Frozen Food for All

The time of frozen TV dinners evoking thoughts of gravy-drenched mystery meat are long gone. Today, frozen options are often as tasty as their fresh counterparts.  

Many frozen food manufacturers have embraced the trends toward bold flavors and better-for-you products. That, combined with consumers’ need for fast, convenient and delicious meals that they can pull out of the freezer on a busy weeknight has shoppers flocking to the frozen food aisle. 

Of course there are many different types of consumers—looking for many different types of frozen products. Retailers that stock their frozen aisles to appeal to a variety of budgets, dietary needs and flavor preferences position themselves for success. 

“Overall, Kraft Heinz is very excited about what trends we’ve seen in the frozen industry. It’s still a very critical part of consumers’ diets,” says Molly White, associate director of marketing for Chicago-based Kraft Heinz, which just launched its DEVOUR frozen food line. “One of the key numbers that we look at that makes us happy is today about one in 10 items consumed in the home is coming from the freezers, and that number has been continuing to tick up a bit. So, in 2015 that number was the highest it has been in the past 30 years. It’s no surprise that as people get busier, they depend more on their freezer. The other big important number we look at is that those households are buying about 30 boxes in a year, so it’s not something people buy once when they come in, they still really rely on it.”

There is a growing market for consumers with specific dietary needs, such as vegan and gluten-free, industry observers say. More and more, consumers are also reaching for products that boast qualities such as organic and have short, clean ingredient lists. The frozen food industry has been adapting, and there are plenty of products that offer the convenience of frozen food while still meeting this need. 

“Natural and organic continues to grow in demand across grocery categories, and the frozen aisle is no exception,” says Jake Ellerbrock, senior brand manager at Berkeley, Calif.-based Annie’s Homegrown. “Specifically, consumers are seeking out frozen offerings that are made with wholesome, simple ingredients and that are made without artificial flavors, synthetic colors, preservatives or artificial sweeteners.”

Bertolli Frozen Meals will roll out its new, reformulated line of products that display a clean label this fall in an effort fill the growing demand for better-for-you frozen meals. 

“Convenience and quality are two of the top trends influencing the frozen category,” says David Koehler, brand manager for Bertolli, a brand of  Chicago-based ConAgra Foods. “Consumers have increasingly hectic lifestyles and want quick, high-quality meals that they are proud to serve their family. Frozen meals offer the perfect solution and consumers continue to take notice and appreciate all of the recent innovations that help frozen meal solutions to even better meet their needs. Consumers are looking for options with improved nutritional profiles and simplified ingredient statements.”

There is also a calling for frozen products that cater to consumers’ varied diet restrictions. 

“Thirty-four percent of consumers are trying to cut back on carbohydrates,” says Alan Brooks, associate brand manager at Healthy Choice, another brand of ConAgra. “However, they aren’t willing to compromise on other nutritionals, which is the reason they are in the healthy category in the first place. Four of our Healthy Choice Simply Café Steamers include less than 14 grams of net carbohydrates and still pack the protein, meeting this consumer need better than any of the competition.”

While offering natural and organic products in the frozen aisles is important, retailers must also cater to consumers with different priorities. White says that there is a lesser-known culture, especially among Millennials, of “eaties”— people who rebel against the “foodie” trend that they perceive as pretentious. 

“For the ‘eaties,’ they reject all of that ‘foodie’ pretentiousness, they just want delicious unadulterated flavor. They want food that tastes good fullstop,” White says. 

Many of today’s consumers are looking for big, bold and adventurous flavors. DEVOUR’s new line features flavors including Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese and Italian Sausage Lasagna. 

“Millennials want something new and exciting at what is still a good value,” says Jack Acree, executive vice president for Stamford, Conn.-based Saffron Road Cuisines, which produces frozen meals featuring bold and international flavors. “They like to recreate the restaurant or food truck experience they are having while not spending as much money. This means they are willing to pay more for frozen foods, as long as they live up to the promise.

“Consumers are younger, they have traveled more and have more adventurous palates. Most import though is that they care about the food they put in their bodies and want clean ingredients,” Acree adds. 

International flavors are a large part of the bold trend that has become increasingly popular among Millennial consumers, observers say. El Monterey, a brand of Dinuba, Calif.-based Ruiz Foods, produces a wide variety of frozen Mexican meals. 

“Both heat and spice have been a trend in the frozen mexican foods category for quite some time,” says Rachel P. Cullen, president and CEO of Ruiz. “Today’s consumer enjoys experimenting with a variety of flavors and spices and, at Ruiz Foods, our El Monterey brand brings many of those exciting flavors and spices to the consumer—in both a.m. and p.m. options.”

These products include El Monterey Signature Bean, Three Cheese & Jalapeno Burritos and El Monterey Signature Egg, Cheese & Jalapeno Burritos.

Arguably, just as important as variety is product placement within the frozen aisles. Strategic product placement can significantly add weight to consumers’ shopping carts. Chris Sarles, CEO of Salem, Ore.-based Oregon Fruit Products says putting the company’s frozen pourable fruit product near the ice cream can help boost sales. 

“If we simply put the product in a proper shelf location, for instance, in the ice cream section it gives people a great connection to an actual use for the product,” Sarles says. 

Even something as simple as making the color scheme of premium products stand out can help boost sales. 

“One of the biggest things is the placement,” says White. “It’s really important because we are a big-flavored meal, we really do well when we’re put next to those big traditional meal brands so that black package that we have really pops between the reds and the greens, and our flavor varieties really stand out there.”