How restaurants are making their way to retail and boosting their profits!

There is no doubt about it, convenience food has boomed in the UK. The choice is endless - from easy grab-and-go’s to ready meals which provide a whole dining experience in a simple, no-prep need, box. We have it all.

However, supermarkets are not the only ones providing convenient options. Many restaurants have now started making their mark on the supermarket shelves by releasing their own range of ready meals.

Ready Meals, why do people love them?

Our lives are busier than ever. I don't know many people who manage to cook a wholesome meal every evening after a day of work. More often than not, we just don't have the time to cook meals from scratch and eating out every night just makes no monetary sense. As a result, consumers are turning to supermarkets shelves in search for something that promises both taste, as well as convenience.

Humble beginnings

The origins of the ready meal date back to the 19th century where the first known convenience foods came in the form of canned goods. Those in the military relied on canned food because it was easy to store, carry and prepare on the battlefield.

UK households started to welcome the frozen microwave ready meal in the 1970s, “The biggest attraction of frozen food was timesaving – everything was pre-prepared and quick to cook. By the 1980s family life was changing, with an ever-rising number of working women. More and more families turned to frozen ready meals for a hot, tasty dinner you could cook in just three minutes”, states Wiltshire Farm Foods.

Ready meals have come a long way since their humble beginnings and I can see that modern versions have a greater focus on nutritional content as well as introducing more intriguing recipes pleasing in the hope of vying for our attention.

Restaurant-quality ready meals

To be inclusive, supermarkets offer customers a large range of ready meal options, making it the perfect supper solution for all budgets and diets. And, it’s no surprise to me that we are now seeing more of these ‘up-market’ options popping up. Customisation within all aspects of the food and drink industry is something I continue to champion, after all, it’s why I started Kolibri. Adding more options to our supermarket shelves is just another way we can adapt to serve our consumers.

Now, if consumers want a meal from their favourite restaurant chain, they no longer have to step foot outside. Some of the biggest high street names are now creating branded ready meals which mean people can enjoy restaurant chain food in the comfort of their own homes.

During the latter part of 2018, restaurant chain Las Iguanas made its debut in the ready meal market by collaborating with Sainsbury’s. Las Iguanas wrote: “Sainsbury’s is transporting your taste buds to Latin America, partnering with us to introduce the flavours of Brazil & Mexico to British homes.”

Customers can choose from dishes which mirror the array of flavours which many enjoy at the restaurant. Peru, Mexico and Brazil are some of the places Las Iguanas has gathered its inspiration from, and consumers can choose from eight ready meals to try at home.

The options cater for meat eaters with dishes like the creamy lime and peanut flavoured (nut-free) chicken xinxim or the chunky beef and black bean chilli. Vegetarians can enjoy the cauliflower and corn quinotto and vegans can tuck into the butternut squash stew known as moqueca.

Food Spark explains that Sainsbury’s launched the range following research which found 53% of Brits are curious to try Latin American food. Consumer habits interest me, many people are keen to try different cuisines, but since we are a time-crunched society, it makes sense that a quick meal at home after a long day is more appealing. And, when people do find the time to spend an evening eating out, it can be a big step to try and new cuisine they aren’t 100% sure they will like. 

About the author:

Kamila is a bestselling author of  “Bespoke. How to radically grow your bar and restaurant business through personalisation”, and passionate trend-spotter for the UK Eating Out market with thousands of followers on her widely popular blog www.Bespoke.World

With a decade of hands-on experience collaborating with hospitality influencers and insight experts and background in setting strategies for leading brands, Kamila has become the industry champion for truly bespoke and guest-centric experiences.