In the run-up to the world's largest food product fair in Cologne, the industry can expect to hear positive news. Sales of frozen food products reached 3.632 Euro (4.321 million USD) in 2017. It increased by 3.704 tons. These figures include the sales of frozen food products in food retail, home services and the out-of home market. After the expected growth of 3 percent, the turnover of frozen food products in Germany will be 14.2 billion Euro (16.88 billion USD) (2016: 13.805 billion Euro).
After the estimation, the yearly average use per German of frozen food products will increase from 100 pounds in 2016 to 102 pounds in 2017.
The increasing demand of frozen food products is stimulated by the overall decline in cooking in private households and the increasing out-of-home consumption.
Frozen food in retail
According to GfK-data, every private household buys something from the frozen food product section at the supermarket 34 times a year and spends about 168 Euro (200 USD) on frozen food products and ice cream. Therefore, frozen food products are a significant player in the food retail. In food retail, especially frozen pastries, but also frozen fish sticks, frozen potato products and frozen fruit were in high demand in the first half year of 2017, showing a clear upward trend. In the frozen food section of supermarkets, all current trends in food consumption are present.
Frozen food trends
Cooking is easy, quick and healthy with frozen food products. Thanks to its advantageous preservations due to cold, the nutrients and vitamins remain in the product in a high degree. Frozen food products can be preserved for a long time without artificial preservatives.
Convenience: the simple, quick and guaranteed successful preparation of meals remains the most important food trend for frozen food products. The consumers like using food products that fit into their desire for healthier food and offer them the possibility for a creative refinement. Simply said: it should look and taste as fresh as if it was self-made! The producers of frozen food products work intensively on making their products look self-made and support the consumer by means of all kinds of communication with tips for the preparation.
The increasing demand of frozen food products is stimulated by the overall decline in cooking in private households and the increasing out-of-home consumption.
Frozen food in retail
According to GfK-data, every private household buys something from the frozen food product section at the supermarket 34 times a year and spends about 168 Euro (200 USD) on frozen food products and ice cream. Therefore, frozen food products are a significant player in the food retail. In food retail, especially frozen pastries, but also frozen fish sticks, frozen potato products and frozen fruit were in high demand in the first half year of 2017, showing a clear upward trend. In the frozen food section of supermarkets, all current trends in food consumption are present.
Frozen food trends
Cooking is easy, quick and healthy with frozen food products. Thanks to its advantageous preservations due to cold, the nutrients and vitamins remain in the product in a high degree. Frozen food products can be preserved for a long time without artificial preservatives.
Convenience: the simple, quick and guaranteed successful preparation of meals remains the most important food trend for frozen food products. The consumers like using food products that fit into their desire for healthier food and offer them the possibility for a creative refinement. Simply said: it should look and taste as fresh as if it was self-made! The producers of frozen food products work intensively on making their products look self-made and support the consumer by means of all kinds of communication with tips for the preparation.
The dti identified the so called "free from" products as another important reason for the increasing demand for premium products and the enlargement of the frozen food product assortment in an industry survey. The renouncement of certain food products or additives is a way of expressing a certain lifestyle for many people. The veggie and vegan trends stand, for example, for a deliberate renouncement of meat. This trend can be best filled in with frozen food products for self-cooking and ready meals. Frozen fruit is very poplar with young consumers and make a conscious, healthy diet possible during every season of the year.
The "free from" trend can be seen in the increasing number of gluten or lactose free products in the assortment. Many companies are adding corresponding product variants to their product range. Consumers show a lasting interest in regional food products. Regionality is therefore an exciting trend for frozen food products which use traditional recipes and, with the use of locally produced raw materials, more and more vegetables and potatoes, for example, could be used.
The conscious dealing with food products also leads to many people being more aware of food waste. Especially in this area, the advantage of frozen food products is evident, for frozen food products can be prepared portionwise and rarely end up in the trash can due to their long preservation period. This makes the products more flexible and independent of the season. An increase in consumption also leads to more sustainability in food consumption.
Frozen food products at the restaurant
The out-of-home market grew again in 2017. The increase in spending and restaurant visits caused a growth of 3 percent in the hospitality industry in the second quarter of 2017 in Germany. Frozen food is indispensable for professionals. Again the frozen pastries benefited from the rise in restaurant visits during breakfast time. In 2016, the sales of frozen food products in restaurants surpassed the sales in retail stores and achieved a market share of 50.3 percent. Because of social changes, the out-of-home consumption will play a more important role in the future, wich will offer great potential for the frozen food industry.
For more information:
Deutsches Tiefkühlinstitut e.V.
Dr. Sabine Eichner
Tel.: +49 (0)30 280 93 62-0
Mail: eichner@tiefkuehlkost.de
The conscious dealing with food products also leads to many people being more aware of food waste. Especially in this area, the advantage of frozen food products is evident, for frozen food products can be prepared portionwise and rarely end up in the trash can due to their long preservation period. This makes the products more flexible and independent of the season. An increase in consumption also leads to more sustainability in food consumption.
Frozen food products at the restaurant
The out-of-home market grew again in 2017. The increase in spending and restaurant visits caused a growth of 3 percent in the hospitality industry in the second quarter of 2017 in Germany. Frozen food is indispensable for professionals. Again the frozen pastries benefited from the rise in restaurant visits during breakfast time. In 2016, the sales of frozen food products in restaurants surpassed the sales in retail stores and achieved a market share of 50.3 percent. Because of social changes, the out-of-home consumption will play a more important role in the future, wich will offer great potential for the frozen food industry.
For more information:
Deutsches Tiefkühlinstitut e.V.
Dr. Sabine Eichner
Tel.: +49 (0)30 280 93 62-0
Mail: eichner@tiefkuehlkost.de