Ready Pac Foods combines power of organic with convenience to expand popular salad kit category

“There are a lot of packaged salads and salad kits available on the market, but none of the chopped salad kits previously available were entirely organic,” Alan Hilowitz, a spokesman for Ready Pac Foods, told FoodNavigator-USA. He explained that other chopped salad kits include organic ingredients, but haven’t been able to go the distance that Ready Pac Foods has now gone in creating a 100% organic kit, which he said, “we know from our research is something that consumers want.” For support, he pointed to data showing that sales of chopped salad kits have grown 52% year-over-year and sales of organic packaged salads have climbed 10% year-over-year. “Combining the two together, we looked at how salad kits’ popularity is growing and how consumers also want organic and we thought we could bind the two together in one bag” for a sure-bet success, he said. While other companies likely aren’t far behind Ready Pac Foods in launching all organic salad kits, a potential barrier that could be holding some back is sourcing a steady supply of organic ingredients to complement the greens in the kit. For example, Hilowitz acknowledged that organic cheese has traditionally been difficult to source in high enough quantities, “but now there is such a demand for organic products that there is a lot more organic cheese now available in the food supply chain.” Ready Pac Foods also works closely with farms that grow strictly organic product, so securing sufficient supply “has not been an issue for us,” he added. Beyond organic Ready Pac Foods’ line of Organic Chopped Salad Kits offers more than just organic ingredients – they also offer a range of “chef inspired” flavors including iconic favorites and more modern options, Hilowitz said. The Caesar salad and Zesty Greek are classics that consumers know and trust, but with a few updates, he said. For example, the Caesar salad swaps out croutons for crispy pita square that Hilowitz says “provide an interesting element” and “stand up better in the salad than croutons.” In addition, the Caesar blends Radicchio with the traditional Romaine lettuce to bring a new taste to today’s more adventurous consumers. The other two flavors in the lineup “are a little bit more on edge and a little bit more trendy,” Hilowitz said. They include Kickin’ Southwest and Sweet Kale. “Kale remains extremely popular, but unlike some kale salads that might be a bit acidic or tangy, the lemon seed poppy dressing in this one sweetens it up a little bit, so it is not as vinegary or sharp. Plus, the organic sunflower seeds and cranberries are healthy additions that round it out to make really great salad,” he said. The Kickin' Southwest salad blends Romaine with green and red cabbage for colorful foundation on which carrots, tortilla strips and Monterey Jack Cheese play. The Southwest Ranch dressing adds a little bit of indulgence so that the salad checks two major trends: better-for-you and permissible indulgence. Hilowitz added that all the salads combine a variety of greens and toppings for nutrient density that consumers want. Even as these continue to enter stores nationwide this summer, Ready Pac Foods already is looking forward to the next launch in the ever growing produce space, Hilowitz said, noting that the company is watching consumer trends and continually looking to innovate around product delivery.

Ready Pac Foods combines power of organic with convenience to expand popular salad kit category

Eager to expand its footprint in the exponentially growing packaged salad space and meet consumer demand for healthy, fresh and convenient produce, Ready Pac Food launches four new Organic Chopped Salad Kits, which it claims create a new segment in the category.

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