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Fresh & Easy Has Healthy New Foods

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has launched EatWell, a line of 17 healthy new ready-to-eat prepared meals and sides, all of which have been designed to contain fewer than 500 calories and less than 25% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance for fat and sodium, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The new line was developed in response to input from the company's customers, according

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has launched EatWell, a line of 17 healthy new ready-to-eat prepared meals and sides, all of which have been designed to contain fewer than 500 calories and less than 25% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance for fat and sodium, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

The new line was developed in response to input from the company's customers, according to Brendan Wonnacott, director of consumer affairs for Fresh & Easy.

“We've received a lot of feedback asking for nutritious options,” he said. “People are looking for limited calories, less fat, less sodium. So, we set out to create a new line of foods to give customers an option — something a little more nutritionally balanced. We didn't want to compromise on quality or flavor.”

The new lineup, which was rolled out to Fresh & Easy's 150 stores last week, features salads, soups, noodle dishes, entrees and other options, including Singapore Style Noodles, Arroz Con Pollo, Veggie Wrap with Red Pepper Hummus, and Bruschetta Chicken. Most of the items retail for $3.99, although Wonnacott noted that a couple of items, such as the Turkey Chili and the Tuscan Vegetable Soup, will be priced at $1.99, and a couple of others, such as the Honey Dijon Salmon and the Teriyaki Salmon meals, will be priced at $4.99.

Fresh & Easy debuted the new EatWell line at an invitation-only tasting event attended by local food writers, including some of the company's biggest fans — writers who run blogs with names like “The Temple of Fresh & Easy” and “Fresh & Easy Buzz.”

Wonnacott explained that the launch strategy was in tune with the company's broader efforts to stay in communication with its shoppers and understand what they want to see in their local store.

“We've spent a lot of time communicating with customers. That's something that we have been doing since the beginning,” he said. “And, we wanted to get people in the same room to try this for the first time. We got a good number of our regular customers, as well as a good number of people who write about food in the Los Angeles market, to talk about what we're offering.”

Generally speaking, the bloggers gave great reviews to the new EatWell products, and highlighted a few issues that they brought up during an informal question-and-answer session with Fresh & Easy officials. For example, a blogger at Funnyyellowmom raised concerns about imported shrimp and sustainably sourced seafood. Another blogger at The Temple of Fresh & Easy wrote that she had asked whether Fresh & Easy could develop a few EatWell desserts, such as angel food cakes or fruit crumbles. She also reported that the company is already planning a line of EatWell products for children. Wonnacott told SN that the EatWell brand will also be extended to better-for-you grocery products, such as cereals.

“It's a full line of different items, and it really hits on the broad spectrum of [prepared] foods that people are looking for in our stores,” Wonnacott said.