Convenience meals and pies remainfirm favourites with Kiwi shoppers.

Frozen Fresh are giving New Zealand consumers a great reason to venture back into the freezer for convenience with two premium frozen meal brands, Tomorrow’s Meals and Dash.

Sales and Marketing Director, Lynley Webb, says: “Although we recognise that the key international trend

is in the growth of chilled convenience meals, we firmly believe there is still considerable growth opportunity in frozen. The reason for the success of our Tomorrow’s Meals brand sits with the concept that Kiwi consumers understand real value and honest ingredients. They understand that a meal with only 9% meat protein should cost less

EASY AS PIE

[category insights] [category insights]

than one with double that and they can spot a powdered potato or artificial ingredient a mile off.“

Tomorrow’s Meals is a new generation of single serve, premium frozen meals that have been experiencing triple digit growth over the past 12 months. The snack range was re-launched in September 2014 with a new ‘Honey Soy Chicken’ variant, larger size format and a 100% natural claim - unique to its category. The new snack range also includes products with a ‘no-added gluten’ and ‘no-added’ dairy ingredient declaration.

Dash is the family size frozen meal and dessert option with five variants. It is following Tomorrow’s Meals onto supermarket shelves

and gathering momentum with its 100% natural options – Lamb Shanks, Beef Lasagne and Smoked Salmon Pie, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Sticky Date pudding. This range is a larger 2-4 serve format, selling well in those stores with a strong family demographic.

For stockist enquiries contact lynleyw@frozenfresh.co.nz or visit www.frozenfresh.co.nz.Source: Aztec Data Qtr to 29/6/14

Chef SeriesJosh Emett’s ‘Chef Series’ product range is the latest exciting new entrant to the premium chilled convenience meal market with ten products across two different ranges - Chef Series ‘Premium’ and ‘Everyday’. Both ranges are unique to the chilled category, created using the sous-vide cooking technique, in a 2-serve format with longer shelf life and significantly higher protein components. Chef Series offers true restaurant quality food that can be heated in 15 minutes, all created by award-winning Chef and Masterchef judge Josh Emett.

February 1st marked the launch of the Chef Series ‘Everyday’ range with four products, which now sit alongside the well-regarded Chef Series Premium range and which offer customers the best version of everyone’s, everyday favourites. The Premium range was also re-launched in February with changes to price, packaging and format. Both ranges have found favour with consumers achieving double the targeted sales forecast in the first few months of going to market.

Josh and business partners Neat Meat

set out to offer consumers delicious, high quality, slow cooked meat dishes that could be heated in the comfort of their own home. During the sous-vide cooking method, using all natural ingredients and free range meats, the products are naturally pasteurised giving customers an extended shelf-life. Both product ranges have meal options with a no-added gluten and no-added dairy ingredient declaration. For sales inquiries contact lynleyw@frozenfresh.co.nz.

The Chef Series Premium 500gm (2-serve) includes:• Duck with Soy and Orange• Sticky Braised Beef• Burgundy Braised Beef Cheeks• Lamb with Pistachio and Raisin• Chicken Makhani• Pork Belly with Dashi and White MisoThe Chef Series Everyday 350gm (2-serve) includes:• Beef Bolognese

24 FMCG BUSINESS - MAY 2015 FMCG BUSINESS - MAY 2015 25

Josh Emett’s ‘Chef Series’ - premium chilled convenience meals.

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest Nielsen data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz.

[category insights]

Tegel Cuisine and WrapsTegel Cuisine Basil Pesto is a whole stuffed chicken breast filled with creamy basil pesto and coated with a crunchy panko crumb. This product sits in the Cuisine range amongst Cordon Bleu, Garlic Kiev, Crumbed Tenderloin and Satay Tenderloin. “Tegel Cuisine Basil Pesto is a high quality, reliable, easy to cook, tasty ‘centre of plate’ meal solution,” says Assistant Brand Manager, Natasha Sood.

Tegel Wraps are tortilla wraps, filled with chicken pieces, coated in sauce and topped with cheese. There are four different flavours in the range: Mexican, Italian, Satay and Spanish. “Tegel wraps give inspiration for a quick and easy, delicious meal to feed your family and friends,” says Sood.

