Innovation and NPD in Ready Meals: Trends in natural, wellbeing, artisanal and ethical meals

Published by: Business Insights

Published: Feb. 1, 2008 - 140 Pages

Table of Contents

Innovation and NPD in Ready Meals

Executive Summary

Market drivers

Growth opportunities in ready meals

Innovation and NPD in ready meals

Key trends in the ready meals market

Conclusions

Chapter 1 Introduction

The ready meals market defined

Scope of the report

Report structure

Chapter 2 Market drivers

Summary

Introduction

Demographic trends

Number and size of households

The ageing population

Lifestyle trends

Family meal return, “home made” feeling back

Eating out

Regulatory pressures

Obesity and the reduction of salt and fat content

Elimination of trans fats

Nutritional labeling

Clean labeling trend

Health claims

Conclusion

Chapter 3 Growth opportunities in ready

meals

Summary

Introduction

Ready meals market value

Ready meal market value by sub-category

Frozen ready meals

Chilled ready meals

Canned ready meals

Dried ready meals

Ready meal market volume

Ready meals market volume by sub-category

Frozen ready meals

Chilled ready meals

Canned ready meals

Dried ready meals

Sales growth potential of ready meals categories

Company shares

Europe

North America

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

Conclusion

Chapter 4 Innovation and NPD in ready

meals

Summary

Introduction

Growth of ready meals NPD

Category analysis

Bread products

Entrée mixes

Main meals

Meat, fish and poultry dishes

Pasta and rice dishes

Salads and salad kits

Soup

Vegetables and vegetable side dishes

Packaging and shelving analysis

Regional analysis

Innovative ready meals

Innovation in formulation

Combination of unusual ingredients or flavors

New functional meals targeting personalized nutrition

Innovation in packaging

Microwaveable steamer tray

Aluminum cooking tray

Microwaveable paper tray

Fiber paper pulp tray

Self-heater pouch

Carton pack

Environmentally friendly packaging

Edible packaging

Innovation in positioning

Healthy lunch box

Meal kits

Innovation by category

Snacks

Main meals

Innovative manufacturers

Key players

Leading tags on ready meals

Chapter 5 Key trends in the ready meal

market

Summary

Introduction

Convenience

Fresh convenience

Personalized convenience

Kid’s convenience

Parental concerns for health

Lunch box

Health

Weight control

Low / light trend

Satiety trend

Natural and fresh

Wellbeing

Functional ready meals

Indulgence

Homemade

Tradition

Gourmet/luxury

Regionalization in ethnic dishes

Malaysian and Singaporean

Mediterranean

Ethical

Sustainable packaging

Provenance / traceability trend

Chapter 6 Conclusions

Summary

Introduction

Key features for success

The key opportunities in the ready meals market

Convenience

Health

Indulgence

Ethical

Target consumer groups

Index

List of Figures

Figure 2.1: Number of households in Europe, 1996-2008

Figure 2.2: Number of households in the US, 1996-2008

Figure 2.3: Adult individual pizza by Northern Foods in the UK

Figure 2.4: Population aged 65 and over, US, m, 2000-2050

Figure 2.5: Ambient ready meal for elderly people by QP Corp. in Japan

Figure 2.6: The importance of drivers of the ready meals market

Figure 2.7: Time spent on preparing food by person aged 20 to 74, Europe

Figure 2.8: Waitrose “As Good As Going Out” ready meal range

Figure 2.9: Threats to the future of ready meals NPD

Figure 2.10: An example of new Unilever Pot Noodle, UK

Figure 2.11: ConAgra Healthy choice range

Figure 2.12: Trans fat labeling in the US

Figure 2.13: Trans-fat free ready meals from Nestlé and McCain, USA

Figure 2.14: An example of Nestlé Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) label

Figure 2.15: Traffic light labeling in the UK (Budgens, Asda and Sainsbury)

Figure 2.16: Keyhole product by Swedish retail ICA

Figure 2.17: Birds Eye ready meal without artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, 2006, UK

