Green Giant transforms frozen vegetables

The frozen foods industry is seeing an increase in new product activity, according to Packaged Facts, a market research publisher, in the report “Frozen Foods in the U.S.: Hot Meals, Sides, and Snacks, 6th Edition.”

Recent product development and positioning in frozen foods reflect current overall food trends, like clean labels, international and regional flavors and special dietary preferences, Yahoo Finance reports. Another trend is products intended as innovative offerings to encourage people to eat more vegetables.

The Green Giant is an example of how frozen food marketers are getting back on track, according to Packaged Facts. The brand changed hands in November 2015, when B&G Foods purchased it from General Mills for $765 million. In less than a year Green Giant was rolling out a series of new Green Giant frozen products, including:

• Veggie Tots: An alternative to potato tots and French fries are filled with vegetables such as cauliflower or broccoli. Varieties include Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Broccoli & Cheese.
• Riced Veggies: Made from 100 percent vegetables and with no sauce or seasoning, these veggie alternatives to traditional rice have 70 percent to 85 percent fewer calories per serving than the leading brand of prepared white rice. Varieties include Cauliflower, Cauliflower & Broccoli, Cauliflower & Sweet Potato, and Cauliflower Medley.
• Mashed Cauliflower: An alternative to the typical potato side dish. Each half‑cup serving contains one full serving of cauliflower and 40 percent to 45 percent fewer calories than the leading brand of prepared mashed potatoes. Varieties include Original with Olive Oil & Sea Salt, Cheddar & Bacon, and Garlic & Herb.
• Roasted Veggies: These items contain no sauce or seasoning. Varieties of Roasted Veggies include Corn, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Carrots.

Veggie Tots and Mashed Cauliflower can be swapped in for potatoes, and Riced Veggies for white rice. The new product launch was supported with a $30 million “The Giant Awakens” media campaign that featured an updated Green Giant.

For more information, visit www.greengiant.com.