Aunt Bessie’s revolutionises roast dinners with a new range of convenient frozen meat joints and veg sides

Aunt Bessie’s, the leading brand in frozen roast dinner accompaniments^[1], is expanding its range of frozen meat joints and roast dinner vegetables, which will be available at major UK retailers starting this September.

A huge 1.1 billion roast dinners are eaten every year^[2] and of those eaten at home, almost ¾ (73%) will include meat^[3] and every single one will feature vegetables.^[4] With over half the UK population buying into the frozen roast dinner accompaniment segment^[5],  Aunt Bessie’s’ new offerings will provide even more convenient, high-quality roast dinner options for shoppers and help retailers maximise their sales in the category.

From September 9^th, Tesco will be the first to introduce Aunt Bessie’s new meat joints and veg, followed by Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury’s in October. The new offerings, all of which are non-HFSS compliant, include three delicious meat joints (Bacon Topped Boneless Chicken Joint, Maple Glazed Gammon Joint, Garlic & Herb Beef Joint) and four sides (Maple & Thyme Glazed Carrots, Green Veg Mix with Garlic & Herb Butter, Rich & Creamy Cauliflower Cheese, and Rustically Made Roast Potato Chips).

With 84% of shoppers prioritising ease of preparation and cooking^[6], Aunt Bessie’s meat joints are the perfect solution. These boneless joints offer easy carving, are designed to be cooked directly from frozen, and come in ready-to-roast trays. This eliminates the need for any pre-planning, making them ideal for last-minute meal decisions. The seven new additions to Aunt Bessie’s portfolio will provide even more choices for shoppers looking to put together a full meal solution with ease, driving footfall to the frozen aisle.

Andy Dale, Marketing Manager at Aunt Bessie’s, said: “Following the successful launch of Aunt Bessie’s meat joints and the £12 roast dinner meal deal in Iceland last year, which boosted Iceland’s value share of roast dinner accompaniments by two percentage points (+22% increase in sales YOY)^[7], we are thrilled to be expanding our range. Our goal is to make roast dinners more accessible for families across the country. As consumers increasingly seek delicious yet easy-to-prepare meal solutions, this launch reaffirms our commitment to providing families with options that allow them to enjoy more quality time together around the dinner table.”

The launch also ties into Aunt Bessie’s’ participation in Roast Dinner-focused Meal Deals across the trade from mid-October through to early January.* The meal deals, now with even more qualifying products, offer exceptional value, with shoppers able to feed a family of four by purchasing a meat joint and three sides or desserts for just £12**.

Dale continues: “The frozen roast dinner category is experiencing positive value growth of 6.1%^[8]. Innovative launches like this are highly beneficial for retailers as shoppers continue to seek cost-effective products that deliver convenience without compromising on taste. By offering simple yet complete meal inspirations, we aim to further the category’s success and bring Aunt Bessie’s quality to even more plates nationwide.” 

The new Aunt Bessie’s range will also include NaviLens ‘codes’ on the front of packs.  In 2022, Aunt Bessie’s became the first frozen food brand in the world to sign up to NaviLens technology, taking a big step forward in making food packaging more inclusive. By using the app, blind and partially sighted shoppers can locate products more easily in-store and in their own freezers through audio navigation. Additionally, information on the ingredients, preparation instructions, and recycling information can now be heard aloud via audio on the shopper’s mobile device.

*Promotion run:

• Tesco: 15th Oct – 4th Nov
• Morrisons: 25th Oct – 14th Nov
• Asda: 7th Nov – 8th Jan