Grab and Go at Lexington Catering: Shots in Hand, Samples on the Go, Ideas Everywhere
Thursday’s food forum at Lexington Catering Head Office was incredibly inspiring and aligned perfectly with our Product Development module. We are currently designing a new “Free-from” grab-and-go meal for busy office professionals, including the packaging and labelling.
We began by exploring Lexington’s main label ranges. The Mindful Kitchen represented their sustainability and wellness focus. Stacked featured substantial sandwiches and oversized bagels. Grains and Greens highlighted plant-based salads. GUI Korean Deli introduced bold Asian-inspired meals. Seeing the calorie counts, allergen details and ingredient information together helped me understand how much thought goes into clear, consumer-friendly packaging. Ashley marsh also explained the calorie labelling legislation introduced in England in April 2022. I did not know about this law before, and it helped me understand how important transparent calorie presentation is for informed decision-making.
We then explored other brands. Simply Lunch showcased wraps and sandwiches, while YO! Sushi offered colourful, high-protein salads and poke bowls, which caught my attention since I am building muscle.
The beverages were one of my favourite parts of the forum. Coffee House presented Blackberry Matcha, Tiramisu Latte and Blackforest Coffee, and the Blackberry Matcha became an instant favourite. KAYTEA offered refreshing cold-brew iced teas with no added sugar, while BubbleBot UK added a playful twist with their bubble-style drinks. Vita Coco introduced their new extra coconut white box, which was richer and creamier than their usual range.
We also tried many fruit-based and cold-pressed juices, including Frobishers | B Corp™ smooth texture Bumbleberry and Flawsome! Drinks | B Corp™’s wonky-fruit drinks, as well as Mockingbird Raw Press Smoothies. After so many drinks in a row, I genuinely felt like I was taking one shot after another and eventually had to run to the restroom, which made the whole tasting session even more memorable.
We also sampled snacks from Taking the Pea, Delicious Ideas Food Group and Tony's Chocolonely. It was my first time trying Tony’s, and the flavour and texture definitely lived up to the hype. The generous range of samples throughout the forum allowed us to properly experience the flavour, texture and overall consumer appeal of each product.
What stood out most was how clearly each brand communicated value through transparent labelling, strong visual identity and simple storytelling. The forum reminded me that food innovation involves sustainability, nutrition, convenience and the overall customer experience, not just flavour. I left with fresh ideas and a clearer direction for shaping our “Free-from” concept.
Thank you to Ashley marsh for inviting us. The insights and exposure from today will directly support the quality of our product development work.
