Ready-to-eat-meals have played a prominent role with retailers over the past few years as shoppers seek tasty, healthful meals on the go. The take-home product category will play a prominent role when The Fish Store opens in Vancouver, British Columbia next month. Owner Robert Clark, former executive chef with C Restaurant in the same city and a sustainable seafood advocate, sees no end to the value-added meals trend.
“The largest-growing segment of the retail market is prepared foods to take home. I don’t think people are cooking less — in fact, more people are buying cookbooks and gourmet ingredients — but they need help Monday through Friday,” Clark said.
In a takeout section of the store, The Fish Counter will offer “fast food” with a healthy twist, such as fish tacos and fish and chips. “I hope it [prepared foods] turns into a big portion of our business,” Clark added.
The ready-to-eat meals will be prepared in store and include Nicoise Salad (traditionally made with tomatoes, green beans, eggs and olives) with or without tuna, smoked salmon and seafood soups. The Fish Counter will carry between 8 and 10 packaged prepared seafood items daily when it opens.
Fresh prepared foods represent a USD 26 billion (EUR 19.3 billion) market in the United States, with sales growing nearly 6 percent from 2007 to 2012, according to foodservice consulting firm Technomic. Conversely, foodservice sales grew less than 1 percent during the same time period, according Technomic’s recent report, “Fresh Prepared Foods: A Growth Driver For Your Company?”
Click here to read the full story that ran in the October issue of SeaFood Business >
