Now Kraft Foods has its own permutation of the meal kit. This one
takes a page from Europe (and from its own past failures). It's
refrigerated. Just add meat to the contents of the box, which include
pasta or rice, sauce, and cheese (depending on the variety). The
Freshmade Creations line currently is testing in several cities,
including Grand Junction, Colo., Eau Claire, Wis., and Pittsfield,
Mass. To reinforce the "fresh" idea, the boxes are sold
in the meat case and have their own carrying handle. The varieties
sound just like every other meal kit out there: Classic Italian
Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan with Linguine, Cheesy Chicken and Rice
and Broccoli, and Fiesta Taco Dinner Bake, to name just a few of
the eight varieties in the line.
The plan, it appears, is to market them next to the fresh meat
they require (chicken or ground beef).Now, take a moment to jump
into the "way-back" machine. Kraft tested a product line
called Fresh Creations back in 1990 as part of the refrigerated
ready-to-eat meal craze from the late 1980s and early 1990s. The
entrees tested in Kansas City in some decidedly upscale varieties:
Chicken Hawaiian, Lasagna Florentine, and Beef Burgundy. They were
sold in their own display case, thus helping to eliminate some of
the problems encountered by Nestle and others with maintaining the
freshness and look of their lines. (Remember Nestle's FreshNes line?)