# Prepackaged Ready-to-Heat Beans The Uncle Ben’s Beans Come in Four Flavor Options By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2020-02-01 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uncle-bens-beans References: [drugstorenews](https://drugstorenews.com/uncle-bens-seeds-change-debut-bean-offerings) & [mars](https://www.mars.com/made-by-mars/food) The [Uncle Ben’s](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/perfectly-paired) Beans from [Mars Foods](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bens-original-favourites-and-lunch-bowls) are a ready-to-heat product that aims to bring the convenience the brand is known for with its rice products to the beans category. The product is formulated to be placed in the microwave for quick heating to make it ready for consumption in far less time than it would otherwise take to cook up beans from scratch. The beans come in four flavor options including Sweet & Smoky, Southern Chili, New Orleans Style and Zesty Mexican Style, which are all perfect for pairing with an array of meals. The Uncle Ben’s Beans come in 9.2-ounce microwave-friendly pouches and have a suggested retail price point of $2.69, and address the increasing demand for [convenient food products for mid-week meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ready-meal). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.7/10 - Popularity: 44% | Activity: 57% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Ready-to-heat Food:** Opportunity for more brands to offer convenient and time-saving ready-to-heat food options beyond the traditional microwave meals. - **Convenience Foods:** Disruptive potential to create innovative and tasty prepackaged meals that provide convenience without compromising on quality and flavor. - **Microwave-friendly Packaging:** Innovative packaging that is specifically designed for microwave heating, allowing for quick and convenient meal preparation. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Food Packaging:** Opportunity for packaging companies to develop microwave-friendly pouches and containers that enhance the convenience of ready-to-heat food products. - **Food Manufacturing:** Potential for food manufacturers to introduce new product lines of prepackaged ready-to-heat meals that cater to the increasing demand for convenient and time-saving options. - **Frozen Food:** Disruption opportunity for frozen food companies to expand beyond traditional frozen meals by offering ready-to-heat options that are quick, easy, and flavorful. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Heat-and-Eat Pouched Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bens-original-favourites-and-lunch-bowls.md) - [Microwaveable Plant-Based Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bens-original-plant-powered.md) - [Streetstyle Rice Entrées](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bens-original-street-food.md) - [Bean-Based Meal Pouches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meal-pouches.md) - [Heat-and-Eat Jarred Bean Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biona-world-bean-meals.md) - [Canned Plant-Based Bean Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bean-meals.md) - [High-Fiber Protein-Rich Rices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bens-original-10-medley.md) - [Protein-Packed Ready-to-Eat Beans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/masala-mama.md) - [Street Food-Inspired Rice Bowls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/street-food-rice-dishes.md)