Product Spotlight: A vegetarian feast – in your hand

Healthiness: Frozen foods have focused on reducing the amounts of fat and calories and, in some cases, the ingredients in their offerings. There has not been much effort on providing healthiness via the addition of ingredients.

The experience

Forkless Gourmet Vegetarian Feast bun meals with tofu & edamame, mild Asian style, are available two buns to a package, total weight 10 oz., for $2.69. The overall line comes in 11 Asian and Mexican flavors that include products with chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, black bean and tofu.

While many are available at neighborhood grocery stores, some of the flavors are only available via the natural food channel. Having all natural ingredients and signature sauces in a tender, oven-baked bun, all of which microwaves in 1½ minutes, seems unbelievable. Normally, you can get fast, microwave food or fast health food, but not both.

The paper box package is somewhat subdued relative to graphics available today. The script used is contemporary, however, and pulls the eye in. The picture of the bun food on the package actually looks just like the food after it is cooked. The inner wrap was nothing special and the two buns looked interesting but somewhat plain except for their black seeds. Since this is a sandwich made with special bread, the consumer expects a soft, moist bakery product, not a crisp, fatty-tasting crust.

The bun was tender, neither dry nor too moist. It did take more time than the stated 1½-2 minutes per product to cook, but once heated through, the bread was still nice and tasty. The amount of filling was just enough, with neither too much of any ingredient nor too little.

Our taste panels were pleased that the ingredient pieces were large enough to figure out what they were (tofu, mushrooms, edamame). The sauce was special. The faint taste of the grilled mushrooms was clear and blended well with the fine sauce texture that was lightly ginger and soy.

This is not a taste you find everywhere. It was distinctive but not foreign to those who like to eat spicy foods, who dine at places like PF Chang's or who otherwise think of themselves as being able to taste something unique. Best yet, the tofu worked. It was not sour, tough or bitter. Eating like a vegan was not bad!

This is an on-the-go food. The sauce was not drippy and was held within the bun, easily eaten with one hand on the go. You could eat this and drive. The bun did not flake and would not spill on one’s clothing.

Forkless Gourmet bun meals Vegetarian Feast are 320 calories per sandwich (5 oz.) with 9 grams of fat (no trans fats), 15 grams of protein and 49 grams of carbohydrates with 5 grams of dietary fiber. Relative to some other microwave sandwiches, the calories were similar, protein and carbohydrates higher while fat was lower. This version of Forkless Gourmet had 470 mg of sodium; many of the other microwave sandwiches have about double that amount.

The price is similar to other products in the category. And Forkless Gourmet differentiates itself via form and flavors.

The fullness of flavor was satisfying. The bun alone might not make big eaters feel full, but it does represent a warm snack meal that could be used as the centerpiece of a lunch or a healthy snack alternative for an active young adult.

Does the product deliver?

This brand is about hand-held, authentic, instant, fresh flavors that have signature tastes and are quick and easy to prepare. This is a small meal that can satisfy people looking for more complex tastes and textures in easy-to-use forms.

Busy Gen Y'ers or the flavor-affluent will find this product interesting and worth another purchase. This one delivers on the promise.

How to make the idea bigger

The tender, soft and warm bun is different. It is probably not for everyone, but it accommodates sauces that are full flavor without getting soggy. Having a range of bun textures could allow the variety seeker to have as much excitement from the bread as he gets from the filling.

The key is to maintain the current flavor level and quality. We recall the first version of Budget Gourmet frozen entrees more than 20 years ago. They started a huge category but unfortunately along the way became less gourmet and much more budget. Forkless Gourmet's selection of flavors has been done with an eye to the variety seeker who does know gourmet.

Given the skew toward people who want to have tasteful vegetarian and vegan choices, the all natural ingredients described on the web site could be a feature to explore on the package. Additionally, this product is positioned to have many more functional ingredient opportunities as they present themselves to the target audience. The message Forkless Gourmet can have is that not only are they tasty and unique in flavors but they also provide certain health benefits that make them a great trade-off to other lunch, snack and dinner choices.

Further health benefits that could improve the product might involve how to provide even more fiber and include ingredients in quantities that might meet standards for heart health.

Rating: The product delivers on the promises.

Market Potential: Probably, maybe. Others have tried to do this before. The product is right where trends are headed. The market will find this product; but can they expand trial of the product beyond their target group and maintain the product’s integrity over time?

The tastes of Forkless Gourmet bun meals are not found everywhere. The ingredient pieces are large enough to figure out what they are; in this case, tofu, mushrooms and edamame.