Bob Evans Farms debuts portable refrigerated egg products

Dive Brief:

• Bob Evans Farms has added two on-the-go refrigerated egg products to its breakfast lineup: Omelet Rolls and Egg Bites, according to a press release emailed to Food Dive.
• Each is made with cage-free eggs and packaged in microwaveable trays of two items. The egg bites come in three varieties: Cheese, Bacon & Cheese and Bob Evans Sausage and Cheese. The Omelet Rolls come in Egg with Salt & Pepper, Egg & Cheese, and Egg White Spinach & Herb.
• The pandemic gave consumers an opportunity to rethink their approach to breakfast because they spent more time at home and lived at a less hectic pace. A number of food manufacturers saw a boost in sales for in-home breakfast items, and they anticipate that trends will have some stickiness as the pandemic winds down.

Dive Insight:

On top of having more time to make breakfast during the pandemic, a number of consumers refocused on healthy eating. Nearly three-quarters report that they feel confident about choosing healthy foods, according to the International Food Information Council’s 2021 Food & Health Survey. 

As pandemic-related restrictions lift, however, many consumers are thinking about returning to their usual morning commute. This may lead to a decline in breakfast food purchases, according to Numerator’s Grocery Vulnerability Index.

Bob Evans Farms’ new quick-cooking egg products aim to hit a sweet spot between a healthy in-home breakfast and a portable item that makes eating breakfast convenient. The Post-owned brand’s focus on protein and low-carb options will likely catch health-conscious consumers’ attention, too. The Egg Rolls are low in carbohydrates and have 15 to 17 grams of protein in each two-bite serving, according to Bob Evans Farms. 

Being able to heat up the egg bites or omelets in a microwave also gives consumers the option of prepping their breakfast before they walk out the door or waiting until they arrive at work to eat. This versatility could give Bob Evans Farms’ new products an advantage over other breakfast items.

Egg bites rose to popularity in 2017 after being offered as a breakfast item at Starbucks, leading many consumers to recreate similar bites at home.

A number of breakfast food makers have launched similar products as consumers up their intake of morning foods. Plant-based egg manufacturer Eat Just launched Just Egg cooked sous vide bites in March that come in four internationally themed flavor varieties. Last year, Vital Farms launched its first finished egg product, a variety of microwaveable egg bites with ingredients focused on transparent sourcing and ethical treatment. 

Last month, Vital Farms launched its second finished breakfast product, egg-based breakfast bars that focus on convenience as well as health and animal welfare. Vital Farms launched the product after discovering that while many consumers have more time at home, they still opted for convenience at breakfast time as they juggled a variety of responsibilities.

Bob Evans’ parent company Post Holdings has been making steady plays for the breakfast segment with a focus on eggs. Last year, the company purchased hard-cooked and deviled egg maker Almark Foods and value-added egg product maker Henningsen Foods. It also inked a deal last year with Just Egg through foodservice division Michael Foods to offer Just Egg at thousands of foodservice establishments.