ConAgra Foods and Kantar Retail Team Up to Boost Frozen Sales

ConAgra Foods has partnered with Kantar Retail to develop an innovative Web-based tool that helps retailers optimize their frozen food portfolio while predicting the dollar sales impact associated with those changes. The “Frozen Accelerator” analyzes merchandising, assortment and shelving performance and then recommends an effective plan for both frozen food brands and their retail partners. The ConAgra Foods and Kantar teams analyzed three years of data in the frozen food department to determine the characteristics of top performing retailers. These principles were further broken down across single serve meals, multi-serve meals and frozen desserts. This research helped the team identify best in class principles, including the timing and frequency of merchandising, the proper product assortment and how products should be displayed on shelves. By incorporating these principles into the Web-based Frozen Accelerator, the tool can review account performances, create a plan and determine the financial impact of applying that plan. “We’re excited to bring the Frozen Accelerator to our customers,” says Andrew Carnazzo, director, category strategy, for ConAgra Foods. “This tool is an example of how ConAgra Foods is bringing best-in-class thinking to a challenging retail environment. The Frozen Accelerator will identify the opportunities in the frozen food aisle where brands and our customers can win and deliver an effective plan.” The development of a report through the Frozen Accelerator is the first step in the partnership between ConAgra Foods’ team and retail customers. Once the diagnostic tool has been reviewed, ConAgra Foods cross-functional teams within category leadership, shopper insights, shopper marketing and sales work together to build and deliver a more effective approach for growth for retail partners. “In partnership with ConAgra Foods, we are pleased to have helped develop a new web-based application that will help accelerate category growth,” says Robert Osher, director of applications for Kantar Retail. “The user can, with just a few clicks, compare how well their category practices compare to the best in class practices of the industry across shelving, merchandising and assortment. In addition, the Frozen Accelerator quantifies the impact to the category bottom line of aligning to these best practices and is invaluable for any retailer or manufacturer planning their category spend accordingly while determining the best course of action for category improvement.” The Frozen Accelerator is one of the latest ways that ConAgra Foods is helping customers drive people to the frozen aisle. In addition, ConAgra Foods is launching a new Frozen Retail Content Catalog in June. The Content Catalog will provide customers access to compelling seasonal consumer communication, including myth-busting frozen food facts, benefits of frozen food, and stories behind the food, keeping frozen meals top-of-mind with consumers so they shop the frozen aisle year-round. Interested customers should contact their ConAgra Foods sales team member. During the past couple of years, the company has been working to help consumers rethink frozen meals by telling real stories of the food and debunking myths. Whether its hand touches on Marie Callender’s pies, or the fact that each Healthy Choice meal starts with a sauce base like a chef would make in their kitchen, every meal or dessert has a unique story. Additionally, the company’s “Rethink Frozen” program recently won a Sabre award honoring its strong creativity and results. “ConAgra Foods is continuing its award-winning “Rethink Frozen” program with the introduction of its new Frozen Retailer Content Catalog,” says Rob McCutcheon, president, frozen, for ConAgra Foods. “As leaders in frozen, we are excited to partner with our customers to drive growth and excellence in the frozen category.”