I think Fresh & Easy is finally learning from Trader Joe’s.
The British retailer, long-criticized for being too boring, is surprising shoppers more often with new grocery items and value deals. I discovered a handful of new “snack” and ready-to-eat foods the other idea, including a $1.99 penne with creamy tomato basil dish, a couscous dish and a Greek orzo salad.
The new line of foods are 10 ounces and geared for shoppers who want smaller portion meals for lunch, the company said. Fresh & Easy also introduced more yogurt snacks and Nature’s Nosh, a line of low cholesterol nut blends.
(CLICK on photos to get more details, enlarge)
Here’s a run down:
- Macaroni and Cheese: $1.99
- Penne in Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce: $1.99 (My daughter tried it, and said “I don’t like it. I love it.”)
- Morrocan-style couscous: $2.29 (I tried this one. Mixes a spicy dressing with apricots and raisins for a very light, refreshing meal. Loved it.)
- Baked Potatoes with Chili and Cheese: $2.49
- Sweet and Sour Chicken over Rice : $2.49
- Carne Asada with Rice and Beans: $2.49
- Greek Orzo salad: $3.99 (A little more expensive than the other items. Contains an herb vinaigrette mixed with paper-thin cucumbers, olives feta cheese and plum tomatoes. I’ve eaten this twice in three days. Perfect for a light dinner on a hot day.)
- Nature’s Nosh items come in 7 ounce containers and cost $3.49.
- The new Pro Yo’ Tropik yogurt & granola snacks cost $1.49 to $1.69.
Store opening updates: The second city of Orange store (Chapman Avenue & Tustin Street) opens Aug. 20.
Nancy
Could you please look into the Diet Coke issue I posted about? F&E is selling 12-oz plastic containers about Diet Coke for a much higher price than one normally pays for a 12-oz can of Diet Coke. Store personnel have not been able to explain to me why this is the case - looks like just a case of ripping off consumers.
Why can’t F&E sell a 12-oz can of Diet Coke instead of trying to get me to buy a 12-oz bottle of Diet Coke for a much higher price? I totally understand Coca Cola’s desire to get me to pay more for the same amount of Diet Coke, but I don;t understand F&E’s cooperation in this matter.
who cares, why don’t you shop somewhere else then.
We love the F&E ready-made salads. We specifically buy the Italian salad there. However, we just purchased two last week and were really disappointed. Instead of two slices of provolone cheese, there is now 1, and less salami slices as well. The lettuce quality seemed to have gone down, too. We were really disppointed. Is this a fluke, or have they reduced the cheese/salami on purpose? We used to be able to split the salads, but it’s just not enough food for two people now. I’m curious…
HEY WEJ -
This may come as a surprise but coke, pepsi and frito lay products are not priced by the store. They are all priced, ordered and stocked by those companies. The onyl way to have a sale on those items is if you are a big box ( IE vons, albertson’s etc) and it has to be approved.
F & E has no claim on the pricing of those products.
If you notice the same thing has happened to water products such as Aquafina and Dasani - Notice they are both owned by pepsi and coke. The prices are crazy but they are at a fixed price point.
Not just an F & E thing but this is happening eveywhere. Take notice the next time you go to a grocery store. The only cheap soda is from a vending machine.
Indy is right! I buy the 2 liter bottles now before I wouldn’t because they can be inconvieniet when you’re on the go. Each week I alternate stores because they always have sales going on with these things!