Sowing seeds in the fertile soil of our Italian ready-made meals

We’re in the middle of a global crisis, navigating the turbulent sea of the Ukrainian war, climate change, … Facing one disruption after the other, producers, retailers and end consumers are all heavily impacted. Yet this situation is also bound to accelerate innovations and create new trends. The world is changing, but so are we!

Confidence and courage

Difficult times require confidence and courage, and we have those characteristics in abundance. We are proud to say they are in our DNA. We have confidence in our strength, and we are courageous enough to continually question ourselves, so we can better meet consumers’ needs and ensure a sustainable, profitable growth for What’s Cooking?

The fertile soil of our brands

1. Come a casa®: the leading ready-meals brand in Belgium

Sustainable, profitable growth

Building on those solid foundations and on the successes of 2022, we can explore new opportunities and set ambitious goals for our brands. Behind the scenes, the team of What’s Cooking? has been hard at work on big plans that will further ensure our sustainable, profitable growth, day by day.

1. Sustainable, tasty and convenient

Our consumers shouldn’t have to put a lot of effort into finding more sustainable products. With our brands, we are on a path of providing the most delicious and convenient meals in a more sustainable way. The launch of the Come a casa® top seal packaging in Poland decreased our plastic usage by more than 85% without impacting our quality. And this was only the first step we are taking to make sustainable food consumption second nature.

Known by 87% of the Belgian population, considered by threethirds and bought by 23%, the success of Come a casa® is beyond dispute – and it did not come by accident either. Thanks to the brand repositioning we did a few years ago, and thanks to the entire team’s consistency and drive, Come a casa® has become Belgium’s favourite ready-meals brand. (source: SOM = Nielsen YTD P6 2022)

(table: GFK – Feb 2022)

The “‘t Leven is wat je ervan smaakt” campaign further strengthened Come a casa’s leadership, both in terms of pleasure and convenience.

2. A stronger brand in more countries

We are already delighting consumers from twelve different countries with our Come a casa® lasagnes. For now, our brand’s popularity in Belgium remains unparalleled in other countries, but several studies have revealed the potential to build the same leadership elsewhere. We will take on this challenge in 2023 with the help of a dedicated team, ambitious investments, and the launch of new products.

3. Exploring new recipes and sales territories

2. Vamos®: the best lasagne for professionals since 1985

In the professional channel, our passion and craftsmanship paid off, too. Our approach for Vamos® was based on two strong pillars: partnership and quality. We’re not only cooking the best lasagne in the market; we are also teaming up with the butchers to help them grow their business.

The VG Sensory Test in October 2022 confirmed that Vamos® is synonymous with the very best taste.

The world is changing faster than ever, and so are consumer behaviours – even if the need for delicious tastes and convenient solutions remains a constant. Surfing on the trends we see, we are working on new (plant-based) recipes, on even more sustainable packaging, as well as on new and easier ways for our consumers to access our products.

Confidence in our brands and the courage to explore new paths

Our teams have been working side by side on our ambition to develop a sustainable, profitable growth. Building on our expertise in Italian ready meals and on the strength of our brands, we are confident that we will be able to make a difference in terms of sustainability, innovations, and customer loyalty and connection.

Cédric Lemineur Marketing & Development Director Ready Meals

Source: VG Sensory test – October 2022