Demand drives Goodtime expansionGoodtime Foods Ltd has purchased a manufacturing plant in Christchurch, expanding its operation to meet increased demand for its pies and enable expansion in the South Island.

For the past ten years Goodtime Foods’ CEO and owner Phil Pollett has been working with the Christchurch business, which has been manufacturing Goodtime products under licence, and will invest heavily in improvements. New, large-scale contracts have seen the South Island bakery grow by 300% since 2011.

“A big thrill for me is that with the acquisition this takes Goodtime’s staffing level to more than 100 employees,” said Pollett. More than three million pies will be produced in the south in the coming year, bringing the total number of pies produced by Goodtime to over 12 million annually.

Established in 1978, Goodtime Foods Limited is one of New Zealand’s largest manufacturers and distributors of pies and savouries. Goodtime’s product range includes The Hub, a gourmet pie range featuring exotic flavours; the hearty Classic range; the No.8 pie for big appetites; the Sunnydays economy range; the Tui pie - Mangatainoka’s finest; and the Metro range, New Zealand’s first pies to earn the Heart Foundation’s ‘Heart Tick’. Goodtime also produces a range of healthy snacks including wraps, mini-pizzas, muffins and savouries. In 2011,

Goodtime won the contract to supply pies to Z Energy, raising its annual revenues to around $10 million.

Easy to use NZ HokiDaniel Bullen, Marketing Manager at Independent Fisheries Ltd, told FMCG Business: “We have amazing ongoing success with our New Zealand Hoki Loin. This product is an individually frozen pre-portioned 110-130g hand cut loin. It’s so easy to use, so easy to prepare and there is no cutting, trimming, waste or mess. Our FY14 sales were in excess of 35,000kg in NZ – an increase of 81% on FY13! Currently we supply this in a 5kg IQF carton, which is perfect for foodservice and we also supply it to seafood departments in supermarkets who tray it up in convenient sizes. The great news is that we are launching this as a pre-packed 4-piece tray, which will be perfect for the family shopping.”

Why is the Independent Fisheries Hoki Loin selling so well? “The combination of healthy, real NZ fish and the ultimate convenience that make it so easy to use,” says Bullen.

NIELSEN DATA Total Supermarkets - CURRENT MAT to 22 MARCH 2015 Val Sales Val % Chg YA

T. Total Chilled Convenience Foods $127,492,522 4.6%

T. Fresh Meat Pies $42,724,426 10.0%

T. Fresh Soup $19,435,978 15.1%

T. Fresh Pasta $18,225,358 -0.0%

T. Fresh Pizza $13,604,702 -5.1%

T. Fresh Pizza Bases $10,825,310 3.2%

T. Quiche $5,996,112 1.2%

T. Convenience Food $1,768,823 -32.8%

T. Fresh Sausage Rolls & Savouries $1,485,358 -3.2%

T. Fresh Non Pasta Cooking Sauce $46,307 10.1%

T. Total Frozen Convenience Foods $113,334,707 2.6%

T. Frozen Meat $25,385,612 10.1%

T. Frozen Snack Meals $20,593,724 -2.7%

T. Frozen Pizza $17,724,120 3.3%

T. Frozen Full Meals $16,433,110 -3.4%

T. Frozen Sausage Rolls & Savouries $14,927,210 7.1%

T. Frozen Party Snack $7,297,799 5.1%

T. Frozen Meat Pies $6,472,281 -0.7%

T. Frozen Vegetarian $3,842,077 -5.5%

T. Frozen Pizza Bases $658,537 38.0%

30 FMCG BUSINESS - MAY 2015

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Try the All Natural Tasty Bite

range. 1-step

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Heat up your sales today! Contact your DKSH New Zealand Limited

representative for more information.

[category insights] [category insights]

shows on the TV and New Zealanders love to watch these – however having the time to cook from scratch and ensuring you have all the correct utensils and ingredients on hand isn’t always possible – which is where Leader Products fit in.

“We are experiencing fantastic growth year on year from grocery and butchery freezers across the country to deli counters where hungry lunchtime shoppers are buying a cooked Lasagne Toppa or Pork Riblet in a bun, rather than going to the local bakery. The growth and potential of the ‘convenience market’ represents endless opportunities – it is really down to the supermarkets to assist the time poor shoppers and showcase convenience lines at store level,” says James.

