Fresh Direct, the UK’s leading provider of fresh produce to the foodservice sector, has seen sales of prepared produce grow by more than 10% in the past year, as chefs increasingly seek time-saving products in the kitchen.
The fast-growing pre-prepared sector is helping address some of the problems caused by staff shortages, and includes products that can be sliced, diced, shredded, quartered or cut into many different sizes and shapes to suit a variety of dishes and menus.
Innovation is driving much of the growth in the market, for example, Fresh Direct has introduced a range of value-added products, for example, foraged mushroom meat. This was launched in response to demand for vegan products that are not ultra processed and provides chefs with a clean label, vegan product.
Timesaving is another key factor and has seen the introduction of a range of Freshlock products, from our growing partner Barfoots, including a baked potato and sweetcorn, which are cooked using gentle pasteurisation, saving time in the kitchen as they are precut and just requiring warming in the oven.
In addition, Fresh Direct has responded to the increase in demand for ready to eat prepared lines, with the launch of shredded white cabbage, red cabbage and Savoy which are washed and ready to eat for making slaws and salads. It has also introduced new vegetable mixes, such as roast veg mix and creative slaws such as the new rainbow slaw.
Paul Nieduszynski, CEO for Sysco GB, said: “Supporting chefs is at the heart of what we do, so providing a range of products that make back-of-house prep more efficient fits right into that.
“With staff shortages still a major issue across the foodservice industry, the demand for prepped products is growing fast. We continue to innovate to provide the products that make a real difference to chefs, prepared to a high specification and supporting chefs where and when they need it most. In many cases, we’ve been able to work with customers to develop bespoke products for them.”
