Comfort food received a boost in popularity during Covid-era lockdowns. The category’s growth has scarcely slowed since.
“Customers like their favorites and familiar foods,” noted Todd Muller, senior marketing manager with Nestlé Professional Solutions. “According to Datassential, almost everyone likes Mac & Cheese; same with lasagna.”
And, Muller added, “these items can also be customized by operators to add their own special twist. That way, the customer gets the comfort and satisfaction of a familiar food while also the treat of a ‘signaturized’ item.”
The Stouffer’s brand has been synonymous with comfort food for over a century. The brand has mastered comfort fare with entrees like lasagna, mac & cheese, ravioli, fettuccine, meatloaf, and more.
The term “permissible indulgence” became part of the global lexicon during the Covid pandemic. Now, restaurants are taking indulgence to the next level.
Even restaurants that have long prided themselves on healthy items have increasingly leaned into comfort food items like French fries recently.
“The addition of items like French fries and desserts isn’t a departure from health-focused branding but rather an adaptation to appeal to a broader base and drive frequency,” said Kevin Murphy, a professor in the hospitality department at the University of Central Florida.
Stouffer’s recently refreshed some of its beloved products, many of which define comfort food. The brand recently reformulated its Meat Lasagna to add more protein, for example. The lasagna now includes 17g of protein per serving.
Muller said Stouffer’s has “reimagined” many of its popular products in recent years. Now, he noted, the brand’s products “have more of the good stuff, and this ‘reperfected’ portfolio is designed to appeal to modern palates. We’ve also added our own twists to the familiar mac-and-cheese and an al dente cavatappi noodle. This premium offering is also an example of elevating a comfort classic to strengthen the appeal to the next generation.”
Real food crafted from real ingredients is at the heart of Stouffer’s scratch-made taste – with products that are freshly made and simply frozen – highlighted by products such as white cheddar Macaroni and Cheese, Vegetable Lasagna, Salisbury Steak with Gravy, and Potatoes Au Gratin, to name just a few. The brand also offers savory sauces (even items like gluten-free Alfredo Sauce), bases, and gravies to aid the foodservice industry.
To learn more about how Stouffer’s and its parent, Nestlé Professional Solutions (NPS), can help your business, visit the NPS booth (Lakeside Center 12500) at the National Restaurant Association Show, May 17-20, at McCormick Place in Chicago.
The Food Institute Podcast
It’s tariff time, and companies the world over are working to better understand how their operations will be impacted. Jodi Ader from RSM US LLP joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss which products and inputs are currently subject to tariffs, and how to best mitigate supply chain risks.