Waitoa Free Range – conveniently perfect!New Zealand’s free range market continues to grow and Waitoa’s Green Box range is the perfect choice for modern Kiwi families seeking free range quality and the convenience of meals from the freezer. Whether as a snack or served with a salad, vegetables or your favourite complementary side dish, consumers can create and serve wholesome and delicious meals in no time.

The ease of the range means the Waitoa Green Box products are ideally positioned to support the demand created through our increasingly busy lifestyles and households.

Waitoa strongly believes consumer choice is important to segment growth and remains committed to developing depth to the Green Box range through innovative product development. Waitoa’s product development programme looks bright with an exciting range of innovative products in the pipeline.

The current ‘out of the freezer’ range includes five skus: three from the ever popular snack options; Tempura Nuggets, Original Tenders and Ancient Grain Tenders through to the more main meal options; Boneless Chicken Kiev and Boneless Chicken Cordon Bleu. All offer the consumer a versatile range of meal and occasion options that are ideal for any weekly shopping list.

Waitoa continues to support the range with marketing and promotion to build awareness

of free range in freezer. Waitoa remain one of the country’s leading

free range suppliers and have an ongoing commitment to provide innovative, high quality, free range chicken products that meet the market’s needs. www.waitoafreerangechicken.co.nz

Gourmet FoodsGourmet Foods Limited supply Ponsonby Pies, Gourmet Pies, Pat’s Pantry Traditional Pies, as well as Gourmet Patisserie high quality cakes and desserts.

General Manager Bryce Cole says: “We have the Ponsonby Family Pies 700g in the frozen section. The Mince and Cheese is one that is just getting going in the supermarkets now. This will support the other three already there – Steak & Caramelised Red Onion; Chicken & Kumara; and Lamb & Rosemary. They are going very well. I think people are pleasantly surprised they can get a quality pie for a good price. This makes for an economic gourmet meal for a family of four.”

He adds: “We will be putting a new flavour into the 235g Ponsonby Range in the next few weeks. It is yet to be finalised but watch out for it.”

Cole says: “I feel that there are more people wanting better quality pies than before. The frozen take home market is also growing for us and this is possibly further helped with the meat prices being high, so a pie becomes a good affordable and tasty meal solution for a family.”

He adds: “We like to maintain high quality of product and don’t use protein fillers such as soy proteins to bulk out the meat. We put meat in the pie as that is what the customer expects to buy. This means that we are sometimes slightly more expensive than others, but we want each customer to really enjoy their favourite pie.”

Dad’s PiesIt was 1981 when Dad’s Pies began in a small pie shop at Red Beach, Auckland. However, in the last 34 years the talented family behind Dad’s Pies, led by dad Eddie Grooten and his boys Tom and Ben, has expanded the business from humble beginnings to a purpose built pie factory and bakery. They

now send their pies all around the world. Dad’s Pies continue to mix wholesome, top-

notch ingredients with plenty of love and care to create the finest in pies. You’ll find them in Wild Bean Cafes and BP2GO outlets, leading supermarkets, including New World, Pak’n Save and Nosh, the Mad Butcher, Four Square stores and other outlets (RRP from $2.99).

With more than 20 flavours on offer, from the classic Kiwi steak & cheese to butter chicken and even spinach & feta for the vege lovers, Dad’s Pies are committed to creating ‘pie-fection’. They only use prime NZ beef. The quality cuts of meat are even processed in their very own butchery system so they can precisely control the quality, size and fat content of every last piece, then all this home-grown goodness is encased in perfectly flaky pastry made on site.

Most recently the brand has undergone a massive revamp with flash new packaging and exciting new plans.

Big BenGeorge Weston Foods is introducing two new pies – Big Ben Butter Chicken XXL and Big Ben Lasagne XXL – tasty offerings which it thinks will delight Kiwi pie aficionados. The two new pies will build on the success of Big Ben El Mexicano, launched last June, which now accounts for 24% of unit sales of Big Ben’s XXL brand. Encouraged by the demand for new tastes, George Weston looked at other opportunities to innovate.

