EVOL Foods, a Boulder, Colorado, USA-based producer of frozen ready meals, burritos and snacks, is introducing the new product lines: MultiServe Skillet meals and Lean & Fit single serve meals. Each will soon be available nationally at Target, Harris Teter and in select grocery stores.
“Our food philosophy is simple: love what you eat. We are on a continual quest to find innovative ways to provide delicious food without sacrificing nutrition, flavor or convenience,” said founder Phil Anson. “I think people are going to be truly excited when they taste these new products and realize they are a standout in the frozen food category, showing that just because something is convenient doesn’t mean you have to give up on unique flavors and taste.”
The MultiServe Skillet meals launch marks the first time the company has moved beyond the single-serve market. Available are six recipes that will retail from $6.99 to $8.49. Ready to serve two persons after 10 minutes of stovetop preparation, the offerings are:
- Uncured Bacon Mac & Cheese, featuring elbow macaroni, uncured bacon and peas combined with a cheddar cheese sauce.
- Thai Style Curry Chicken, boasting grilled white meat chicken, red bell peppers, baby corn, carrots, snap peas and white rice with yellow curry sauce.
- Teriyaki Chicken, a gluten-free dish featuring grilled white meat chicken, red and green bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, broccoli and brown rice with teriyaki sauce.
- Grilled Chicken Parmesan, an Italian classic featuring white meat chicken, spinach, basil, penne pasta and parmesan cheese in a roasted garlic tomato sauce.
- Chicken Tikka Masala, a gluten-free dish that combines grilled white meat chicken, carrots, peas and white rice in a rich and creamy tikka masala sauce.
- Butternut Squash and Sage Ravioli, a savory flavor combination of sage and roasted garlic sauce with grilled tomatoes and kale coating ravioli stuffed with roasted butternut squash and ricotta cheese.
EVOL’s Lean & Fit meals, each of which are low in fat and have calorie counts of 300, will retail for $3.99-$4.99. The assortment consists of:
- Teriyaki Chicken, featuring grilled white meat chicken, brown rice, red and green bell peppers, snap peas, carrots and broccoli tossed in teriyaki sauce.
- Lemongrass Chicken, a presentation of meat chicken, brown rice, broccoli, carrots and snap peas with lemongrass sauce.
- Chicken Tandoori, a lean version of the popular Indian dish with grilled white meat chicken, brown rice, roasted tomatoes, carrots and peas in a traditional tandoori sauce.
- Chicken Penne Pomodoro, whole wheat penne pasta, red and green bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, spinach and grilled white chicken in a roasted garlic tomato sauce.
EVOL Foods, which became a unit of Boulder Brands, Inc., was acquired on December 23, 2013, for $48 million. Its revenues last year, estimated at $17 million, were up 70% over 2012.
In announcing the purchase, Chairman and CEO Stephen Hughes stated: “While this acquisition is relatively small in size, we believe it to have significant potential for Boulder Brands, as EVOL is a category-elastic brand in an exciting segment that will further accelerate our growth rate and diversify our mix to high-growth natural brands. Consumers are demanding pure and simple ingredients in the food they buy, and retailers are in the process of renovating their freezers with healthier alternatives. With EVOL, Boulder Brands will participate in this exciting growth opportunity with a newly defined ‘pure and simple’ food platform.”
“Furthermore,” he added, “we see considerable revenue and platform synergies with EVOL and Udi’s. EVOL has built a strong brand proven in the natural channel and a clear proof of concept in conventional retail, resulting in considerable white-space opportunity in conventional, mass and club channels. In addition, its portfolio of products is the perfect complement to Udi’s wide range of gluten-free frozen baked goods. The EVOL team brings expertise we believe essential to building out both our EVOL and Udi’s frozen platforms. This portfolio, which will include EVOL and Udi’s Gluten Free frozen pizzas, burritos and entrees, will enable us to offer all retailers in North America a strategic partner to help renovate their freezer cases.”
In addition to EVOL Foods and Udi’s, Boulder Brands’ other health and wellness lines include the Glutino brand for gluten-free diets, Earth Balance plant-based products, the Level Life brand for diabetic dieters; and the Smart Balance label, which caters to consumers seeking heart healthier diets.
