The Fresh Market plans for a smaller holiday
In August, The Fresh Market rolled out enhanced meal solutions and meal kits for consumers looking to have restaurant-quality meals at home, in lieu of venturing out during a pandemic. The retailer is looking to provide similar meals for holiday entertaining.
The Greensboro, N.C.-based grocer held a survey of its guests that found 53% intend to cook at home during the holiday season and host smaller gatherings. The survey said 70% expect to have between two and eight people.
The Fresh Market meals are looking to serve those gatherings with five options of ready-to-heat holiday meals, including its fully cooked turkey meal and a new “Ultimate Holiday Meal” and the “Essential Ham Meal.”
The five meal options include the Ultimate Holiday Meal, which serves a large group of 12-14 guests ($159.99, approximately $11.43 per person) with a 10-12lb fully-cooked turkey, 3.5lbs boneless sliced ham, 4lbs yukon gold whipped potatoes, 3lbs traditional herb stuffing, 30oz homestyle turkey gravy, 2lbs corn souffle, 2lbs green bean medley, 16oz cranberry relish with walnuts, 24 dinner rolls and a colonial apple pie. Two other meals with these same items but in different sizes for smaller to medium-sized parties also are being offered.
Additionally, the retailer is offering an Essential Ham Meal for a smaller party of 3-5 guests ($59.99, approximately $12 per person) that has a 3.5lb boneless sliced ham, 1.5lbs white cheddar scalloped potatoes, 1.5lbs butternut squash with pecans and cranberries, 1.5lbs green bean medley, and 8oz cranberry relish with walnuts. A larger meal serving 8-10 guests is also being offered with these items.
On Nov. 12, The Fresh Market will host a virtual event on its Facebook page, tapping former MasterChef finalist Anna Rossi to preview the Ultimate Thanksgiving Meal and share tips on preparing the meal.
To showcase the quality of its meals, in February, The Fresh Market posted a video of its double-glazed honey ham undergoing the blind-taste-test treatment from shoppers in stores.
To go along with those five holiday meals, The Fresh Market also has 50 different in-store party platters than can be ordered and is offering smaller unique items like a turducken (a boneless duck breast stuffed inside a boneless chicken breast stuffed inside a boneless turkey breast). It’s also packed with Andouille sausage and seasonings. There’s also an exclusive “Holiday Turkey Pie,” which is a pie layered with the traditional items found on the Thanksgiving table, and a turkey roulade option.