Claim Jumper Adds Lasagna to Its Line

Irvine-based Claim Jumper is expanding its recently introduced line of frozen entrees that are sold at grocery stores. Among the new entrees planned for frozen food sections at supermarkets is lasagna--something that doesn’t appear on the restaurant chain’s menu.

“We are doing the lasagna because the retail world has asked for it,” said Kenneth W. Gerdau, general manager of the chain’s retail food division. “We ventured a bit from our restaurant menu, so our chef had to come up with recipes that met our standards.”

Claim Jumper’s entrees and desserts are now being sold from one freezer--a dramatic departure, Gerdau said, because grocery store shoppers typically must pluck the appetizer, entree and dessert from different freezers. “Retailers are catching on now that shoppers want all of the components--bread, lasagna, cake--right there in one location,” Gerdau said.

Greg Johnson covers retail businesses and restaurants for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5950 and at greg.johnson@latimes.com