Stop & Shop Supermarkets is testing a new program that appears to bridge the gap between pre-made and homemade meals. With key ingredients assorted in special refrigerated sections, Choose & Cook promises to give consumers the ability to make homemade meals within twenty minutes.
According to Supermarket News, Stop & Shop recently introduced the component-based fresh family meals program to 34 locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Under Choose & Cook, shoppers can choose from a selection of entrees, sauces, side dishes and fresh vegetables - all located in a single Choose & Cook refrigerated case in the select stores.
The grocer's marketing copy on the website proclaims, "If you'd love to serve your family fresh, exciting meals every night but you just don't have the time, try Stop & Shop's new Choose & Cook. Choose & Cook's ingredients are freshly prepared and packaged for your convenience. With one skillet and 20 minutes, you can make a great-tasting meal your whole family can enjoy. Everything you need can be found in one convenient location in the Choose & Cook case. And we've color-coded the ingredients so it's easy to shop. Or, mix and match ingredients to create your own unique dish."
The micro website, www.stopandshop.com/chooseandcook, lists four easy steps for the program:
- Select An Entrée (freshly cut meat, poultry or seafood);
- Choose A Sauce (to accent your meal);
- Add a Side Dish (freshly prepared);
- Complete Your Meal (with crisp, fresh vegetables).
Source: Stop & Shop
The six current options include sirloin beef teriyaki, chicken cacciatore, shrimp pad thai, tilapia provencal, chicken in burgundy mushroom sauce, and sweet chili chicken.
The website also reveals that Stop & Shop will be holding in-store cooking classes around the Choose & Cook program.
Discussion Questions: What do you think of Shop & Stop's Choose & Cook program? Is there demand in the market for speedy, component-based fresh family meals sections at grocers? What will be the key to the program's success?