Kroger helps shoppers get 'Prep + Pared' through meal kit solutions

CINCINNATI — Kroger is exploring the feasability behind meal kits with a new offering dubbed Prep + Pared that gives shoppers all the fixings for a home-cooked dinner for two. Some industry analysts are suggesting Kroger's $14 meal kits may be a strategic offering in response to home delivery options, meal kits actually have been gaining in popularity of late because of home delivery.



"Meal kits have come a long way in a relatively short time — and they’ve developed into a growing in-store option for consumers along the way," noted Nielsen in a recent industry analysis. "In the U.S., in-store meal kit sales totaled $80.6 million in the year ended March 4, 2017, up 6.7% from the previous year. Of the 25% of Americans who say they’ve tried a meal kit in the past year, 17% purchased one in-store."



The meal kits index heavily among millennial men, households with children and households with more than $70,000 in annual income, Nielsen reported. And many consumers see meal kits as healthier options. In fact, 81% of consumers in a recent Nielsen survey said they believe meal kits are healthier for them than prepared foods from their local grocery store.



"And in terms of success rates, meal kits are delivering: 92% of adults say they’re satisfied with the quality of the produce in their meal kits, 91% are satisfied with how the meat is packaged and 66% say they eat seafood more when they purchase meal kits," Nielsen added.