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Home Chef unveils Tempo ready-to-heat meals for busy consumers
Meal solution provider’s first-ever brand launch brings individual microwaveable meals ready in minutes.
3 Min Read
Tempo serves up a weekly rotating menu of more than a dozen meals, priced at $10.99 to $13.49 each. / Photo courtesy of Home Chef
Home Chef is taking aim at time-pressed and non-cooking consumers with the rollout of Tempo, a new ready-to-heat meal brand.
Chicago-based Home Chef, the meal solutions subsidiary of The Kroger Co., said Wednesday that Tempo marks its first-ever new brand launch. Described as a new service, Tempo offers single-serve, microwaveable meals that are ready in four minutes.
The meals are available online via TempoMeals.com or mobile app, with more than 12 choices served up in a weekly rotation. Home Chef noted that the rotating menu enables customers to try a variety of cuisines and flavors with each delivery, and the chef-crafted meals are designed to blend bold and popular flavors in convenient dishes that can support a balanced lifestyle.
“The Home Chef team is constantly looking for new ways to make mealtime achievable for more people,” Home Chef CEO Erik Jensen said in a statement. “Tempo, our first new brand launch in Home Chef’s decade-long history, allows us to serve easy meals to households that prioritize convenience and balanced eating in their routines.”
Meals on the Tempo menu include the following:
• Garlic sesame chicken stir fry with brown rice and green beans
• Green chili pork with quinoa, fire-roasted corn and peppers
• Harissa beef meatball and couscous bowl
• Basil pesto white-bean primavera
• Roasted sweet potato and chickpea bowl
• Teriyaki beef and edamame with broccoli and quinoa
• Harvest chicken bowl
• Jalapeño popper chicken with cilantro lime cauliflower rice
• Smoky pork in chili sauce with roasted green beans
• Tuscan-style chicken with stewed white beans and kale
• Blackened Cajun chicken thighs over cauliflower grits
• Chipotle-glazed turkey breast with Southwestern quinoa and stewed black beans
• Savory braised beef with cauliflower grits
• Chicken alfredo and whole wheat penne with kale and roasted tomatoes
• Bolognese stuffed cabbage bowl with brown rice
• Moroccan-style chickpeas with vegetable couscous
Customers access Tempo online at TempoMeals.com or through the new brand's mobile app. / Photo courtesy of Home Chef
Home Chef said Tempo meals are made with nutrient-rich ingredients and come “full of protein and veggies.” All of the brand’s meals are calorie-conscious and contain only whole grains and up to 30-plus grams of protein per serving.
Tempo meals require “no slicing, dicing or other prep” and cost about $10.99 to $13.49 each, with customers able to save by purchasing more meals per order, according to Home Chef.
“With all of the demands on our customers’ time, convenience is a top mealtime priority. But no one wants to sacrifice great taste or nutritional benefit for ease,” commented Scott Payne, chief product officer at Home Chef. “With Tempo, customers don’t have to choose between a wholesome, flavorful meal and how much time they need to spend in the kitchen.”
In support of Tempo’s launch, through Nov. 30, new customers can get 50% off their first meal box plus 20% off their next four boxes when they sign up for Tempo using the code TRYTEMPO50. A social media giveaway promotion also offers a $100 Tempo gift card, Bluetooth headphones, a cooler lunch tote, a daily planner and reusable cutlery to those who enter starting Oct. 9 by following Tempo on Instagram and Facebook and sharing how Tempo “will help bring balance to the day-to-day,” Home Chef said.
Home Chef’s meal solutions span its range of formats, such as classic Meal Kits, Express Meal Kits that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, Oven-Ready recipes for less cleanup, Fast & Fresh meals with little prep and simple cooking in an oven or microwave, Grill-Ready kits with ingredients assembled in a grill-safe bag, and Culinary Collection premium meals for special occasions.
Most recently, in May, Home Chef introduced the Family Menu, a meal kit plan of turnkey dinner recipes for families. The for-delivery program provides a weekly rotation of more than 10 meals, each of which serves four people and takes 30 minutes or less to prepare. Per serving, the family meals cost $6.99 to $8.99.