Figure 3.18: Marie Les Gratins adores

Figure 3.19: Linda McCartney frozen healthy pizza

Figure 3.20: Sainsbury’s Super Naturals range

Figure 3.21: Paul & Louise healthy canned ready meal

Figure 3.22: Unilever “Pot Noodle” ready meals

Figure 3.23: Nestlé Maggi and Simply Asia

Figure 3.24: Sales growth potential of the ready meal categories over the next 5 years

Figure 3.25: Healthy Choice by ConAgra and Lean Cuisine by Nestlé

Figure 3.26: Lunch boxed meal launched by Nichirei

Figure 3.27: Kid’s meal by Sadia

Figure 4.28: Percentage growth in ready meals launched, by category, 2004-2007

Figure 4.29: Percentage share of ready meals launched, by category, 2004 and 2007

Figure 4.30: Japanese bread product launched by First Baking

Figure 4.31: Stuffed Dutch wholemeal bread product

Figure 4.32: Pizza kit launched by ConAgra Foods

Figure 4.33: Wholesome meal launched under the Linda McCartney brand

Figure 4.34: Blue Horizon Organic dish by Aptos

Figure 4.35: Healthy Risotto dish by Frosta AG

Figure 4.36: New salad Pierre Martinet

Figure 4.37: Chilled soup launched by Pitango Innovative

Figure 4.38: Gourmet vegetable dishes by Apio

Figure 4.39: Percentage share of ready meals launched, by shelving type, 2004-2007

Figure 4.40: The leading regions in ready meals NPD over the next 5 years

Figure 4.41: Percentage share of ready meals launched, by region, 2004-2007

Figure 4.42: Japan Tobacco and Katokichi

Figure 4.43: Innovative functional ready meal by Nissin Foods

Figure 4.44: Jutro Konservenfabrik, Freshdirect and Healthy Choice

Figure 4.45: Aluminum cooking tray by Nippon Meat Packers

Figure 4.46: Microwaveable paper

Figure 4.47: Fiber pulp packaged ready meal by Gunnar Dafgard

Figure 4.48: Self-heater tray from La Briute

Figure 4.49: Hormel carton pack ready meal

Figure 4.50: Recyclable packaging by Nisshin Foods

Figure 4.51: Innovative edible packaging by Nisshin Foods

Figure 4.52: Healthy innovative lunch pack for children

Figure 4.53: Banquet from ConAgra

Figure 4.54: Level of innovation in products launched, by category, 2004-2007

Figure 4.55: Innovative snack by Audrey Rochester Inc.

Figure 4.56: Innovative meal by Fairfield Farm Kitchens

Figure 4.57: The most influential companies in innovation in ready meals today and over the next five years

Figure 5.58: The importance of key trends in terms of NPD in ready meals over the next 5 years

Figure 5.59: Steam fresh packaging

Figure 5.60: Ready meal kit by Union City

Figure 5.61: Ready meals for children from Annabel Karmel

Figure 5.62: Lunch boxed ready meal for children by Nippon Meat Packers

Figure 5.63: The importance of key health trends in ready meals NPD over the next 5 years

Figure 5.64: WeightWatchers ready meals

Figure 5.65: Low GI ready meal by Larkin Street Foods

Figure 5.66: Weight management ready meal by Kagome

Figure 5.67: Own label natural chilled ready meals

Figure 5.68: Innovative ready meals with wellbeing benefits by Stillwell and Marudai Food

Figure 5.69: Innovative heart health ready meals by Kashi and Command Nutrimax Corp.

