ONTARIO, CALIF. – FiveStar Gourmet Foods has launched its first line targeted toward both retail and school foodservice channels. With 12 new SKUs, the new SimplyFresh 2Go line is nutritionally compliant to meet strict national school lunch dietary standards. Each item in the line is a ready-to-eat, balanced, complete meal including protein, grains, fresh vegetables and fruits. 

The motivation behind the new line comes from the times created by the pandemic. With working and learning from home a new reality for many consumers across the nation, now more than ever the need for fresh, convenient, ready-to-eat meals is surging. 

“We knew that families, schools, and retailers had the same pain points in trying to provide portable, healthy, and easy meals for students and stay-at-home adults navigating this pandemic,” said Mark Baida, director of culinary at FiveStar Gourmet Foods. “Our team of chefs spent countless hours to develop the most cutting-edge line of nutritionally-balanced and flavorful fresh meals available for retail and schools. We are very proud and excited to get this very important and timely product line launched.” 

Requiring no preparation, The Simply Fresh 2Go products range from 7.3- to 12-oz, and each complete meal is under 480 calories, with salads as low as 240 calories. Each item meets the nutritional requirements in compliance with the USDA’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). They are also pre-packaged in a retail-ready design to be shelf-merchandised in the produce and grab-and-go sections of the supermarket.  

“We have always focused on nutrition with a mission,” said Tal Shoshan, chief executive officer of FiveStar. “We are known for providing fresh, healthy, and convenient salads, snacks, and entrees to consumers. We realized that people have grown tiresome of preparation and knew we had the solution to their fatigue.” 

The new Simply Fresh 2Go meals currently being served in schools will launch in retail nationwide this month. The line includes:  

  • Buffalo Style Chicken 
  • Avocado Ranch Chicken 
  • Tangy BBQ Chicken 
  • Smoky Chipotle Chicken 
  • Turkey Cheddar Slider 
  • Honey Mustard Chicken 
  • Protein Pack 
  • Zesty Hummus 
  • Trail Mix & Cheddar 
  • Sunbutter and Jelly 
  • Asian Style Chicken Salad 
  • Chicken Caesar Salad