Premium frozen ready meal specialist Cook has entered the major supermarket channel for the first time in its 29-year history, with a range of products now available through Ocado.

The partnership with Ocado Retail sees 29 Cook frozen meals listed on Ocado.com, spanning single- and two-portion dishes, family meals and the brand’s recently relaunched Kids range.

The move marks a shift for the Kent-based business, which has traditionally operated through its own retail estate and website, alongside a network of around 900 independent stockists and farm shops.

Cook chief operating officer Chris Portwood said the partnership offered an opportunity to reach shoppers in parts of the UK where the business has fewer stores.

“We believe there’s a strong fit between our brands and Ocado reaches many customers in parts of the country where we have fewer shops,” Portwood told The Grocer.

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The deal comes as Cook continues to invest in expanding its infrastructure and capacity. The business invested £6.7m in its stores and supply chain in the year to 31 March 2025, when sales increased 10 per cent to £131.7m.

The company is also progressing “Vanilla”, a major cold-storage project at its Sittingbourne headquarters, which is expected to double Cook’s cold-storage capacity.

Ocado Retail buyer for frozen meal solutions Aimee Zygo said the partnership would give customers “even more choice”, while highlighting the convenience of having frozen meals available for meal planning.

Cook’s move into Ocado comes amid heightened activity in the frozen ready meals category, with established brands and new entrants increasingly looking to frozen formats to combine convenience, quality and longer shelf life.

For Cook, the listing represents a major expansion of its reach while retaining its positioning as a premium alternative in the ready meals market.

In May, Asda struck a new partnership with Ocado Group to upgrade its online grocery operations as the supermarket looks to improve customer experience and regain market share.