Dive Brief:
- Green Giant, part of B&G Foods, will debut its own line of frozen, spiralized vegetable noodles in stores nationwide in January. The company's pasta alternatives will initially be available in zucchini, carrot and butternut squash varieties, according to the company.
- The company said the products are made with 100% vegetables and are gluten-free, paleo-friendly and range from 65% to 90% fewer carbs than traditional pasta.
- Green Giant Veggie Spirals follow the company's roll-out last fall of several new frozen vegetable product lines, including Veggie Tots, Riced Veggies, Mashed Cauliflower and Roasted Veggies. Food Business News said those offerings are credited with helping to increase sales of the company's frozen products by $9.4 million, or 14%, in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the same quarter one year earlier.
Dive Insight:
Robert Cantwell, B&G president and CEO, called the company's value-added vegetable innovations launched in 2016 "very successful."
B&G has succeeded in taking well-known but beleaguered brands and innovating them. After picking up Green Giant in 2015, B&G added several innovative products — including veggie tots and riced veggies — that have brought the brand to be one of B&G's most consistent money makers on earnings reports.
"The power of Green Giant is real, and B&G Foods is proud to have begun reinvigorating this beloved brand as we continue to roll out new product innovations to meet the demands of today’s consumers," Cantwell said in a statement.
While smaller firms such as Veggie Noodle Co. helped develop spiralized noodles made from vegetables, large ones such as Del Monte have recently jumped on the bandwagon, so it will be interesting to see how an iconic brand such as Green Giant does in the increasingly trendy space.
The move by B&G, Del Monte and others is a smart one as consumers look to move away from processed foods in favor of more fruits and vegetables. B&G Veggie Spirals not only tap into this trend by debuting zucchini, carrots and butternut squash varieties, but the items come in ready-to-serve packages that can save time for busy consumers. They address shopper demand for products with a slimmed-down roster of ingredients with each Veggie Spirals lacking sauces or seasonings.
While frozen foods have struggled in recent years, there are signs they are making a comeback, with improvements to existing products like Green Giant a prime example. A study from the University of Georgia in partnership with the Frozen Food Foundation recently showed that frozen veggies are as healthy — if not moreso — as fresh-stored ones.
“Purchase data shows that Green Giant frozen innovation products have not only brought new consumers to the Green Giant brand, but have also brought new consumers to the overall frozen vegetable category," Cantwell said.