Ready meals 2025: ‘Big nights in’ push posher meal sales up

In ready meals, brands and retailers are battling it out for share of lucrative ‘big night in’ occasions with a growing roster of posh, posher and poshest NPD.

Leading the way is premium chilled ready meals maker Charlie Bigham’s, the category leader. The brand debuted what may be the fanciest (and priciest) ready meal of all in October with its Beef Wellington for £29.95.

The eye-catching launch was part of the rollout of its super-premium Brasserie range, which includes Salmon Wellington (rsp: £19.99), Coq au Vin and Duck Confit & Pommes Anna (both rsp: £16.99).

“Showstopping food doesn’t always have to mean going out,” said brand founder Charlie Bigham. “With the Brasserie range, you can have that same restaurant-quality experience at home.”

Bigham’s bid to raise the price ceiling in chilled ready meals makes sense, given retailers’ growing reliance on premium own label.

In September, Morrisons launched its “ultra-premium” Best Signature Collection dine-in meals range. A month later, M&S refreshed its Gastropub range, adding nine dishes by chef Tom Kerridge. Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Iceland have also expanded their premium own label ready meal ranges.

“This year has had some of the most intense innovation levels in recent years,” says Mark Field, CEO of fmcg consultancy Prof Consulting Group.

“Brands have had to compete with the next level of own-brand innovation. Those that have succeeded have combined convenience, branding and packaging to deliver a greater impact and win customers’ attention.

They’ve done so in the face of stiffening price competition. “As households continue to face financial pressure, retailer-led promotions – such as ‘dinner for tonight’ – are capturing key shopper missions, positioning ready meals as an accessible luxury,” says Ishita Gupta, NIQ senior analytics executive. She points to the growing use of deals that group mains, sides, desserts and/or drinks together, typically for the bargain price of £15.

Chilled ready meal brands have risen to the challenge, achieving value growth of 9.8% on units up 1.8%. Own label value, meanwhile, is up 3.2% on units that have grown 0.4%.

Other factors are also gaining currency in chilled meals, including healthier options. “Health concerns persist as a key challenge, with consumers increasingly turning away from processed foods and gravitating toward scratch cooking,” says Gupta.

“Products that combine health benefits with taste and convenience have the potential to re-engage consumers and reinvigorate category growth.”

Several are already doing that. Healthier kids’ meals maker Little Dish, for example, has seen sales of its chilled lines surge 48.6% in value and 48.4% in units. That’s after winning space lost by rival Annabel Karmel in a range review at Sainsbury’s last year.

Then there’s Gym Kitchen. Sales of its chilled meals have soared 29.9% in value and 25.1% in units. Its frozen meals have rocketed 63.8% in value and 65.6% in units.

In fact, the brand has achieved the fastest percentage growth among the top 10 frozen ready meal brands – in a sector that’s seen own label make big gains. Private label frozen ready meals are up 9% in value on units up 3.2%. Brands have grown value 0.8%, but their units have fallen 6.8%.

Brands dominate ambient meals

It’s a different story in the ambient market, where brands are to thank for the lion’s share of growth. Overall category value has grown 20.5% on volumes up 13.9%. Branded sales have grown 23.9% on volumes up 13%.

That said, there are some similarities between ambient ready meals and chilled and frozen, where premium own label and brands are winning share.

Just look at ambient market leader Merchant Gourmet, up 40.7% in value and 37.1% in volumes. “We’ve previously shied away from ‘gourmet’ due to the implications of being seen as too fancy,” said head of brand Esther Sforza on announcing a relaunch in May.

The brand’s gourmet credentials are “front and centre of our brand identity” in the relaunch, which also saw the launch of three ready-to-eat bean pouches, she added.

Following Premier Foods’ acquisition of Merchant Gourmet for £48m in August, the brand’s innovation spree has continued. November saw the launch of Persian Style Rice & Lentils and Turkish Style Bulgur & Rice pouched meals in partnership with cook and food writer Sabrina Ghayour.

Whether chilled, frozen or ambient then, upmarket ready meals are driving up fortunes across the board.