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Prima Taste’s ready-meals meant to change perceptions on convenience food

SINGAPORE — Prima Taste’s local food sauce kits have long been a lifesaver for the Singaporean expatriate living abroad since they debuted in 2000.

SINGAPORE — Prima Taste’s local food sauce kits have long been a lifesaver for the Singaporean expatriate living abroad since they debuted in 2000.

But now, the homegrown brand hopes to change the way consumers here think about convenience food — and it is doing so with its latest range of products, which they launched this week.

Called Prima Taste Ready Meals, the products are rice-and-protein meals based on Prima’s popular sauce kits already on the market, sealed in reheatable pouches.

There are currently four offerings, retailing at S$6.50 each at select Fairprice outlets: Curry Chicken With Rice, Nonya Sambal Chicken Rice, Beef Rendang With Rice and Chicken Claypot Rice. Major supermarkets will carry the products from next month.

In addition to being targeted at busy Singaporeans for whom “eating is part of enjoying life”, said Lewis Cheng, general manager and executive director of Prima Food, the meals are designed to be healthy too.

The rice used is a combination of white (75 per cent) and wholegrain basmati (20 per cent), as well as multigrains such as millet and barley, which make up the remaining five per cent. The products also contain prebiotics and are MSG-free, and, like all the products in the brand’s range, are certified Halal.

“We have seen research data that shows consumers going for healthier food products is a growing trend,” Cheng said.

As part of its push in the direction of healthier products, the company launched its Wholegrain LaMian in July, an instant noodle made using its Superfine Wholegrain Flour, available in laksa and curry flavours.

“Prima started as a flour mill, so we went back to what we do best,” Cheng said.

It took the company two years of research and development to produce a fine flour from wholegrains, which yields noodles that are soft without being brittle. These new products were launched with the hope of helping consumers rethink some of their views on eating.

“There are two perceptions: One is that healthy food does not taste good. The other is that convenience food is not healthy and not tasty. These are the two main perceptions we are trying to break,” said Cheng, who hopes that these ready meals will not be thought of as “something you eat because you have no choice”.

“You eat it because you want to eat it,” he added.

The possibilities, Cheng said, are limitless because the ready meals do not require refrigeration, so “even people on yachts” can depend on them. They can be heated in the microwave or by steeping them in boiling water. “It’s even more convenient than chilled or frozen food,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that “it will take a bit of time” to educate consumers and let them experience the product. “Someone might look at this and say, ‘Oh, is it shelf stable? Is it because it contains a lot of preservatives?’” said Cheng, adding that that is not the case, thanks to advancements in heat sterilisation technology which affords the meals a shelf life of up to 12 months.

These meals are just the beginning for Prima Taste. Cheng said the company “will be introducing new products in phases” with more food flavours already in the works. MAY SEAH

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