US: Ready Pac releases new organic bowl salads

Fresh-cut produce innovator Ready Pac Foods, Inc. announced the introduction of a new line of organic single serve salads available for national distribution. New Ready Pac Bistro Organic Bowl Salads feature four varieties that combine the convenience of the company’s unique single-serve salad bowls, 100 percent organic ingredients.

"Single serve and organics are the two fresh-cut salad segments that are driving packaged salad category growth, with 17 and 11 percent growth over last year, respectively," said Tristan Simpson, director of marketing at Ready Pac. "We’re aiming Ready Pac Bistro Organic Bowl Salads at the sweet spot where these two segments, as well as consumer demand for organics and convenient meal solutions, all come together."

Organic food sales, which have grown from a one billion dollar category in 1990 to nearly $27 billion annually in 2010, have become mainstream with distribution not only in their original base of natural food retailers but also in more than half of supermarkets, clubs/warehouse stores and mass merchandisers nationwide. Overall, 75 percent of consumers now purchase organics, with 41 percent of primary shoppers buying more organics than the prior year, and 45 percent buying about the same.

All of the produce and condiments in Ready Pac Bistro Organic Bowl Salads are certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI). For produce items, "certified organic" refers to produce grown on farms that have been inspected by an independent, third-party certifier who ensures compliance with the strict National Organic Program standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture. QAI conducts the on-site organic certification of Ready Pac’s processing facilities as well as those of its suppliers. Ready Pac will produce the organic bowl salads from its plants in California, Georgia and New Jersey.

"Our new bowl salads meld consumers’ favorite salads such as Caesar and Spinach with chef-developed, unique recipes that are absolutely delicious and appeal to the organic shopper," said Simpson. They fill a void in the marketplace and offer a terrific opportunity for retailers to deliver incremental salad category sales."

The new Ready Pac Bistro Organic Bowl Salads varieties include Caesar Cranberry, Orange Ginger Tofu, Zesty Harvest Grains, and Honey Mustard Spinach.

For more information:
Tristan Simpson
Ready Pac
[email protected]
www.readypac.com