Frozen foods finding a larger market
In a world of compromise, frozen foods are emerging as the preferred medium between the extremes of frequently dining at restaurants and cooking time-consuming meals at home, with sales rising by 6.5% in 2008 – according to a new report from Packaged Facts in the US, Frozen Foods in the U.S., 2nd Edition.
Whether eaten at home with family or “brown-bagged” to work for lunch, frozen foods offer a convenience that appeals to consumers with little money and time to spare. Innovative convenience – such as a new cooking method that preserves taste, texture and nutrition – ranks high in consumer draws. And, although health and wellness attributes are often a key to success, indulgence is still in the mix as evidenced by popular products that either boast premium ingredients or offer decadent taste experiences in lighter dish formats. Convenience is still the attribute consumers crave the most, however.
“It’s no coincidence that some of the fastest-growing products in the frozen foods market benefit from having a convenience edge such as portability, being ready-to-eat or offering no-mess consumption and easy clean-up,” Tatjana Meerman, publisher of Packaged Facts, noted. “Packaging formats cashing in on this angle include single-serve pouches, portionable packs and ‘servings for two’.”
Such convenience and health-targeted introductions are expected to carry the market even after the global recession is over.
