Pukka, the nation’s favourite Hot Pie brand[1], has extended its frozen range with the launch of two brand-new SKUs: Chicken & Bacon Microwaveable Twin Pack and Vegan Minced Steak & Onion Microwaveable Twin Pack – allowing retailers to tap into demand for quick and convenient meals that don’t compromise on taste.
Landing on supermarket shelves from 5th September, both SKUs cook in the microwave straight from the freezer in just 4 minutes, ticking shopper demand for a quick and tasty meal or filling snack.
This launch sees Pukka introduce its first vegan frozen offering with The Vegetarian Society’s vegan stamp of approval, enabling retailers to further tap into the growing vegan market and drive incremental sales. With over 2 million new shoppers[1] buying Pukka’s chilled vegan range since its launch last year, and ‘Creamy Chicken & Bacon’ coming out top in independent consumer research, the launch of these popular variants in frozen, microwaveable formats is a natural next step for the nation’s favourite.
Rachel Cranston, Head of Marketing and Innovation at Pukka explains: “The pandemic has really shifted shopper views on frozen food, with the category growing +17%[2] year-on-year. It’s clear that as a nation, we’re falling back in love with our freezers, so it was only right for us to offer people these popular Pukka recipes in our convenient frozen, microwaveable format, to make sure there’s a Pukka for everyone.
“Chicken & Bacon is a classic fan favourite and demand for vegan offerings is going through the roof, with the number of vegans in the UK up +350% in just 12 months[3]. There is clearly huge potential for a quick and tasty plant-based recipe which appeals to not only vegans – but veggies, flexitarians and meat-reduces alike.
“With shoppers starting to spend more time out and about and looking for filling meal or snack options that are ready in minutes, this launch couldn’t come at a better time. And with the recipes already being tried and tested flavour combinations, retailers can feel confident that by stocking our new Chicken & Bacon Microwaveable Twin Pack and Vegan Minced Steak & Onion Microwaveable Twin Pack, they can benefit from incremental frozen sales.”
Alongside its strong sales success – which has seen Pukka grow three-times faster than the category[4] – the brand consistently brings excitement to the Hot Pie fixture with continuous innovation. The company also scooped the ultimate food accolade, The Grocer Brand of the Year, in 2020 and has four products shortlisted in The Grocer New Product Awards, including its chilled Chicken & Bacon and Vegan Minced Steak & Onion recipes.
Pukka’s Chicken & Bacon Microwaveable Twin Pack will be available in boxes of 2 microwavable pies (RRP £2.75, 400g per twin pack) from 5th September with Vegan Minced Steak & Onion Microwaveable Twin Pack to follow.
[1] IRI 52 w/e 13.06.21
[2] IRI 52 we 21.02.2021
[3] IGD 2020
[4] IRI 52 we 13.06.21
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