Dive Brief:

• Meijer announced last week the launch of single-serve, heat-and eat meals under two lines: Crafted Market by Meijer and Crafted Market Signature by Meijer.
• The new lines currently offer six meals each, including chicken asada, chicken alfredo and pesto chicken, and are available in the grab-and-go deli section at all of the retailer’s stores. 
• Meijer’s two-tier approach with the new line indicates the company sees an opportunity to upsell consumers on more premium prepared food selections.

Dive Insight:

Meijer positioned its new meals as easy-to-prepare options for customers seeking a day-of solution, noting that it expects 40% of the meals to be eaten the same day they’re bought. 

The Crafted Market meals cost $7.99 while the Signature items cost $1 more, highlighting a multi-tier approach that has become common among retailers’ private label selections. Signature meals include chicken enchilada, chicken parmesan with spaghetti and basil garlic chicken. Each of the 12 meals takes five minutes or less to heat up, according to the press release.

"We have a long history of centering convenience and quality in our deli experience for our customers, so expanding our ready-to-heat options just makes sense," said Marlys Roberts, merchandising director of deli and bakery at Meijer, said in the press release.

Meijer is promoting the meals as “restaurant-style” options, stating on its website that the new meals are “better than takeout.” 

Other grocers and their e-commerce partners have also recently ramped up their meal solutions as high inflation and food prices have induced more shoppers to dine at home. Earlier this year, Walmart.com added Blue Apron meal kits, which shoppers can buy from the site without Blue Apron subscriptions. In January, Instacart launched Ready Meals, an in-app hub for fresh meals from grocery stores. 

Last fall, Whole Foods Market added the ability for people to place to-go orders for prepared food items on the grocer’s mobile app, while The Giant Company last year launched a ready-to-eat meal solution for four people. 

The Food Industry Association said in a recent report that shoppers will likely trade up in fresh and prepared foods when the marketing of the products highlights them as less expensive than restaurant dining. The trade group has noted that grocers can do a better job of letting shoppers know about their prepared food options as restaurant replacements.