NATIONAL FROZEN FOOD MONTH RINGS IN AS A HOT PROMOTION AT THE REGISTER

JULIE C. BOEHNING

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- National Frozen Food Month proved to be quite a hot promotion this year.

According to preliminary statistics compiled by A.C. Nielsen here, frozen food sales in March were $1.7 billion, up 3.7% over last year. Because volume jumped 1.3%, the price increase per unit of volume was up 2.4%. That figure, according to a spokesman at A.C. Nielsen, might signal higher profit margins for retailers.

Nevin Montgomery, president of the National Frozen Food Association here, sponsor of the month-long event, said the results illustrate the promotion's effectiveness.

"I think it's encouraging and reflects on the activities that have taken place during the month of March," Montgomery told SN.

The positive effects of NFFM's activities are present throughout the country.

St. Louis -- when compared to other U.S. metropolitan areas -- gave the best NFFM performance with the greatest changes to its fair share indexes. For example, frozen breakfast products and frozen baked goods each gained 37 points. Entrees and vegetables were up 22 points and 15 points, respectively.

The Kansas City metro area realized the largest percentage increase with an 11.9% jump in sales. It was followed by Atlanta, up 10.1%; San Diego, with a gain of 8.1%; San Antonio, up 8%; and the Hartford-New Haven, Conn., metro area, up 7.6%.

Of the total 3.7% sales increase for the month, vegetables accounted for the largest gain, 6.6%. Entrees, with a 4.4% increase, and breakfast products, up 3.5%, were other strong performers.

For the month, juices provided the weakest results. According to the A.C. Nielsen spokesman, the juice category has been declining in both dollars and volume for the past two years.