Rick Bayless Has A New Line Of Healthy, Frozen Meals Coming Out This Summer
By Rachel Cromidas in Food on Mar 24, 2017 2:29PM
Frontera products/handout
Celebrity chef Rick Bayless is coming out with a new line of frozen meals under his Frontera brand. The company, known for its chips and salsas, was purchased by ConAgra Foods last year for $109 million.
The frozen meals will have a health-food focus and are inspired by Mexican cuisine; three flavors, chicken fajita, barbacoa taco and veggie taco, pictured above, feature "braised beef and black beans, three-chile barbacoa sauce, fire-roasted peppers," among other ingredients. "Foodies around the country know Rick Bayless as the premier authority on gourmet Mexican cuisine," ConAgra CEO Sean Connolly told the Tribune of the move.
ConAgra, which is headquartered in Chicago, is working to remake its brand with healthier fare at a higher price-point—for example, in addition to the Frontera frozen meals, ConAgra is debuting "Healthy Choice Power Bowls," with antibiotic-free meat, vegetables and whole grains, the Tribune reports.
Bayless, who is known for his support for the local food movement, encouraging the use of sustainable, seasonal ingredients in cooking, and for operating a slew of award-winning Chicago restaurants, including Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and Lena Brava.