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Unilever’s Knorr brand is thinking big in the U.S. by going small.
Knorr has carved out an enviable niche as a dinnertime companion with dishes such as chicken broccoli rice and fettuccine alfredo pasta. But as more U.S. consumers move away from three square meals a day toward five or six mini meals, smaller offerings have grown in popularity.
The 187-year-old brand played in the mini-meal space for years globally, but it wasn’t until COVID-19 disrupted eating habits in the U.S. that Unilever found an opportunity to enter the space in its largest food market. Heat-and-eat dinner occasions are up by 24% since 2020 in the U.S., according to Circana data provided by Unilever.
“When we decided to go into it, we really needed to differentiate ourselves,” Gina Kiroff, Unilever’s chief marketing officer for cooking aids and mini meals in North America, said in an interview. “We’re really trying to push the boundaries.”
The move into mini meals allowed Knorr to broaden the brand’s portfolio beyond the side dishes and bullion that tend to skew older among consumers and weren't attracting shoppers “at the rate that we needed to,” Kiroff said. Mini meals helped Knorr attract younger individuals and new ethnic demographics, most notably Hispanics and Latinos with the debut of new flavor profiles.
“We had to change as a brand ... if we wanted to grow,” Kiroff noted.
Knorr entered the mini-meals market in the U.S. in 2023 with rice cups, including fajita and chicken fried rice. Last year, it moved into pasta with teriyaki and pad Thai cups.
The addition of protein and fiber, along with novel flavors, into its dishes helped Knorr distance itself from similar rice cups already on the market that are positioned as a side dish rather than a smaller meal, Kiroff said. Mini meals have also helped Knorr attract younger individuals and new ethnic demographics, most notably Hispanics and Latinos with the debut of new flavor profiles.
In designing the mini meals, Knorr is ensuring consumers get a full meal with in-demand nutrients like protein from chicken and vitamins from veggies. With its traditional side dishes, the assumption was protein and veggies would be added by consumers separately.
Mini meals have proven to not only be a hit among college students, but also busy parents who don’t have time to cook or night shift workers who want something nutritious to eat, according to Unilever.