Figure 5.70: Innovative functional pizza by AC LaRocco Pizza Co

Figure 5.71: The importance of key indulgent trends in ready meals NPD over the next 5 years

Figure 5.72: Sainsbury’s “Inspire to cook” range

Figure 5.73: Traditional ready meal by Pepperidge Farm

Figure 5.74: Gourmet ready meals by Home Bistro

Figure 5.75: Regional Asian ready meals by Wing Yip and Bighams

Figure 5.76: Mediterranean ready meal by Unilever

Figure 5.77: The importance of key ethical trends in ready meals NPD over the next 5 years

Figure 5.78: Innovative “ethical” product by Eat local

Figure 6.79: Features important to the success of a ready meal product

Figure 6.80: Consumers groups that will provide sales growth potential for ready meals manufacturers over the next 5 years

List of Tables

Table 2.1: Percentage share of the population aged 65 and over, Europe, 1995-2050

Table 3.2: Ready meals market value, $m, Europe and the US, 2006-2010

Table 3.3: Ready meals market value by type, $m, Europe and the US, 2006-2010

Table 3.4: Ready meals market volume, kg m, Europe and the US, 2006-2010

Table 3.5: Ready meals market volume by type, kg m, Europe and the US, 2006-2010

Table 3.6: Top 5 ready meals companies in each region, market share, %, 2005

Table 4.7: Percentage share of package types used for ready meals launched, 2004-2007

Table 4.8: Percentage of types of innovation within innovative ready meals, 2004-2007

Table 4.9: Top 10 innovative ready meal manufacturers

Table 4.10: Top 20 product tags on new product packaging, % of all ready meal launched, 2005-

2007

Abstract

• The rise in organic/natural ready meals. Natural food is becoming a growing trend in the ready meals market. People want healthy food and have become concerned about artificial ingredients such as preservatives, artificial flavors and colors.
• The rise in ‘homemade’ ready meals. There is a strong desire to reintegrate the family dinner and increase cooking activity. This desire is coming from government bodies and schools but also from the families themselves who want the nostalgia of h omemade dishes. Ready meals manufacturers have a role to play in developing meals which give people the feeling they have cooked a homemade dish, even though it may not be from scratch.
• The domination of retailers. Retailers have been very active in the development of a variety of premium ready meals in the chilled category. Thus, in order to compete with private label, the big industry players will have to innovate in NPD and advertising in categories where the retailers have less presence, such as frozen and canned ready meals.

• Predict future market growth levels with this report's analysis of key drivers of the ready meals market detailing changes in demographics, meal-time behavior and regulation.
• Anticipate the impact of key trends in the ready meals market and quantify new and emerging opportunities using current and forecasted market value and volume data to 2010 across 7 European countries and the US, detailing the size and growth of the canned, chilled, dried and frozen ready meals markets.
• Improve targeting and the effectiveness of your NPD strategies with this report’s analysis of Productscan data of over 6,000 ready meal products launched between 2004 and 2007. Analysis was conducted to determine the key innovations in terms of formulation, packaging, shelving type and product labelling.
• Benchmark leading executives’ opinions on the future of ready meals using this report’s analysis of our global consumer survey, providing exclusive insight into consumer behavior, key drivers of the ready meals market and future trends.

• How should ready meals manufacturers position their products to reflect the changing demands of consumers?
• What should ready meals new product development strategies focus on?
• Which ready meals categories and count ries will grow fastest to 2010?
• Who are the companies who lead NPD in ready meals?
• What are the key trends in ready meals NPD?

• Of all ready meals products launched between 2004 and 2007, 2% were innovative. Of those innovative ready meal products, 71% were innovative in terms of formu lation and 13% were innovative in terms of pac kaging benefit. Innovation in formulation consists of using unusual combinations of flavors and ingredients and also use of ingredients with health benefits.
• The ready meals market across Europe and the US has grown steadily in recent years. In 2006, the combined European and US market was worth $36.4bn. However, by 2010 it is expected to grow to the value of $41.7bn.
• 39.1% of industry executives think that healthy, ‘better-for-you’ variants will be the most important feature for the success of a ready meal product over the next 5 years. 28.3% think that greater convenience in ready meals will provide the biggest growth for manufacturers.
• Frozen ready meals take the largest share of the ready meals market, accounting for about 50% of ready meals sales in both Europe and the US in 2006.

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