With only 6.5 per cent of Australians eating their recommended daily serve of veggies, it’s fair to say that many consumers see fresh produce more as a chore – a bland, healthy box to tick – than something to enjoy. But Perfection Fresh says it is on a mission to change the game, turning vegetables into vibrant flavour sensations and making fresh food the most exciting thing on people’s plate.
For more than 45 years, Perfection Fresh has been at the forefront of fresh product innovation, bringing products like Broccolini, Qukes and Calypso mangoes to Australia. Driven by consumer insight and cuisine trends we are bringing bold flavours, exciting product formats, and new varietals to transform how consumers perceive fresh produce.
Innovation in fresh convenience
Some of the main barriers to eating more vegetables are time, taste preferences, and know-how. Perfection Fresh head of Innovation, Liz Pridham, says the company’s research found consumers rate taste and inspiration as bigger challenges than time when it comes to increasing their veggie intake.
“People still see veggies as boring and struggle with what to do with them. Last year’s Click Fresh Convenience Study found the age-old “what’s for dinner?” is still one of consumers’ biggest frustrations with cooking. It revealed 65 per cent of consumers say they struggle to come up with meal ideas,” Pridham says.
Perfection Fresh’s approach to product development in fresh convenience is to infuse produce with trending flavours, while focussing on removing barriers and expanding the category into new occasions and needs.
Perfection Air Fryer Veggie Kits, launched in 2023, leverage the consumer trend of owning an air fryer with a product that made eating more vegetables appealing, flavoursome, and easy. Each kit contains fresh pre-cut vegetables, sized to fit in the air fryer, and a seasoning pack in three flavours – Thai Chilli & Lime Broccolini, Moroccan Sweet Potato, and Crispy Herb & Garlic Potatoes.
“The launch of Perfection Air Fryer kits was timed perfectly to ride the air fryer trend. More than 60 per cent of Australian households own one but many don’t think of it as a way to cook fresh veggies,” Pridham says.
The kit’s ‘triangle’ packaging was designed to guide consumers’ eyes from the bold “Air Fryer” name to a window of fresh veggies, and then to a delicious plated food shot, visually telling the story of ‘air fryer + fresh veg = delicious’.
In 2024, Perfection Fresh won the Best NPD Award at The Hive Awards for the innovation.
Sidesations
The company’s 2024 Winter Convenience Study revealed the cost-of-living crisis was driving 68 per cent of Australians to cut back on eating out.
In response, Perfection Fresh developed Sidestations, a range of restaurant-inspired dishes to make at home, creating a positive meal experience and increasing vegetable consumption.
Texan Style Corn Ribs were launched in October 2024, with two new products launching in May.
New varieties, better sensory experiences
In planning what new varietals to bring to the Australian market, identifying consumer tensions and needs in the market drives the company’s consumer-centric approach.
Following the success of Broccolini, Qukes and Calypso, the latest varietal innovation is Sweet Crunchino, an addition to the capsicum category developed after identifying an opportunity to encourage Australians to eat capsicums as a snack.
Available in a vibrant rainbow of colours, it is a sweeter, lighter, and crispier capsicum making it the perfect capsicum for snacking and using in salads.
Always learning
Perfection Fresh has a continuous process of experimenting, learning, and iterating to meet consumer expectations.
It is important to celebrate the successes along the way – like the Hive Award for the Air Fryer Veggie kits, while also acknowledging the unique challenges of innovating in fresh produce such as short shelf life and supply challenges.
Supportive retail partners who are willing to experiment and try new things in the convenience category have been instrumental in our success.
Success takes time and changing shopper behaviour without enormous budgets remains a challenge.
We are committed to staying ahead of consumer trends and inspiring Australians to enjoy and eat more fresh produce.
There is an exciting pipeline of new varietals and new convenience ranges being planned to achieve our goal.
This article first appeared in the February/March 2025 edition of Food & Drink Business magazine.
