The Grocer – 10 August 2019

focus on... rice & noodles

44 | The Grocer | 10 August 2019 Get the full story at thegrocer.co.uk Get the full story at thegrocer.co.uk 10 August 2019 | The Grocer | 45

Uncle Ben’s One Pot Rice Kits

Jerk Chicken Pot Noodle

Cup Noodles

Not everyone wants to nuke their rice for two minutes in

the microwave before sco ng it down at their desk. Some

of us like to work for our meals. But not too much, mind

you. That’s why Mars has launched this four-strong range

of meal kits (rsp: £2.80) comprising a rice blend, seasoning

mix and garnish. All you have to do is add meat or veg.

With competition sti ening in the instant pot noodle

sector (see above), the market leader is trying to cash in

on growing demand for world cuisine with a Jerk Chicken

variant, alongside a Thai green curry product. Unilever

says it’s working, with sales of the duo (rsp: £1.19) o to a

strong start and “creating a real stir on social media”.

Watch out, Pot Noodle. Fresh competition has arrived

in the form of leading Japanese brand Cup Noodles.

Considering Japan is the world’s biggest market for instant

noodles, it’s a sizeable threat. Premier Foods says the

range, which includes Teriyaki Chicken and Sukiyaki Beef

(rsp: £1.75), will tap demand for authentic Asian cuisine.

Launched: July 2019

Manufacturer: Mars Food

Launched: June 2019

Manufacturer: Unilever

Launched: June 2019

Manufacturer: Premier Foods

Twistd

Launched: June 2019 Manufacturer: Symington’s

World cuisine is no longer the preserve of middle-class 20-somethings trying to

relive their gap years. For proof, see Symington’s new range of exotic quick meals,

Twistd. The range includes  avoured couscous, bulgur wheat and lentil sachets (rsp:

85p),  avoured rice (rsp: 80p), risotto (rsp: £1.99) and pouches containing grains and

pulses (£1.99). Variants include Nigerian Jollof, Peruvian Smokey Grains and East

Indian Spicy Couscous and lentils.

purchase rate is the second highest in the

category [Kantar], demonstrating that when

consumers taste it, they love the brand and

keep coming back.”

And Chinese supermarket chain Wing Yip

is seeing a rise in fresh noodles. “Previously,

fresh noodles were seen as a weekend, res-

taurant or takeaway treat, but consumers are

now utilising fresh noodles as an everyday

healthy lunch and dinner time alternative,”

says director Ennevor Yap.

“More recently, especially due to increased

media coverage and accessibility to cookery

shows, we have seen a growing interest in

handmade noodles, with budding cooks try-

ing to recreate these for themselves. Basic

ingredients such as  our, eggs, water, oil and

seasoning allow scratch cooks to easily make

these in their kitchens at home.”

Meal kits

As Yap suggests, it seems there are consumers

who are willing to put in a little more e ort for

a culinary reward. That is driving growth in

products aimed at foodies who want the sat-

isfaction of cooking a meal themselves , just

with slightly less fa.

With that in mind, Mars has launched

Uncle Ben’s One Pot Rice Kits – meal kits

containing rice,  avouring, herbs and spices.

“ It gives you a great home-cooked meal that

you don’t have to spend all evening in the

kitchen preparing,” says Mars’ ready to heat

marketing manager Ian Nundy.

Italian rice brand Riso Gallo is going a er

the same crowd with the relaunch of its Pronto

brand of risotto meal kits, under the name My

Risotto Perfetto (p50). “The core consumer

for Gallo is the home cook,” explains UK MD

Jason Morrison. “Our focus is on helping con-

sumers feel like they are cooking, but at the

same time helping them along the way with

pre- avoured risotto meals that give a guar-

antee of quality and allow you to add extra

ingredients,” he says. “The growth of meal

kits has con rmed that consumers want qual-

ity products that cook relatively quickly with

the least amount of stress .”

That insight inspired Symington’s to

launch its Hungry Elephant range of two-

stage meal kits, including a marinade and

sauce. “The brand o ers a convenient alter-

native to traditional cooking sauces and will

appeal to consumers looking for new and

di erent  avours in the Indian sauces aisle,”

says Kevin Butterworth, marketing director at

Symington’s. He hopes consumers will pair

the kits with plain or bulk rice, both of which

are seeing growth.

Or they could even go more exotic with

fare such as wild rice. EHL Ingredients

reports growing sales of speci c varieties

such as sushi rice, wild rice, Arborio for

risotto and paella, and black and red varie-

ties. “Consumers don’t just want regular