Fish sales rocket during cooking bags trial

COOKING bags proved a huge hit with customers at a major US grocery store last month during a successful store trial. The trial, in Idaho, showed a 48 per cent increase in seafood sales over a one-week period – with more than 350 added value packaged meals sold during the week. The store used UK company Sirane’s selfseal steam-cooking bags – sold in the US under the Ready, Chef, Go brand – to package fresh seafood with flavoured butters as ready meals. Meals such as Salmon and Asparagus with Brazilian Garlic Butter, Tilapia and Green Beans with Parmesan and Black Pepper Butter, and Peeled Shrimp with Garlic Scampi Butter were created and offered to shoppers as a ‘graband-go’ fresh seafood ready meal. Meals were also offered at the seafood counter, where customers could choose combinations. Elkay Plastics – Sirane’s exclusive distributor in the US and Canada for self-seal steam cooking bags and oven/BBQ bags – devised the brand to offer grocery stores a complete package which would allow them to grow sales. Adam Green, president of Sirane North America, said: ‘Customers loved the simple and convenient way they could take home a fresh, tasty meal.’ The programme comes with a host of marketing materials – including badges, counter displays, floor pads, and large store banners – as well as training and support.