This month’s selection of new products brought to you from Mintel reflects a wide range of innovations in private label, from convenience to premium to responsibly sourced.
In France, hard discount supermarket Lidl introduced in November the Deluxe Moules Farcies à la Persillades (Stuffed Mussels with Parsley). A premium, frozen product for an entree, the mussels retail in a 125g recyclable pack containing 12 mussels for €2.99.
Ingredients include: Mussel, Butter Milk, Parsley, Garlic, White Wine, Bread Crumbs (Wheat Flour, Yeast), Salt, Shallot, Spices.
Squarely positioned in the blossoming free-from trend, Tesco’s Free From Smoked Haddock Fishcakes with a Melting Middle are gluten-free. The product is part of the Tesco free-from range, and has a wheat-free and a gluten-free label.
Comprised of pieces of smoked haddock and pollock fillet mixed with mashed potato and white sauce, the fish cakes have a cheese and chive sauce centre in a gluten-free coating. The boneless product is free from wheat, gluten, artificial preservatives, flavours and colours, and retails in a 290g recyclable pack for €3.64.
Ingredients include: Haddock (Smoked) (Haddock, Salt, Curcumin), Waters, Potato, Pollock, Double Cream, Rapeseed Oil, Rice Flour, Chickpea Flour, Cheddar Cheese, Cornflours, Cornflours, Potato Starch, Potato (Dry).
In Italy, Lidl embraces ethnic food with the launch of its Vitasia Japan Mazzancolle con Panatura (Crispy Coated Prawns). Raw, peeled, headless, deveined prawns in a crispy
coating, the product retails in a 250g pack for €1.99 and hit the frozen aisles in October 2014.
According to Mintel, Lidl Vitasia offers a large range of ethnic products in different categories, inspired from India and Asia.
Ingredients include: Shrimp, Wheat Flour, Waters, Modified Starches (Modified), Onion, Sunflower Seed Oil, Cornflours, White Sugar (Sugar Based), Salt, Yeast, Cassava Starch, White Pepper, and Sodium Carbonates.
UK retailer Sainsbury’s recently launched its Taste the Difference Responsibly Sourced Cooked Peeled Jumbo King Prawns. Repackaged in a newly-designed recyclable 225g pack, the product is clearly positioned to answer provenance and environmental concerns, and mentions “responsabily sourced” on-pack.
According to the retailer, the prawns – that retail for €6.03 – are specially selected for their large size and extra ‘succulent flavour to add a sweet and juicy crunch to seafood recipes’.
Ingredients include: Prawn, Salt, Waters Ice (Glazing Agents, Protective).
In Poland Lidl has launched a frozen mix of seafood that fully targets the ‘ready-to-use’ trend. Sol & Mar Mieszanka Owocow Morza (Mixed Seafood for Paella) is for consumers that ‘want to cook from scratch but they also want to spend less time in their kitchen’, explains Mintel.
The ready-to-use product for a paella preparation retails in a 270g pack for €2.19.
Ingredients include: Giant Squid (Giant Squid), Squid (Indian Squid), Mussel (Mussel), Shrimp (Speckled Shrimp, Kiddi Shrimp), Clam (Venus Mussels, Meretrix meretrix).
Embracing the growing trend for retailers to promote quality through chefs’ endorsements, Aldi in Belgium has launched the Piet Huysentruyt Cassolette de Cabillaud aux Poireaux (Fish casserole with Cod and Leeks) made with cod, leeks, carrots and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. The microwavable product retails in a 300g pack for €3.79.
Ingredients include: Cod, Waters, Cream, Leek, Carrot, Semi-skimmed Milk (Semi Skimmed), Mushroom (Paris), White Wine, Shallot, Acid-Treated Starch, powdered fat (Vegetable Fats (Vegetable Based), and Vegetable Fats.
