First Take: Pot Pies
As consumers juggle increasingly busy schedules, demand for convenient, comforting meal solutions continues to rise. Pot pies are evolving to meet those needs—pairing speed and ease with improved ingredients, bolder flavors, and restaurant-inspired quality. Manufacturers are leaning into health-forward ingredients to keep this classic category relevant for today’s shoppers.
Blount Fine Foods realizes households are buried in their schedules and obligations, but still want meal solutions that are flavorful and enticing. Having the time to purchase ingredients, season proteins, chop vegetables and bake pie crusts is a thing of the past.
“The biggest trend we’re seeing is convenience,” said Bob Sewall, Chief Customer Officer and Head of Sales of Blount Fine Foods. “Our 12-oz pot pie is microwaveable; it can also be air fried or cooked in the oven, offering delicious comfort food in minutes. Consumers are looking for quick options to support their busy lifestyles.”
“We’re optimistic about our continued growth and new offerings in the meal category in the year ahead,” Sewall added.
Today’s pot pies are an infusion of rich flavors and real meats and vegetables.
“The most important trend in the pot pies category this year is the surge in demand for health-forward convenience—consumers want pot pies that deliver comfort but also align with modern dietary needs, such as clean ingredient crusts, loaded with clean protein fillings, and clean-label ingredients,” said Centerville Pie Co.’s CEO Kristin Broadley. “Leaders who innovate around these attributes while maintaining affordability and convenience will be best positioned to succeed.”
Blount Fine Foods’ latest offerings to the category include cheese tortellini & Italian sausage and beef chili with beans topped with cornbread bakes.
“Blount Fine Foods’ focus is to help our customers drive sales, not only in pot pies, but our other meal offerings, such as our bakes,” Sewall said.
“At Centerville Pie Co., we remain committed to our roots despite the widespread concern over inflation,” Broadley said. “While many companies compromise quality or reduce their offerings, we uphold our best-in-class philosophy. Our chicken pies feature non-injected chicken, both bottom and top crusts, and high-quality ingredients, all prepared with a homemade touch.”
Last summer, Conagra unveiled more than 50 new frozen foods in its repertoire aimed at elevating convenience and flavor for consumers. The explosion of meal solutions, including single-serve and multi-serve meals, vegetable side dishes, and gluten-free and plant-based meals made with robust and savory flavors, provided upscale comfort food that can be ready within minutes.
“Our culinary team has crafted many recipes that we are proud to bring to the frozen foods category,” Burke Raine, President, Refrigerated & Frozen for Conagra Brands, said in a press release. “As a leader in frozen foods, we recognize that consumers turn to our brands for great taste, convenience and value. We’re excited to see the response as they enjoy these delicious new offerings.”
At the forefront of the launch were Banquet and Marie Callender’s. Mike’s Hot Honey collaborated with Banquet to offer MEGA Bowls Mike’s Hot Honey Chicken Mac ‘N Cheese. Staying true to its mission of delivering on hearty comfort food meals made with care, Marie Callender’s introduced four meals featuring contemporary ingredients and sauces made from scratch. The two bowls include the Fried Chicken & Mashed Potato Bowl and the Creamy Garlic & Herb Chicken & Rice Bowl. The two plated options include the Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauced Chicken and Garlic Butter Steak Bites.
One big opportunity for companies to stay relevant is to ensure the product is in stock. “Because, unlike other categories, there is no seasonality to meals,” Sewall said. “Prepared meals are quick, easy, and convenient. Many shoppers are shopping on impulse, so ensuring you’re fully stocked to meet their needs is critical.”
To align with consumers’ shopping and meal prep needs, it’s key for pot pie manufacturers to offer new and improved flavor profiles to stay fresh in the consumers’ minds, Broadley said. “Given our hectic lifestyles, convenience has become a top priority,” she said. “Entering the e-commerce market to attract new consumers and actively engaging in digital marketing are essential strategies for staying relevant.”
In the coming year, the pot pie category is positioned to stay relevant and a constant item on consumers’ shopping lists. “You can count on Blount to offer new flavors in the new year. Overall, though we don’t see any major surprises or category disruptors,” Sewall said.
Broadley anticipates seeing a movement towards artisanal flavors, such as truffle chicken, short rib, and curry vegetable. “Additionally, chef-inspired recipes will transform pot pies from a ‘frozen staple’ into gourmet convenience,” she said. “Companies will likely emphasize creating microwaveable options to offer delicious and convenient center-of-the-plate choices.”
With convenience driving purchasing decisions, pot pies remain a dependable staple with room for growth. Continued innovation in flavors, formats, and preparation methods—along with strong in-stock execution—will be key to keeping the category top of mind for consumers seeking quick, satisfying meals.
