New Covent Garden Food Co is adding a quiche range to its portfolio one year ­after its ill-fated Sprout venture.

The deep-filled range, rolling into Asda and Waitrose now, comes in carrot & coriander, broccoli & stilton and smoked salmon variants (rsp: £2.79 per 400g serving four).

A twin-pack containing pea & ham and asparagus & vintage Cheddar quiches is also in the pipeline.

The New Covent Garden-branded range would help strengthen the brand's all-year-round appeal by building on the success of its seasonal summer soups, said group marketing manager Andrew Ovens. "It will appeal to our existing core consumers but will also attract new consumers looking for tasty, fresh food options in the summer."

The Daniels Group-owned company made a move into ready meals in March last year with Sprout, a range of three meat-free meals launched into Waitrose but ditched six months later. The failed Sprout venture was "a niche opportunity in a different market for a non-New Covent Garden-branded solution, aimed at a different consumer group", said Ovens.

"The quiche range is a brand extension into a category where New Covent Garden consumers already purchase, but are looking for the great flavours and brand benefits that we can offer."

More branded NPD is expected from Daniels following an £8.5m investment in its new Grimsby factory. It is expected to add £40m of sales to the £170m business in its first year.

The quiche range is made in the UK by Meadowbrook Bakery.