Grab-and-go brand Nom Nom’s recently debuted at Pusateri’s Fine Foods across the GTA, taking advantage of a heightened demand for fresh and prepared food and using an omnichannel approach to reach consumers.

The Nom Noms line includes international-inspired meat and plant-based protein meals and wraps, which the brand says are devoid of additives, refined sugar, and are low in sodium. Co-Founder and CEO, Lisa Sohanpal (pictured) says that she worked with local chefs to craft proprietary recipes based on authentic regional spice blends and that each dish reflects these homegrown flavours (South Indian lamb tandoori, Moroccan veggie tagine, the Korean beef wrap and the all plant wrap, for example, are a homage to the cities she visited during her years travelling as a medical device executive).

According to Johnny Bhalla, VP of marketing, global, Nom Noms World Food, the brand is engaging in stores with multi-touchpoint marketing that includes shelf talkers, vertical banners, T-stand banners and flyer hand-outs. He says that for the first month, it’s offering a Pusateri’s promotion (buy any two large wraps and save), leveraging the grocer’s database across email and social, including flyers in grocery bags.

The brand also played a part in Pusateri’s “Best in Class for Back to School” program, which was aimed at moms and held August 23 at the grocer’s downtown Toronto Avenue Road location, in which consumers sampled their way through products and spent $100 to get a $10 discount tied to Pusateri’s products. They did this by collecting stamps associated with the countries of origin/inspiration for each of the food Nom Noms products (signage included the question, wish your taste buds could travel?”)

Bhalla adds that the brand has been placed in the chilled/refrigerated section and is looking to tap into the convenience-seeker market.

He tells strategy that Nom Noms is currently running in-store sampling activations as well as the Nom Noms World Food cart at WeWork (a shared workspace real estate firm) in Toronto. “We’re going to be doubling down on in-person activations as they’ve been super effective,” Bhalla says.

When it comes to its distribution strategy, he says the brand is focusing on what he calls a frictionless commerce and an omni-transactional approach to provide access to customers to Nom Noms. This includes physical retail, as well as events/pop-ups, and a “ghost kitchen” (a virtual kitchen) on Foodora to get Nom Noms products delivered.

“We live in a connected society,” he says, “and are forming unique ways to not only be where customers are but assist in removing any limitations to access the products.”

Nom Noms, Bhalla says, will also be included in Pusateri’s upcoming print magazine. Megan Potgieter, category buyer for Pusateri’s Fine Foods says that the retailer was attracted to Nom Noms for its meals and wraps that not only appeal to children, but also because it offers snackable portions for adults and diverse flavours that cater to different types of eaters.

Recently, the brand was also picked by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for inclusion in the commemorative publication of their story, Our Royal Baby, and the company’s founders are featured in a two-page spread, which Bhalla says helped generate interest in the product back in the U.K., where the company originally launched.