Dive Brief:
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Velveeta has introduced Stuffed Grilled Cheese and Cheesy Bites to the frozen snacks category, according to Business Wire.
- The company’s research found that up to 80% of Velveeta consumers are buying frozen snacks and meals, so it made sense to bring products into the category.
- Caio Santos, the company’s brand manager for frozen snacks, said the new offerings capture the “true Velveeta experience” and are great for an after-school treat.
Dive Insight:
With the global frozen food segment expected to reach $293 billion by 2019, it only makes sense for Kraft Heinz to cross over to the category.
After all, snacks have become meal replacements for people of all ages. A report from Canadean last year showed that up to 41% of consumers ages 18 to 24, and nearly 44% of consumers ages 25 to 34, say they regularly eat snacks between meals. Savvy manufacturers need to keep up with the times, and that means bringing foods consumers already love to the categories from which they are buying.
In its most recent earnings call, Kraft Heinz CEO Bernardo Hees said the company is focused on improving top-line growth to "set the table for 2017." Many took this to mean that new innovations would be rolled out, and these products are a result of this strategy.
With a built-in audience for the brand and the items, the company could be primed to hit a home run in this category. It wouldn’t be surprising to see more frozen Velveeta items launched in the future as Kraft Heinz looks to capitalize on the increasing trend.