“Innovation is essential, even for a food category as traditional as pies,” says Mark Adam, New Zealand General Manager of George Weston Foods. “You can attribute Big Ben’s continuing strong performance in a hotly contested category to our willingness to try new ideas that we believe will prove popular with consumers.”

Big Ben Butter Chicken and Lasagne are available in supermarkets, dairies and other outlets where fine pies are sold.

To meet expected demand George Weston Foods is investing over $5 million in new plant and equipment at its Wiri factory, the home of Big Ben pies. Big Ben has been

making good old fashioned pies and sausage

rolls since 1963.

Frozen vegetarian mealsThe frozen vegetarian category is worth $4M

(Nielsen MAT 22/03/15), says Angus Mackie,

Business Manager (Frozen) at Simplot NZ. He

explains: “The category has grown significantly

over the last two years, driven from the launch

of Quorn in March 2013. In fact, the category

is worth 70% more in value now than it was

in the 12 months before Quorn launched,

demonstrating the incremental value that

Quorn has brought to the category. Quorn

now holds 47% share of the frozen vegetarian

market and became the market leader just six weeks after launch.”

Quorn was launched to cater for both the vegetarian market and those consumers who are actively looking to reduce their meat consumption. Mackie says: “Our research suggests that up to 29% of the population are actively looking to reduce their meat consumption, so the category opportunity is significantly larger than just vegetarian consumers. Health reasons, and more specifically reducing consumption of fat and cholesterol, are the main consumer drivers for meat reduction.”

What sets Quorn apart from other vegetarian offers is that it is soy free. Mycoprotein is the common ingredient in all Quorn products. It’s made from a member of the fungi family, and is a high-quality meat-free protein that’s low in fat, high in dietary fibre, and is a valuable source of amino acids. Mackie says: “In fact, mycoprotein contains

all nine essential amino acids, similar to meats like beef and chicken. Because of the fantastic nutritional credentials of mycoprotein, Quorn products are a high quality vegetarian protein source.”

Quorn launched with a range of eight skus specifically designed to cater for different

meal types and occasions. A strong breadth of range is important in this category and the range of Quorn products extends from ingredients type products such as Quorn Mince and Quorn Pieces, to centre of plate products such as Southern Style Burgers and Cheese & Spinach Schnitzels and then into ready meals such as sausage rolls and pies.

Mackie says: “The biggest growth area in the frozen vegetarian category is in the ready meals segment, which has grown by a massive 64.9% in the last 12 months. Growth in this segment has led us to launch two new Quorn Pies to cater for this demand. We are launching a Quorn Mince & Potato Pie and a Quorn Chicken-Style & Leek Pie. Both of these products are meat free and soy free, high in protein, high in fibre and contain no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. Each 400g pack contains two pies (RRP $8.99).

“Quorn is also launching a Tomato & Cheese Schnitzel 240g product. Quorn already has a Cheese & Spinach Schnitzel, which is one of our best selling products in the range,” he says.Source: Nielsen Scan MAT 22/03/15

28 FMCG BUSINESS - MAY 2015

Three NEW products fromNew Zealand’s leading FrozenVegetarian Brand!

Quorn is the market leader of the Frozen Vegetarian Category with 47.4% share*

Since launching in early 2013, Quorn has helped grow the value of the Frozen Vegetarian category by 70%*

Quorn is the only Soy Freebrand within the FrozenVegetarian category

The Ready Meals segmentwithin the Frozen VegetarianCategory is growing amassive 64%*

RRP $8.99 available NOW

Contact your Crossmark representative or call Customer Service on 09 4877020

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*Simplot calculation based in part on data reported by Nielsen through its ScanTrack service for the Frozen Vegetarian Category (Simplot defined)for the 52-week period ending 22 March 2015 for the New Zealand Total Supermarket Channel. (Copyright © 2015, The Nielsen Company.)

