Prep Co pot meal

Unilever has expanded its pot meal offer with the addition of Prep Co, a new brand of instant meals positioned as a healthier lunch choice.

Backed by a £1m media spend, Prep Co’s initial four variants are rolling out now. Mediterranean Couscous, Thai Green Curry, Indian Spiced Lentils and Mexican Chilli Rice (rsp: £1.99/68g-73g) tapped the trend for world food flavours, said Unilever.

Each is made with natural ingredients and counts as one of the 5 a day. Calorie content per 100g ranges from 109kcal to 123kcal, while sugar is 2.1g-4.4g and satfat is less than 2g across the quartet.

The supplier claimed Prep Co was “a step-changing addition to the instant pot snack aisle”. The packs’ vegetable-centric design and health claims would help attract “busy consumers looking for a healthier lunch option without compromising on taste”.

The launch came as the instant hot snack category was up 11.9% in value year on year, according to Lena Portchmouth, senior brand manager for snack foods at Unilever UK&I. Shoppers wanted food that “reflect the health and wellness trend as well as providing a fuss-free lunch to enjoy ‘al desko’”.