Cathedral City has entered into the chilled meals category for the first time with leading manufacturer Oscar Mayer in a bid to diversify its offer.

The new products include a cheesy lasagne, cottage pie, chicken and pasta bake, and macaroni cheese, with the range boasting at least 30% more cheese than the nearest own-label equivalent product.

The selection will be available at major UK supermarkets including Sainsbury’s from today (1 May).

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Cathedral City owner Saputo Dairy UK senior vice president commercial Adam Braithwaite said: “For us, Oscar Mayer is the ideal partner in helping Cathedral City to diversify and expand into different categories.

“Their desire to bring exciting, flavour-packed meal solutions to UK consumers, while delivering on both quality and value, aligns perfectly with our ethos.”

Oscar Mayer chief commercial officer Gordon Walsh added: “This partnership with Cathedral City is about us really delivering on what consumers want – a meal solution that is still convenient, but also provides restaurant-quality, delicious meals at an affordable price point.

“We want to tear up the rule book and reverse the out-dated perceptions of ready meals of old, packing our products with plenty of inspiring and indulgent flavours.”

It follow’s Cathedral City’s recent ‘cheezy beanz’ launch with Heinz – a product which combines the cheese brand’s Extra Mature Cheddar with Heinz sauce and a small amount of cheese powder, which the brand said will “elevate the taste”.