CONSUMERS ARE DEMANDING TO KNOW WHAT GOES INTO THE FOOD THEY EAT AND THEY ARE PREPARED TO PAY MORE FOR A BETTER QUALITY PRODUCT.”THE LOVELY LITTLE FOOD COMPANY CO-FOUNDERS, MAREE GLADING AND JESSIE STANLEY

[category insights]

• Chilli con Carne• Pulled Beef Ragu• Pulled Pork Ragu

I Love PiesThe Lovely Little Food Co. makes the I Love Pies range of gourmet pies and sausage rolls.

“In the last 12 months our major launch has been into the freezer with our Really Good Ready to Bake Sausage Rolls, made with our delicious sour cream pastry and a tasty blend of chopped herbs and free range meat,” explain Company Directors and Co-founders, Maree Glading and Jessie Stanley. “Feedback from customers, consumers and the media has been phenomenal. The category was in need of a premium offering with really good quality ingredients. This product has been selling really well and has exceeded our expectations.”

They say: “We have launched two new exciting flavours this month, Mexican Beef & Bean and Free Range Butter Chicken. Lots of people who we talk to at farmers markets have requested something a little more spicy in their pies. We also wanted to have a play with the spices that are increasingly used in every-day cooking, and we had noticed the rise of Mexican food outlets and the popularity of modern Mexican food. Butter Chicken pies are already popular here – they are the top selling convenience flavour, but no one was doing it seriously in supermarkets, so we saw a great opportunity

for the category with this flavour variant. When we developed the recipe for the Free Range Butter Chicken pie, we worked directly with Indian chefs who helped us create something a little more special. We also wanted to give customers a free range chicken option that has a beautiful balance of authentic Indian spices in a creamy sauce. This flavour is available in our single serve box pie and in a family pie format.”

They add: “The Mexican Beef & Bean pie includes top quality Angus beef mince and beans, and a special blend of Mexican spices including chipotles from La Morena – a best-selling gourmet speciality chipotle. We purposely avoided making both new pie varieties too spicy though. Both pies have a perfectly balanced chilli flavour, so everyone in the family can enjoy them,” says Stanley. “The new pies are still encased in our delicious sour cream pastry that we use for all our pies,” she says.

What are the consumer trends in this category, in their experience?

“The trends affecting the pie category are what we are seeing across all pre-packaged food. Consumers are demanding to know what goes into the food they eat and they are prepared to pay more for a better quality product. I Love Pies, as the premium offering in the category, is in a perfect position to capitalise on this trend. This year we are rolling out new packaging designs which more clearly communicate our strong premium positioning and our stance on quality ingredients. We will be clearly stating on front of pack and in communications that our pies contain ‘No MSG, No palm oil, No preservatives and No artificial flavours and colours’ – all product attributes our consumers are seeking. We also know that consumers are shopping more frequently, they are more time poor and their family meals are less pre-planned. I Love Pies is a perfect family meal offering as it makes for a great standby meal in your fridge at home. I Love Pies products are an easy alternative to takeaways, therefore we are owning the #dinnersorted tagline in all our communications,” say Glading and Stanley.

Leader Products“Some in the food industry shun the word “Convenience” – we at Leader Products embrace it,” says Caroline James, National Retail Sales & Marketing Manager.

She explains: “Whilst our meals do require cooking before consumption – providing convenience for our consumers means for us solving the eternal question ‘what’s for

dinner’ or simply ‘what’s to EAT’? This is core to our retail, foodservice and QSR businesses. Leader Products take ‘convenience’ one step further to ensure that our product range also offers taste and value and variety. Leader’s products cover all the main protein groups with chicken, beef, lamb and pork – Pork & Apple Schnitzel, Lamb & Rosemary Cutlets, Southern Style Chicken, Cordon Bleu, Beef Burgers, or Lasagne. With both parents often working, walking in the door hungry or with kids in tow means elaborate meals are difficult if not impossible to pull off, given time constraints.”

She adds: “The Leader Products and TONY’S TUCKA ranges are designed to be cooked from frozen – so at most, our cooking time is 20 minutes, which allows time for vegetables, salads and sides to be prepped and cooked providing a delicious fast meal.

“Currently, we have a number of cooking

26 FMCG BUSINESS - MAY 2015

Leader Products takes “Convenience” one step further to ensure that our product ranges also offers taste, value and variety.

For more information visit our websitewww.leadernz.co.nz

What’s for dinner?