Fresh Express expands chopped salad kit line

Seeking to meet consumer demand for convenient, healthful and restaurant-quality meals at home, Fresh Express has added three new offerings to its line of chopped salad kits: Twisted Caesar Lemon Caesar, Twisted Caesar Pesto Caesar, and Mexican Style. It also introduced a new crunchy blend, Butter Supreme.

 Trends like convenience, plant-based nutrition, and restaurant-inspired international flavors are driving food innovations, says the company, which sees chopped salads kits well positioned to drive growth for the value-added salad category.

Fresh Express points to data that finds chopped kits represent 18% dollar share of the total value-added salad category. 

“At Fresh Express, innovation is at the heart of everything we do — from seed selection to packaging technology to culinary development,” said Fabian Pereira, vice president of marketing and innovation at Fresh Express, in a release. “Whether consumers are looking for a quick and flavorful meal with our chopped kits or curating their favorite salad creation with one of our salad blends, we have more than 100 fresh and affordable salad varieties for every meal occasion.” 

A recent study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Fresh Express found that of the respondents who believe there’s such a thing as the “ultimate salad,” 78% think that salad should be chopped and 51% think it should be loaded with toppings.

Lemon Caesar and Pesto Caesar are the latest additions to the Fresh Express Twisted Caesar Chopped Salad Kits line, which combine the brand’s classic Caesar salad with a flavor twist. 

The Twisted Caesar Lemon Caesar features crisp iceberg and green leaf lettuce, topped with crunchy parmesan cheese crisps and dried cherries that are paired with a lemon white wine Caesar dressing.

Also new, the Twisted Caesar Pesto Caesar offers a fresh blend of crisp iceberg and green leaf lettuce, tossed with crunchy garlic brioche croutons, parmesan cheese, and a creamy pesto Caesar dressing. 

Inspired by a consumer survey, which found that more than 80% of consumers love Mexican food, Fresh Express has also introduced a Mexican Style Chopped Salad Kit. 

This kit includes crisp iceberg and green leaf lettuce, slivered carrots and shredded red cabbage garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds, cheddar cheese tortilla strips, crumbled cotija cheese and a cheesy, sweet tomatillo dressing. 

For consumers who prefer to create a salad using their favorite lettuce, toppings and dressing, Fresh Express offers its Butter Supreme blend of green butter lettuce, red butter lettuce, radicchio and baby chard.

As part of its ongoing commitment to deliver innovative and fresh products, Fresh Express has also released the final video in its Food Safety & Quality series: Innovation Never Rests. The video explores the Fresh Express technologies that led to the creation of the packaged salad category, including the Keep Crisp breathable bag, said the company. The video also spotlights the brand’s culinary innovation center. 

The new Fresh Express Chopped Kits and Crunchy Blend have a suggested retail price of $3.99 and are available now at retailers nationwide, including Albertsons, Aldi, Food Lion, Giant Eagle and Walmart.