Page 21 - Food&Drink magazine July 2021

POINT OF DIFFERENCE
Menon is “incredibly proud” of the company’s manufacturing process, with its emphasis on chefs to maintain the home cooked feeling of its meals. “Having chefs involved in
the process means that, in comparison to other providers in the category that rely heavily on machinery, our meals
are hand-made and cooked with love. It is something
we’ve maintained from day one, our point of difference
lies in the fact that each
and every meal is prepared meticulously to ensure that taste, texture and restaurant- like quality,” he says.
The chefs work with the in-house dietitian and head of nutrition to develop meals catering to a range of health goals.
The company also pioneered vacuum seal technology in the ready-meal space in Australia.
“The technology was there, but it was only being used for raw meats and seafood.
“We saw it as an opportunity to lead the way and differentiate ourselves from competitors because it offered extended shelf life, improved product quality and maximised freshness.
“Initially, there was some feedback about how this new packaging caused the food to appear squashed, because our customers were familiar with our frozen products. However, we pushed ahead with the vacuum sealing due to its high calibre product retention, colouration and freshness over a longer period of time.
“Extended shelf life made for a seamless transition from frozen to fresh, and we’re proud to have introduced and championed this packaging innovation into the Australian ready-meals market,” Menon says.
FUTURE GOALS
Menon says the company is well positioned for the projected growth in the ready-meals market. He says increasing
“ At the time, the market perception of ready meals was that they were bland, boring, and lacking in flavour, so the quality of our meals was going to be pivotal to our success.”
penetration of pre-prepared meals is expected to grow from around $6.1 billion in 2020 to $9.1 billion in 2025. “Chilled foods represented roughly $2.3 billion and within that, around 30 per cent – $690 million – of revenue comes from direct-to- consumer sales.
“There appears to be a slight shift away from frozen to chilled, with chilled foods – compared to frozen and meal kits – having the highest
likelihood of people starting to purchase in the next twelve months. Between 29 to 35 per cent of people saying they might or definitely will purchase these items,” Menon says.
The company had a record year in 2020, with 400,000 unit sales and is launching nutritional snacks and beverages. From a side hustle to a multi-million-dollar enterprise, My Muscle Chef is liftingmorethanitsweight. ✷
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www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | July 2021 | Food&Drink business | 21