Consumers' desire for more convenience when it comes to food was a theme of the morning education sessions yesterday, and several booths on the show floor demonstrated ways to do that at retail through creative packaging. I saw multiple examples of single serving meals with perhaps a sandwich, some fruit or vegetables and a side salad, or a snack box with crackers, cheese and fruit.
One that really caught my eye in the Show & Sell Center looked like a grown-up version of a Pizza Lunchables. It had a stack of thin bread cut into squares, pepperoni, shredded cheese and pizza sauce. This type of meal would be easy for a supermarket to put together, and it would also appeal to those customers who are seeking out less processed foods.
Burnett Dairy Cooperative had another adult version of a kids' snack: smoked mozzarella string cheese. The string cheese also came in other unique flavors, like homestyle ranch.