Canned goods have long been associated with negative health connotations, from too much salt, too much sugar, too many additives to a lack of “freshness” – but with rising consumer trends demanding healthier food options, the industry is now working to evolve it space in that direction.
“The perception of canned food has long been not healthy, not healthy, not good for you – but that’s not necessarily true,” Roy Teo, Managing Director of Ayam Brand Singapore, told FoodNavigator-Asia.
“[Back in the day] Long-term preservation was the priority – today we know that many consumers, especially the younger generation, prefer options that are healthier or come in smaller sizes, and we are moving in that direction to meet those needs
“Ayam Brand already offers healthier options and promising features that consumers are looking for, compared to many other can brands. B. no preservatives, no MSG, clean label and so on. But another feature that we know consumers want is innovative recipes, so we also strive to include much more innovation in our new product development
“For example, we’ve brought health and innovation together with a range of tuna light meals that come in a bowl and contain beans, lentils, quinoa, vegetables, etc., depending on your choice.”
Teo also stressed that canned goods are generally already ready to eat (RTE), but the meal was inspired to be even more RTE than usual.
“We’ve looked beyond the traditional canned product and developed this as a meal, a completely ready-to-eat product, and consumers love it as it’s a meal that can be put in their pocket or purse and is completely ready-to-eat once opened
“This is quite a leap for us, a big development that differs from what canners normally do, but the canning sector knows that stepping out of our comfort zone is imperative for improvements going forward – and given that the product is finding pretty good acceptance in Singapore at the moment this seems like a good move as long as we make sure it is marketed to the right audience.”
Canned food in COVID-19
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no secret that canned food sales soared as consumers panicked and started hoarding produce, with canned food being the top choice due to its long shelf life.
“Many people saw it as an emergency option and hoarded a lot of product during COVID-19, so most canners saw quite a jump in sales,” Teo said.
“However, based on current developments, we do not believe this is a one-off up and down situation as we see sales continuing, particularly in higher quality and healthier items
“So we think that’s one of the reasons that after loading up their pantries during the pandemic, consumers have now seen that some of these products are actually good products and are therefore continuing to make buybacks – which is definitely a situation has us.” well done.”
