Prepared salads move from sideline act to main event

Watch out, ready meals: prepared salads are muscling in on the convenience market. The prepared salads market is moving away from its established place in the side dishes and accompaniments market to take its place as a main meal contender.

Innova Market Insights says the increasing use of substantial protein ingredients like poultry and fish, accompaniments such as croutons and breadsticks, and a wider range of convenient packaging formats have assisted this trend, particularly for lighter lunch and on-the-go options.

However, Innova notes that the sector remains relatively limited in terms of launch activity within the ready meals sector, accounting for just less than 6% of the global total. The prepared salads sector is the third-smallest in the ready meals sector, ahead only of meal kits and sandwiches. 70% of activity was recorded in Europe, reflecting the greater development of the packaged chilled foods sector in the region generally, with North American activity at 11%.

Salad’s healthy image is helping drive the market forward, says Lu Ann Williams, Research Manager at Innova Market Insights. “Products have also become increasingly complex in many instances, containing a greater variety of often more unusual ingredients, sometimes including dressings and/or additional garnishes such as croutons.”

Interesting recent developments in the prepared salads sector include: Ready Pac Foods’ CoolCuts, a range featuring popular Disney characters; Gartenfrisch Jung’s Festtags Mischung (Festive Mix) in special packaging for Christmas 2012; and unusual flavour combinations like Marks & Spencer’s Quinoa & Edamame Soy Bean and Steve’s Leaves Wasabi Rocket Salad.

While the prepared salads market is still in its infancy, the current trends of convenience and health could see it bloom in the near future.