Basil. Italian restaurant chain Coco Pazzo also got into the gourmet soup ring with a 4-item line produced by Liberty-Richter, Saddle Brook, N.J. The vegetarian selections are all bean based.

The debut of many soup base, stock and broth products provided more evidence that manufacturers are trying to get consumers to stay home and cook. Campbell introduced Swanson Onion Seasoned Beef Broth, while Heinz USA delivered College Chicken Broth with Roasted Vegetables and another with Roasted Garlic. We also saw introductions for fire-roasted vegetable stock and organic chicken broth, among others. Nudging consumers along, the labels offer suggestions that the stocks be used for more than just making soup, such as seasoning mashed potatoes.