Bagged salad pioneer Fresh Express has added three new products to its line of chopped salad kits and one new product to its crunchy blend salad roster.
Twisted Caesar Lemon Caesar, Twisted Caesar Pesto Caesar and Mexican Style are the new chopped varieties. Butter Supreme joins the crunchy blend line.
Twisted Caesar Lemon Caesar features crisp iceberg and green leaf lettuce, topped with crunchy Parmesan cheese crisps, dried cherries, and a well-balanced lemon white wine Caesar dressing.
Twisted Caesar Pesto Caesar: a fresh blend of crisp iceberg and green leaf lettuce, tossed with crunchy garlic brioche croutons, parmesan cheese, and a creamy pesto Caesar dressing.
Mexican Style chopped salads feature crisp iceberg and green leaf lettuce, slivered carrots, and shredded red cabbage garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds, cheddar cheese tortilla strips, crumbled cotija cheese, and a cheesy sweet tomatillo dressing.
Butter Supreme is a tasty and colorful blend of green butter lettuce, red butter lettuce, radicchio and baby chard is an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of vitamin A.
The new kits have a suggested retail price of $3.99 and are available nationwide at Albertsons, Aldi, Food Lion, Giant Eagle, and Walmart.
Trends like convenience, plant-based nutrition, and restaurant-inspired international flavors are driving food innovations, and chopped salads kits are well positioned to drive growth for the value-added salad category, according to Fresh Express.
Chopped kits, for example, represent 18% dollar share of the total value-added salad category. Fresh Express’s newest offerings indicate its commitment to staying on top of that trend, according to the company.
“At Fresh Express, innovation is at the heart of everything we do – from seed selection to packaging technology to culinary development,” said Fabian Pereira, the company’s vice president of marketing and innovation. “Whether consumers are looking for a quick and flavorful meal with our chopped kits or curating their favorite salad creation with one of our salad blends, we have more than 100 fresh and affordable salad varieties for every meal occasion.”
A recent study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Fresh Express found that of the respondents who believe there’s such a thing as the “ultimate salad”, 78% think the ultimate salad should be chopped and 51% think it should be loaded with toppings.
“The new Fresh Express chopped salad kits deliver on these consumer preferences and incorporate trending flavors and premium ingredients,” according to the company.
"At Fresh Express, innovation is at the heart of everything we do – from seed selection to packaging technology to culinary development.”
Fabian Pereira, Fresh Express