New Products: Frozen Finds at Expo West

Frozen food makers are expanding into new segments, rolling out restaurant-quality dishes and adding snackable options. At Natural Products Expo West last week, Caulipower debuted a pickle-inspired pie, Mason Dixie Foods added breakfast burritos, and Deep Indian Kitchen unveiled dumplings.

Caulipower

Caulipower unveiled its new Dill Pickle Pizza, featuring stone-fired thin and crispy cauliflower crust, topped with white bechamel sauce infused with dill pickle brine, plus mozzarella, roasted garlic and fresh dill. The pie packs 400 calories and 14 grams of protein per serving, with 10% less fat than leading frozen pizzas, and is available as a three-month exclusive at Whole Foods Market stores for $9.99.

Konscious Foods

Plant-based frozen food producer Konscious Foods sampled three new alt-seafood offerings: Crispy Shr’mp, Sno’Crab Cakes and Smoked Salm’n in a Classic Hickory Applewood flavor. The three new items feature dark purple packaging and diverge from the brand’s previously lighter color palette. As for the items themselves, the shrimp offering contains 3 grams of protein per serving, and each 8 oz. pack includes 10 pieces and 2 packets of Sweet Chili sauce. The alt-crab cakes are packed in a 4-count box and offer 11 grams of protein per serving.

Alec’s Ice Cream

Alec’s Ice Cream rolled out a range of single-serve, chocolate-topped grass-fed organic ice cream cups made with A2 dairy and infused with probiotics. Alec’s Culture Cup flavors include Mint Chocolate Cookie, Madagascar Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Dark Chocolate Honeycomb Crunch, Coffee and Peanut Butter Cup. A serving contains 9 to 10 grams of sugar and 140 to 160 calories. Whole Foods nationwide followed by Wegmans, Sprouts and, later, Target are set to stock the new sweet treat this spring.

Deep Indian Kitchen

Deep Indian Kitchen debuted its new line of Momo Dumplings, infused with Indian sauces and paired with packets of coriander chutney. Described as “saucier than a potsticker and creamier and more flavorful than a soup dumpling,” the collection includes Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, Chicken Curry and Veggie Masala. The products will be available at Stop & Shop, Publix, Giant, Hannaford and other retailers beginning in late spring and early summer.

Mason Dixie Foods

Clean label comfort food brand Mason Dixie has expanded its product line with restaurant-inspired breakfast burritos and crispy chicken sandwiches. The single-serve, skillet-cooked burritos, available in Sausage, Egg & Cheese, Chorizo and Carnivore varieties, are crafted with New Mexico hatch green chiles, cage-free eggs and no preservatives. The single-serve crispy chicken sandwiches feature all-white-meat chicken and are served on a potato bun (original) or buttermilk biscuit (spicy). The breakfast burritos are launching at Whole Foods Market, Wegmans and Giant Foods this spring and summer. The chicken sandwiches will be exclusively available at Whole Foods Markets starting late spring.

Milton’s

Building on the success of its cauliflower crust pizzas, better-for-you food brand Milton’s exhibited a new line of Pizza Snack Bites in Mozzarella & Provolone and Uncured Peperoni varieties. The gluten-free, snackable, frozen products are packed with tomato sauce and cheese and enrobed in a cauliflower crust.

Wow Bao

Wow Bao is expanding to the morning daypart with a line of heat-and-serve breakfast buns in four varieties: Bacon Egg & Cheese, Sausage Egg & Cheese, Denver Omelet and Everything Bagel. The handheld items feature a soft, steamed bun with savory fillings.

MiLa

Modern Chinese food brand MiLa presented its new Spicy Dan Dan Noodles, pairing springy wheat noodles with Sichuan-style sauce featuring ground pork, chili oil and aromatic spices. The restaurant-inspired dish is prepared in minutes and builds on the success of the brand’s soup dumplings, which have rolled out to more than 5,000 grocery freezers in less than two years.

Nature’s Fynd

Mushroom-based food company Nature’s Fynd debuted its latest innovation at the show: Fy Bites. The item combines the brand’s patented Fy protein with vegetables for a falafel-style protein bite. Available in Zesty Greek, Savory Italian, Herby Thai and Spicy Indian flavors, the vegan products contain 14 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and ⅓ cup of vegetables per serving and can be prepared in an air fryer, oven or microwave.

Yo Egg

Alt-egg brand Yo Egg added patties to its lineup of plant-based, cholesterol-free alternatives. Joining The Poached One and The Sunny One, The Patty One is designed for grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches and provides 16 grams of protein.