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KEEPING IT FRESH AND APPEALING Mr Surujpal also cites the “greater demand” for ready-to-go snacking options in petrol and convenience stores. “This year will see handheld snacking formats rise,” he said, “with hot pastry continuing its strong growth trajectory.” My Muscle Chef diversifies When My Muscle Chef was launched, says Head of Sales Alex Adcock, a gap in the market was identified for ready- made meals and on-the-go snacks offering a “delicious” taste while being high in protein and suitable for busy, health-conscious people. “Our goal was to make it easier for Australians to live active lives, and with this in mind we’ve created more than just meals,” he said. “We’re determined to dominate the category as the functional food and beverage leader for all consumption moments during the day.” When Covid-19 first hit, My Muscle Chef noted a decline in its respective categories. “With people working from home, baking banana bread and rediscovering cooking, it was tricky for us to stay relevant,” Mr Adcock said. “With gyms shut, we shifted our communications with customers via our ‘ambassadors’ to communicate the message of staying fit and working out from home during the pandemic, which saw new customers being drawn to our value proposition. “We \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[ended up having\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\] our best year on record and hit six-digit figures for the first time in My Muscle Chef’s history and grew more than double year on year.” Mr Adcock says the rise of dietary friendly meals such as those classed as vegan, keto or low calorie has also shaped the future of many brands in the category, adding that feedback from My Muscle Chef’s loyal customers has shaped additions to its range, with its TO PAGE 34 Patties claims lead in hot on the go Within the convenience sector, Patties Foods’ “iconic” Australian brands are said to be the “market leaders” for hot on-the-go savoury options, with an increasing presence in delivery services through petrol and convenience outlets. According to Patties Foods General Manager Marketing and Innovation Anand Surujpal, integrated sales and marketing activations have been identified as an essential ingredient in sustaining the company’s leadership in the channel and food-on-the- go category. “Boundaries are constantly pushed with engaging promotions and activations to draw customers in-store and support retail partners,” he said. “Recent new products offer a variety of on-the-go and ready-made meal options, delivering to the convenience shopper’s need for food for now, and food for later, which were in great demand throughout 2020 when options to dine out were limited in many markets.” Patties Foods intel has also identified breakfast as a growing trend in the food-on-the-go space. “The demand for food during the morning rush will be a key opportunity to drive growth, with 50 per cent of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[surveyed\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\] customers agreeing that breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Mr Surujpal said. “Consumers are seeking portable on-the-go offers that are not only delicious, but also filling enough to avoid mid-morning hunger pains, which is where new breakfast formats are gaining momentum. While these trends rise throughout the year, the fundamentals to growing the hot pastry category remain the same. Ensuring availability at key selling times still needs to be prioritised, creating the look of abundance and freshness for the customer while they’re in-store.” Looking ahead, Mr Surujpal predicts an increase in plant-based food options, catering for vegetarians, flexitarians and in some cases even vegans. “Patties Foods are committed to evolving and growing the product range, as well as understanding customers,” he said. “Last year, Four’N Twenty released its first-ever meat free pie, which has been a great success, resulting in the Four'N Twenty Meat Free Pie becoming a hot seller across Australia. This has led to further innovation and the launch of the Four’N Twenty Meat Free Roll.” FOODSERVICE – FOOD ON THE GO MAR/APR, 2021 CONVENIENCE WORLD 33