Focus On Frozen Food: 25 February

By Rob Brown rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com 

Publishing: 25 February 2023
Advertising deadline: 10 February 2023
Submissions deadline: 6 February 2023

There’s something of a land grab taking place in the world of frozen food, as new entrants to the market move in. Sports nutrition giant MyProtein has rolled into Iceland with a range of frozen ready meals and desserts; bargain retailer Poundland plans to have introduced a comprehensive frozen range across its estate by autumn 2023; even canned food king Heinz has an expanding range of frozen products, to name just three new pioneers. Why is frozen so hot right now? How are these new entrants looking to corner the market? What are their chances of success? And how are the incumbents responding?

Health: Evidence suggests that health consciousness is of growing importance for shoppers when they’re deciding what to put in their baskets. How are frozen food manufacturers and retailers looking to attract health-conscious consumers?

Indulgence: With fewer people dining out as the cost-of-living crisis bites, what opportunities are there for retailers and their suppliers to cater for the so-called ‘big night in’ occasion with premium, indulgent offerings? Who’s doing this best?

Own label and the retail mix: How are different retailers approaching the category in terms of branded and own label ranging, merchandising, promotions and the like? Which retailers are in strongest growth and decline? Why? And how is the brand/own label mix changing?

Price and cost pressures: How are retail prices changing as the cost-of-living crisis eats into household budgets and rising costs squeeze margins? What are retailers and suppliers doing to mitigate these pressures?

How do they do frozen overseas?: What can UK retailers can learn from their counterparts overseas about making the most of frozen food. Typically, European retailers have far larger frozen food fixtures. Why is this? And are there any trends playing out in Europe that could take off here?

Channels: Using Kantar data and input from retailers and suppliers, we analyse how retail dynamics are changing, explaining the factors behind the key retailers’ growth and loss. What impact will Poundland’s plans to introduce frozen food aisles across its entire estate this year?

Innovations: We will profile 4 new products or ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each