# Heat-and-Eat Plant-Based Meals The Merchant Gourmet Meals in Minutes Range Has Three Products By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2024-08-19 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merchant-gourmet-meals-in-minutes References: [foodbev](https://www.foodbev.com/news/merchant-gourmet-enters-ambient-ready-meals-category) & [merchant-gourmet](https://www.merchant-gourmet.com)  Convenience and nutrition combine with the new [Merchant Gourmet](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merchant-gourmet-veg-grains-pouches) Meals in Minutes range as a lineup of products perfect for helping consumers to easily enjoy a plant-based meal at their leisure. The product range consists of three options including the 3 Bean & Lentil Chilli, Lentil & Chickpea Tagine and the Thai Green Lentil Curry, which are each packaged inside [ambient pouches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tilda-easy-meals). The meals are each ready to eat in two-minutes in the microwave, and are naturally high in protein and fiber with a 100% plant-based recipe to enjoy. Priced at £2.50 per 280-gram pouch, the meals are available now at [Sainsbury's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/batchelors-meals-in-minutes) and directly from the brand online. Managing Director Richard Peake spoke on the Merchant Gourmet Meals in Minutes range saying, "We’ve seen increasing distrust of ultra-processed meat substitutes as a source of protein – 54% say they avoid plant-based meat substitutes because they are ultra- processed. At Merchant Gourmet, we wanted to address this need for healthy, yet convenient food directly, with our high-protein, plant-based Meals in Minutes pouches.” ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.9/10 - Popularity: 37% | Activity: 52% | Freshness: 27% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Convenient Plant-based Meals:** Rising consumer demand for quick and healthy meals highlights a shift towards UHT-processed plant-based foods that facilitate easy meal preparation. - **Trust in Natural Ingredients:** Increasing consumer skepticism about ultra-processed foods promotes brands offering transparent, minimally processed meal options. - **High-protein Diets:** The focus on high-protein plant-based foods responds to nutritional preferences that prioritize muscle health and overall well-being. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Food and Beverage:** Evolving dietary trends reflecting a preference for plant-based, high-protein foods reshape product offerings in the ready-to-eat meals segment. - **Health and Wellness:** Interest in nutritious, minimally processed foods underlines transformations within the health and wellness sector as it leans towards better ingredient transparency. - **Retail and E-commerce:** Changes in consumer food purchasing habits drive demand for convenient, healthy meal solutions in retail and direct-to-consumer sales channels. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Frozen Grab-and-Cook Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merchant-gourmet-veg-grains-pouches.md) - [Drain-Free Pouch-Packaged Beans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merchant-gourmet-product.md) - [Chef-Approved Pouch-Packaged Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merchant-gourmet-pouch-range.md) - [Pouch-Packaged Supergrain Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/supergrain-bowls.md) - [Ready-to-Eat Plant-Based Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beyond-meals.md) - [Microwaveable Plant-Based Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bens-original-plant-powered.md) - [Heat-and-Eat Plant-Based Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fiid-plantbased-meals.md) - [Easy-to-Prepare Grain Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merchant-gourmet-black-dhal-pouches.md) - [High-Quality Microwaveable Rice Pouches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/merchant-gourmet-rice-pouches.md)