Focus On Ready Meals & Soups: 9 January

By Rob Brown (rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com) 

Advertising deadline: 23 December 2026

Submissions deadline: 18 December 2026

Print, digital and sponsorship opportunities

Ready meal brands are breaking out of the microwave (and oven) with products specifically designed for pan-cooking. This allows shoppers to easily add their own ingredients and customise their meals, but it also makes meals less portable – so why are brands doing it?

Pan cooking: New-age ready meals

• Which brands have added pan-cook ready meals in recent months?

• Across what formats and cuisines?

• What is their rationale for doing so?

• How are brands encouraging shoppers to customise such ready meals?

Innovation: Standout launches

• How else have ready meal and soup suppliers made their products even more convenient for shoppers?

• Are brands or retailers leading the charge when it comes to innovation?

• Which flavour trends are proving popular across meals and soups?

Health: UPF concerns

• How are UPF concerns shaping shoppers’ soup-buying habits? And brands’ innovation?

• How are suppliers responding to these concerns

• Who are the winners and losers in the category?

Innovations: We will profile two new products or ranges. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.