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Wegmans Launches 'Take It. Make It.' Meals

Wegmans Food Markets has debuted a new program that promises to teach shoppers the secrets behind the selections in the chain's prepared food department. The fall 2007 issue of Wegmans Menu Magazine features take it. make it. meals, highlighting more than 20 Italian recipes that are also available in ready-to-eat form at Wegmans stores. The idea, according to Tom Colopietro, category

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Wegmans Food Markets has debuted a new program that promises to teach shoppers the secrets behind the selections in the chain's prepared food department.

The fall 2007 issue of Wegmans Menu Magazine features “take it. make it.” meals, highlighting more than 20 Italian recipes that are also available in ready-to-eat form at Wegmans stores. The idea, according to Tom Colopietro, category merchant of prepared foods, is to offer shoppers the chance to taste these dishes before trying the recipes, or simply to learn to make some of their long-time favorites at home.

“By offering both prepared and easy-to-make versions of dishes that have been winners with customers, we're connecting the dots and expanding choices,” Colopietro explained in a release. “No matter how much time or cooking experience a customer may have, getting a great meal on the table is now a little easier.”

The recipes — such as Braised Beef Pizzaiola with Baby Spinach and Garlic; Bowtie Pasta with Vodka Blush Sauce and Chicken, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Pine Nuts; Italian Pork Cutlets with Green Beans and Shallots; and Three-Cheese Ravioli with Baby Spinach and Arrabbiata Sauce — have been tested for ease of preparation in home kitchens, and streamlined to take advantage of time-savers like bagged, precut vegetables or prepared sauces and stocks.

Shoppers will also have the opportunity to watch one meal per week being prepared at meal stations in Wegmans stores, or watch four different demonstration videos hosted on wegmans.com.

“We think we've reached a new level of helping the customer learn about great meals with this approach, and we plan to continue it into the foreseeable future,” said Wegmans chef Jim Schaeffer in the release. “People like making what they've enjoyed before, so we think some customers will like being able to make at home a favorite soup or entree from the prepared foods area.”

The current Italian food program kicked off recently, and will continue through early November.

TAGS: Marketing