HelloFresh To Make Ready-Made Meal Kits

HelloFresh, the German meal kit delivery company, could start making and selling ready-made meal kits to reach consumers who don’t want to cook.

Reuters, citing comments that co-founder Thomas Griesel made to a German newspaper, reported that the company wants to capitalize on a growing demand for ready-made meals.

“We see a very big market niche for ready-made meals. The quality and freshness of what is currently available is questionable. That could be an interesting option for us,” Griesel was quoted as saying to the Rheinische Post newspaper. He said HelloFresh would offer the ready-made meals online instead of competing directly with TV dinners that are found in the frozen section of supermarkets.

The comments come after HelloFresh said in June that it will soon sell its meal kits in Stop & Shop and Giant Food. The company’s kits will come to just under 600 stores, primarily in the Northeast, CNBC reported. With its retail expansion, HelloFresh has increased its network from five to 11 facilities.

HelloFresh is also looking to grow further in the future, with plans to experiment with packaging and recipes to determine what attracts shoppers and what works well for retailers.

The news also comes as Walmart has begun selling meal kits and “one-step meals” in more than 250 of its brick-and-mortar stores. Walmart plans to bring the meals to 2,000 of its locations in 2018, CNBC reported. Tyler Lehr, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of deli services for Walmart U.S., has said, “These delicious meals give the best or worst of cooks a fresh, easy option for dinner tonight or later this week.”

Albertsons said in April that it planned to offer Plated meal kits in “hundreds” of its stores. Customers will also be able to order the kits for delivery via Instacart, CNBC reported.