Strong Roots, the Dublin, Ireland-headquartered frozen food company known for sustainable vegan bites, mixed root vegetable fries and hash browns, is expanding into the single-serve entrée category. Its new line of “Good Made Easy” entrées boasts 14 offerings that will be available at Whole Foods stores in the United States starting in January in 2023, with more retailers to follow in the first quarter of 2023.
The products run the gamut from Thai Green Veg Curry, Veggie Masala, Chickpea & Red Lentil Saag , Spinach & White Bean Tomato Broth, Black Dahl and Basil & Spinach Pomodoro to Creamy Cauliflower Fusilli, White Bean And Lentil Goulash, Root Vegetable Casserole, Baked Bean And Red Lentil Bowl, Cauliflower Cheese Casserole. Creamy Mac and Chipotle Mac.
Each entrée, which can be made in less than five minutes, has up to 24 grams of protein and less than 450 calories each. The entrées are also low in saturated fat and sugar, contain zero grams of trans fat and have less than 350 mg sodium per 100g (<14% DRV). Many are also high in fiber.
“Single-serve meals have had a bad rap, but we’re reinventing their potential with our Good Made Easy entrées,” said Samuel Dennigan, chief executive officer and founder of Strong Roots. “Consumers demand convenience to fit with their drastically changing lifestyles but still want foods that are healthy and balanced. So we’ve done all the hard work for them. This is for the consumer who wants to eat cleaner at the end of a long day but doesn’t want to dice and saute for 30 minutes. Now, they don’t even have to worry about a pot or a pan, all they need is a few minutes and a microwave oven.”
Dennigan added: “We’re solving for the salt-packed, nutrient lacking, ultra-processed frozen entrées currently plaguing the freezer aisle. There’s a huge gap in the market for nutrient focused frozen meals. We’ve used the best quality ingredients, and with profiles like our Thai Green Veg Curry and Greek Orzo Pasta Bake, these meals are comforting while still being better for you. We’re excited about the diversity in flavors– a range of options that will satisfy anyone looking for hearty, veg-forward, convenient meals made from plants.”
The freezer aisle has been hot recently, as sales of plant-based frozen meals have climbed 5% this year and the global frozen ready-made meal market is expected to reach $130.67 billion by 2029. Frozen single-serve meals are gaining traction as the at-home eating experience has grown more complex. Consumers are juggling increasingly busy lifestyles and different dietary needs within households, leading to a more individual eating experience. Even as offices, schools, and restaurants reopened, frozen food sales were up 26% in January 2022 compared to January 2020 and 30% of shoppers have increased their freezer capacity.
The expansion into single-serve entrées comes as Strong Roots has been extending global reach and leading in innovation in frozen foods made from plants. The company recently unveiled new carbon footprint packaging, making it the first frozen plant-based brand to display climate footprint scores on the front of their packs.
Strong Roots products are sold in over 10,000 stores worldwide including major retail outlets in Ireland, the UK, and the USA, as well as Australia, Singapore, Iceland, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Arab Emirates.
