Tesco has announced the trial launch of its Finest range premium restaurant meal boxes with packaging designed by branding agency Coley Porter Bell.
The collection box comes in three options retailing at £20 for the chicken or confit duck boxes and £25 for the ox cheek alternative. All boxes include ingredients for a main course meal for two, alongside a snack and an instruction card to ensure a restaurant quality experience at home. The trial is aimed at those looking to add extra excitement to mealtimes after a year in lockdown, as well as those celebrating special occasions at home.
Our new products come in a sturdy box with premium pack design and the tagline: ‘Until your next meal out, enjoy the best meal in’. Coley Porter Bell worked with Tesco to develop the new design for Tesco Finest “Restaurant Collection” range, taking cues from the premium restaurant industry.
Key design choices include:
• The charcoal colour of the box was chosen to denote an upmarket restaurant rather than the natural substrates used to signify a ‘farm fresh’ approach semiotically used by others in the subscription box space.
• The belly band around the box, is split between aspirational and inspirational photography and clearly shows the consumer what they will be able to create with the contents of the box.
• The back of pack photography shows the ‘plating up’ moment and allows the customer to see each individual product within the box without opening it up.
• The product titling area has been backed with a brushed steel effect to help allude to the ‘restaurant quality’, visually connecting the brushed steel worksurfaces in restaurant kitchen with the box. The animal illustrations inject a historic finest language and add a credibility in terms of restaurant menu styling.
• When the belly band is removed and the box opened, customers are presented with a layer of tissue paper before unpacking the food. This is sealed with a ‘Restaurant Collection’ sticker, which acts as a seal of approval.
• The recipe card is styled around recipe pages from cookbooks and uses photography as a device to inspire the consumer to achieve the ‘finest’ result, especially when imitating the serving suggestions.
Sam Stone, Creative Director, Coley Porter Bell said: “At a time when we’re all looking to make meals at home a little more exciting, we’ve worked with our partner Tesco to turn change into opportunity with premium meal kits that offer customers restaurant quality meals without the restaurant prices. These boxes help bring an ‘occasion’ to life in your home, so it’s important each element of the design helps with that experience. After the year we’ve all had, we’re thrilled to help Tesco offer customers a little delight on the doorstep through their latest immersive branding experience.”
Pre-Covid, the meal kits market was valued at an estimated £350-400 million per year. Post-lockdown, it’s now estimated to be worth £700 million. The experiential offering from Tesco provides an alternative to eating out, both while restaurants are closed and when lockdown restrictions ease as many customers look for cheaper alternatives to celebrate special occasions.
Ben Sherburn, Head of Brand: Tesco Finest said: “With restaurants still closed and many celebrating their second birthday or anniversary in lockdown, we were keen to capitalise on the moment and offer our customers something special at home. Coley Porter Bell is our long-term branding partner and completely understands our ambition to offer a premium meal that replicates the feeling of eating out, at home. These boxes come without the hassle of a home cooked meal but with all of the satisfaction and bragging rights.”
Tesco Finest Restaurant Collection boxes will be available in 215 Tesco stores and online from today, with 73 of the large stores offering click and collect options.