New Product Showcase

Exemplifying the trend toward products aimed at busy, discerning consumers driven by their desire for taste, convenience, well-being and health, manufacturers from all over the country have introduced a variety of frozen and refrigerated products. Here are just a few examples:

Ready-to-Eat Ribs and Pulled Pork From Tony Roma’s

Consumers can indulge both their increasing appetite for barbecue and interest in natural products — while receiving a bonus of convenience — with these entrées, designed to be prepared in 20 minutes or less. Tony Roma’s new clean-label products include Kansas Style Sweet Hickory BBQ, Kansas City Style Kickin’ Sweet & Spicy BBQ, and Blue Ridge Sweet & Smoky BBQ.

Clean & Simple Soups, Sides and Meals From Blount Fine Foods

Responding to shoppers’ interest in cleaner labels, Blount Fine Foods has debuted a line of microwaveable soups, sides and meals under the Clean & Simple brand, all made with easy-to-pronounce ingredients. Varieties include ABF Chicken Noodle Soup and Gluten Free New England Clam Chowder. Soups are packaged in 12- and 16-ounce cups; sides/meals are sold in 12-ounce bowls.

Lean Cuisine Marketplace Entrées and Stouffer’s Fit Kitchen Entrées From Nestlé USA

The venerable Lean Cuisine brand from Nestlé USA has undergone an extensive and bold makeover this year, with a reintroduction centered on women’s wellness rather than merely a weight-loss diet aim. The brand revamp includes a variety of new entrées, including gluten-free, high-protein Pomegranate Chicken and Sweet Sriracha Braised Beef, 1-cup Sesame Stir Fry with Chicken and Roasted Chicken and Garden Vegetables, and organic and non-GMO Mushroom & Spring Pea Risotto and Cheese & Bean Enchilada Verde. New packaging features high-impact colors and photos, while different sublines have been created to distinguish between the products, which range from classics to comfort food to craveables. The SRP is $2.99.

Nestlé has also unveiled a line of Stouffer’s Fit Kitchen entrées featuring high protein content and contemporary flavors. Each meal has 25 or more grams of protein from vegetables and complex carbohydrates. Varieties include Steak Fajita, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Rotisserie Seasoned Turkey, Monterey Chicken, Bourbon Steak and Oven Roasted Chicken. The SRP is $3.99.

Hand-Tossed Style Crust Pizza by California Pizza Kitchen, From Nestlé USA

California Pizza Kitchen, or CPK, as it’s widely known, has added to its retail line of frozen pizzas made by Nestlé USA with new oven-ready Hand-Tossed Style crusts made without artificial flavors or preservatives. Recipes include The Works, BBQ Chicken with Bacon, and California-style White pizzas. CPK has also complemented its “regular” thin-crust crispy-pizza portfolio with new gluten-free Margherita and BBQ Chicken varieties. The SRP ranges are $6.19–$7.99 for Hand-Tossed Style and $7.29–$9.49 for Gluten-Free.

Sea Best Signature Singles From Beaver Street Fisheries Inc.

Eating for one doesn’t mean sacrificing gourmet flavor. That’s one reason that Beaver Street Fisheries Inc. has expanded its Sea Best line to include Signature Singles. Among the chef-inspired single-serve entrées are citrus scallops and linguini, stuffed clams, black bean-and-shrimp tacos, tilapia Florentine and spinach-and-artichoke founder, all of which can be prepared in as little as four minutes in a microwavable tray. The SRP is $5.99.

Lean & Fit From Evol

The Evol line of natural frozen foods has widened to include two sub-brands: Lean & Fit and Multi-Serve. The Multi-Serve line features an array of meals for two, including options like Truffle Parmesan & Portabella Risotto, Shanghai Noodles & Grilled Chicken, and Butternut Squash & Sage Ravioli. The Lean & Fit subline offers meals for those watching their wellness and diet, with choices like Coconut Lemongrass Chicken and Fire Grilled Chicken Poblano. Multi-Serve meals retail for a suggested $6.99–$8.49, while Lean & Fit Meals go for a suggested $3.99–$4.99.

All Natural Sliced Turkey Lunch-meat From Foster Farms

The march toward natural continues with All Natural Turkey deli meat from Foster Farms, which includes Slow Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey Breast. The 100 percent turkey breast doesn’t contain any nitrates, nitrites, chemicals, preservatives, artificial ingredients or artificial colors, and is 98 percent fat free. Available in convenient 8-ounce resealable packages, the product retails for a suggested $5.99.

Flip Yogurt From Chobani

On the heels of other product extensions and introductions, Chobani has developed a new Flip line that combines the company’s Greek yogurt with indulgent ingredients for a crunchy experience. Flip flavors include Peanut Butter Dream, Coffee Break Bliss, Chocolate Craze Haze and Salted Caramel Crunch. The SRP is $1.49 for a 3.5-ounce container.

Single-Serve Pizza Hummus From Sabra Dipping Co.

Combining one longtime favorite with an emerging favorite, Sabra has fused hummus and pizza to create a new hummus dip made with traditional pizza ingredients like fresh basil and oregano. The product is sold in 2-ounce single-serve packs with an SRP of $4.99.