Warming up for frozen

LONDEN - For many years the image of frozen food has been low. And for many people this is still the case, considering frozen products as the cheap alternative for ‘qualitative’, fresh food. Although the frozen aisle in the Dutch supermarket does not look very dynamic, a lot has changed over the years in this segment. Technological developments have improved the quality (at least the taste) of ready meals and have brought product innovations like the oven snack.

We can catch a glimpse of how this frozen segment could change when we look at the British aisles. The UK has always been far ahead of us in the frozen segment and the average retailer has much more shelf space available for those products. The growth of new production techniques, more attention for ethical sourcing and innovations of quality brands have made frozen cool. Also when sustainability is concerned, frozen plays an important role in terms of long shelf lifes and because of recyclable packaging. All these elements attract a young audience; in the UK the millennials give a real boost to the growth of this segment. Manufacturers try to ensure their ranges fit into all lifestyles and occasions demands, whether that is a free-from diet, a vegan or calorie-controlled diet, but also make sure there are enough premium products to choose from. To ensure continuous growth it is important that both premium and more accessible foods are available. And this is where retailers need to undertake good category and range planning. 

Besides price, sustainability and convenience also health is increasingly important. Healthy product innovations are a must for many food brands and as Jan McKee, UK marketing director of Dr Oetker, describes it ‘they lead to a continuous reappraisal of frozen food by consumers which is important’. An example is the introduction of the ‘Yes It’s a Pizza’ range with spinach and beetroot vegetable-infused crusts. This autumn Dr Oetker introduces together with meat-free brand Quorn a range of Quorn topped pizzas to the market under the Ristorante label. We also see many new potato-based products like ‘Sweet Potato’ or ‘Peri Peri’ fries. Health does not seem to play a big role here, and this is definitely the case in the dessert segment, where indulgence appears to be the leading trend for ice-cream innovations.

Altogether there is a lot to discover in the frozen aisles and, as the UK is the leading market for many food trends, the rest of Europe can expect much more frozen innovations flying in from the west in the years to come. 

TEN the export network advises and supports food & beverage companies that are aiming to broaden their horizons. They co-ordinate food export activities, encourage business development projects, and create new international links. TEN also helps improving the standard of existing export activities, and operates as SIB advisor (Starters International Business, an initiative of the Dutch government) for SMEs. For more information have a look at http://www.theexportnetwork.nl or contact TEN for a first meeting: http://www.theexportnetwork.nl/contact/

Source: The Grocer