RPC Barrier Containers is supplying a new thermoformed barrier plastic tray in the style of a casserole dish for leading French ready meal producer Gendreau Group and its subsidiary VIF, for the launch of a range of high quality ‘country style’ ready meal recipes.
The casserole meals will be sold under the La Cuisine d’Océane brand – the second largest French ready meal brand in the microwaveable tray sector – following a €100,000 (US$105,858) investment in the development of the project.
RPC Bebo Plastik in Bremervörde led the six month project in partnership with the Gendreau development and marketing teams.
To further mimic the look of a casserole dish, the dual-colored trays – which are produced in a multilayer polypropylene (PP) /ethylene-vinyl alcohol/PP structure to give the products an extended ambient shelf life of 12 months – have been designed with a red exterior and a black interior.
The trays have a capacity of 350g as opposed to the more traditional market standard 300g to provide a larger family-size portion.
The three varieties in the range – Charolais beef and carrots in sauce, Montbéliard sausage and vegetable hotpot and Aveyron and Ségala veal Marengo – have all been developed to be free from artificial colors and flavors while combining tasty, wholesome flavors.
Initially launched at the Monoprix retail chain, the ready meals are now being distributed to other major French supermarket chains.
