Albertsons Launches 'Reimagined' Frozen Own Brands Items
Albertsons Cos. has added 55 new items to its line of frozen Own Brands entrees, including organic plant-based meals and premium high-protein power bowls.
“We’re in a new age for frozen meals,” noted Albertsons SVP Chad Coester. “Shoppers deserve premium meals that deliver on dietary needs and indulgence. We’ve reimagined our frozen meal lineup with new formats to deliver on quality first.”
As previously reported by Progressive Grocer, among the new offerings are the first ever to sport the Plant Based Foods Association’s “Certified Plant Based” seal, as well as all being USDA-certified organic. Sold under the O Organics brand, the frozen bowls each deliver more than 11 grams of protein per serving, and the frozen meatless proteins are made with soy, pea and/or garbanzo beans. The selections are edamame teriyaki vegetable rice bowl, black bean & quinoa bowl, three bean chili & kale bowl, chickpea curry & spinach rice bowl, plant-based power burger, plant-based breakfast patties, and plant-based crumbles.
Albertsons’ expanded Signature SELECT brand now offers a line of premium frozen bowls encompassing protein power bowls, international cuisine and updated versions traditional favorites. The power bowls contain 280 to 400 calories, all providing more than 20 grams of protein per serving, with limited carbs. The lineup includes recipes created by New York-based cross-cultural chef and international restaurateur Suji Park, who crafted bowls such as Beef bulgogi and Japchae with shiitake mushrooms with clean ingredients – the same way food is prepared in her restaurant. Among the other items in the line are Mixed greens chicken and quinoa power bowl, Cuban inspired pork with mojo sauce power bowl, Mediterranean-style chicken power bowl, Mac & cheese bowl, and Enchilada bowl.
Own Brands has additionally augmented its line of Signature SELECT on-the-go breakfast sandwiches with six coffee house-inspired varieties: Chicken apple sausage and egg croissant sandwich; Chorizo, egg, and cheese jalapeno-biscuit sandwich; Waffle, egg and bacon sandwich; English muffin, Canadian bacon, egg white, and cheese sandwich; French toast, ham, and egg sandwich; and Pancake, sausage, egg and cheese sandwich
Also in regard to frozen breakfast foods, O Organics is making its first foray into the segment with two sausage products in resealable pouches – chicken & maple sausage and chicken & sage sausage – and a line high-protein breakfast bowls: chicken sausage with bell peppers scramble bowl; eggs, chicken sausage, and ham scramble bowl; egg whites, spinach, and chicken sausage scramble bowl; and huevos rancheros, beans, and egg scramble bowl.
Continuing to meet growing consumer demand for cauliflower-based products, Own Brands has brought out such new sides as cauliflower cheese bake – an alternative to traditional mac and cheese – and mashed cauliflower with garlic and chives – an option instead of mashed potatoes. A 1-cup serving of either item is under 130 calories. What’s more, Open Nature also introduced to its line of cauliflower-crust frozen pizzas an uncured pepperoni variety.
In common with all of Albertsons’ Own Brands products, the 55 new frozen products are available exclusively in the grocer’s stores. Own Brands launched 1,100 new items in fiscal year 2018 and currently has more than 11,000 products in its lineup, which spans the entire store.
Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs, as well as meal-kit company Plated. The company is No. 3 on Progressive Grocer's 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
