The boom of the meal assembly business has slowed down as several locations recently announced their closings including My Girlfriend's Kitchen and Entrée Vous in Littleton, Delish in Westminster and The Supper Club in Denver. However, a new generation of home meal services is evolving as trends in the industry are changing.
Easy Entrees in Lakewood is one such company that is responding to their lessons learned in the marketplace by offering a different approach. Owner, Robin Fickle explains that unlike the many meal assembly franchises out there, being independently owned and operated allows them to be more of a home meal service by catering to their customer's changing needs.
For example, many meal preparation customers are asking for healthy recipes and fresh ingredients that aren't frozen or come out of a box or can, because after all, they can easily pick up a processed meal from their local grocer. They want ingredients that are "natural", "organic" and "fresh" similar to what you find at your local farmers market and Fickle says that is exactly what they have been offering.
"We are passionate about helping others through food, ensuring that they have healthy alternatives to make their lives easier. We offer all-natural, hand-trimmed meats, fresh - not frozen - produce, and organic herbs, spices and other ingredients whenever possible. We also have a fierce determination to eliminate trans-fats and MSG , so often found in processed foods, from our recipes," explains Fickle. "What further sets us apart from other services is that we predominately make our sauces from scratch. You won't find a can of mushroom soup in this kitchen!"
Kim Gilmartin, a customer of Easy Entrees says, "I am a busy mother of three, and it is difficult to find time to consistently cook wholesome meals for my family. I've tried a number of meals from different meal services, and while it was convenient, I just wasn't happy with the quality and consistency of the dinners. When I tried Easy Entrees, I was
amazed at the difference. They use only fresh ingredients; the freshest meats, seafood, and herbs, and the meals are absolutely delicious. And they have a number of "kid-friendly" dinners that my kids love too. But you wouldn't know it from the prices. Easy Entrees was actually priced lower than most of the other meal services I've used in the past, and they deliver right to my door. I will continue to buy from Easy Entrees, and would highly recommend them to anyone with a busy lifestyle or just tired of cooking 7 nights a week."
There is another trend in the industry around helping people with food allergies and sensitivities. Grocery stores have caught on to this and now line their shelves with "gluten-free" tags designating safe foods for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Some meal services such as Easy Entrees are responding to these opportunities to help others by offering alternative ingredients and tips on substitutions to make a meal work based on their dietary needs. They also offer full-disclosure of their ingredients, especially sauces, and mixtures like salsa, salad dressing and even chicken stock which often contains allergens like soy or wheat.
There is also an entire segment of the population that most meal assembly services have left out - the busy, single person. They would also like to save time and enjoy a variety of healthy meals without having leftovers of the same dish for several days. Very few meal services cater to this market.
"Easy Entrees is one of the few home meal services that offer a single portion size to serve one person in addition to our three and six portion sizes that serve larger families," says Fickle.
With many meal assembly businesses unable to keep up with these trends and the ever-changing demands of their customers, owners who have sunk their life savings into the business, are left with having to close their doors. For the customers who desire the home cooked meal and services of these closing meal assembly businesses, they are left with an empty freezer and are left to find another home meal service.
Easy Entrees would like to help these guests who have relied on the convenience, and for some, necessity, of having their meals planned out each month, and invite them to call 303-238-3279, visit their website at
www.ezentrees.com, or stop by their store at 2950 South Bear Creek Boulevard in the Green Mountain Village Shopping Center.
About Easy Entrees:
Easy Entrees, a meal service business, founded in 2004 and acquired this year by Rich and Robin Fickle, is based in Lakewood, CO, and is independently owned and operated. They saw a need to make fresh, delicious meals available in a more convenient, affordable way to people in many situations (busy families, seniors, those recovering from surgeries/needing care, new moms, working singles, special events, etc.). Robin Fickle has a gift for food and a nurturing spirit and has been a personal chef for several years. The Fickles believe that through their service they can help make food a tremendous source of joy and good health. For more information, visit www.ezentrees.com.