Convenience and nutrition combine with the new Merchant Gourmet Meals in Minutes range as a lineup of products perfect for helping consumers to easily enjoy a plant-based meal at their leisure.
The product range consists of three options including the 3 Bean & Lentil Chilli, Lentil & Chickpea Tagine and the Thai Green Lentil Curry, which are each packaged inside ambient pouches. The meals are each ready to eat in two-minutes in the microwave, and are naturally high in protein and fiber with a 100% plant-based recipe to enjoy. Priced at £2.50 per 280-gram pouch, the meals are available now at Sainsbury's and directly from the brand online.
Managing Director Richard Peake spoke on the Merchant Gourmet Meals in Minutes range saying, "We’ve seen increasing distrust of ultra-processed meat substitutes as a source of protein – 54% say they avoid plant-based meat substitutes because they are ultra- processed. At Merchant Gourmet, we wanted to address this need for healthy, yet convenient food directly, with our high-protein, plant-based Meals in Minutes pouches."
Heat-and-Eat Plant-Based Meals
The Merchant Gourmet Meals in Minutes Range Has Three Products
Trend Themes
1. Convenient Plant-based Meals - Rising consumer demand for quick and healthy meals highlights a shift towards UHT-processed plant-based foods that facilitate easy meal preparation.
2. Trust in Natural Ingredients - Increasing consumer skepticism about ultra-processed foods promotes brands offering transparent, minimally processed meal options.
3. High-protein Diets - The focus on high-protein plant-based foods responds to nutritional preferences that prioritize muscle health and overall well-being.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - Evolving dietary trends reflecting a preference for plant-based, high-protein foods reshape product offerings in the ready-to-eat meals segment.
2. Health and Wellness - Interest in nutritious, minimally processed foods underlines transformations within the health and wellness sector as it leans towards better ingredient transparency.
3. Retail and E-commerce - Changes in consumer food purchasing habits drive demand for convenient, healthy meal solutions in retail and direct-to-consumer sales channels.