In September, two new products from Irwindale, California-based fresh vegetable shipper Ready Pac Foods will make their debuts in the deli department, says Alan Hilowitz, the company’s corporate communications director.

Ready Pac’s Fresh Prep’d Soup Kits and Fresh Prep’d Wrap Kits are designed to be assembled by consumers right before they’re eaten. That helps guarantee that vegetables stay crisp and, in the case of the wrap kits, that tortillas don’t get soggy. Ready Pac says its soup kits are the first of their kind in the category.

 Ready Pac cited rapid growth in the fresh prepared meal category as a reason for launching the new lines in deli.

 With this contribution to the category, the company hopes to contribute to consumers eating more healthy foods.

 “We saw a great opportunity to diversify the company’s offerings and provide consumers with the convenient meal options they’re looking for, especially as sales of products in the perimeter of the grocery store continue to grow, Ready Pac’s CEO, Tony Sarsam, says in a news release.

 In surveys leading up to the launch of the Fresh Prep’d lines, consumers told Ready Pac they often sacrificed taste for convenience or healthfulness for flavor. The company hopes the new lines meet all of those needs. 

 “We wanted to create an easy alternative to lackluster desk lunches and unhealthy fast food,” Ready Pac’s chief marketing officer, Galit Feinreich, says in the release. “With more than 75% of households in the U.S. purchasing fresh prepared foods, our Fresh Prep’d options enable consumers to have a delicious, healthy and convenient meal at a great value.”

 Fresh Prep’d is the latest addition to Ready Pac’s value-added veggie offerings. The company’s Bistro line, however, has been around for some time.

 And while the majority of Bistro products are sold in the produce section, Hilowitz says, some retailers opt for a second display in or near the deli section.

 The flagship Bistro product is Bistro Bowl Salads. Within the category, there are 11 Original Bistro products, six in the Ethnic & Regional sub-category and three in Seasonal & Limited.

 Other salad kit products in the Bistro line include Bistro Grilled Chicken (four SKUs), Bistro Gourmet (three) and Bistro Dinner Solutions (four).

 Ready Pac also boasts a full line of items it packs for grocery store delis in four categories: Salad Bars & Deli Counter, Sandwiches and Wraps, Fresh Cut Fruit and Platters.

 For deli salad bars, Ready Pac’s fresh-cut options include chopped peppers and onions, shredded carrots, pico de gallo and other items. Shredded lettuce and a variety of cut vegetables are available for instore sandwiches and wraps.

 Ready Pac’s large variety of fresh-cut fruits for delis, meanwhile, are perfect for salads, side dishes and desserts, according to the company. Product also can be sold in containers, either by individual variety or in blends.

 Cantaloupe, grapes, mangoes and honeydew are among the company’s popular fresh-cut options in grocery delis.

 Ready Pac deli platters feature customized fruit and veggie options, paired with sweet and savory dips and dressings.