May/June 2023 - 6

FROZEN FOOD TRENDS
Frozen frenzy
UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER DRIVERS KEY
TO CAPITALIZING ON GROWING DEMAND
By Melanie Epp
Contributing Writer
A RECENT SURVEY from the American
Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) reveals that
68% of Americans purchase frozen food
products at least weekly, if not more
frequently. Growth within the sector has
been pushed by market disruptions such
as the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and
the war in Ukraine.
The sector continues to grow as
consumers seek out convenient and
affordable frozen products with elevated
shelf life. While performance is strong,
there's still room for growth. Better
understanding consumer perceptions,
usage and expectations could help
processors continue to capitalize on this
growing sector.
The frozen consumer
There's good news for frozen fruit
and vegetable suppliers: While frozen
fruit and vegetable sales by volume are
not as high as they were in the previous
two years, they are still 271 million
pounds ahead of pre-pandemic numbers,
according to AFFI statistics. Strong
demand and increased food prices have
driven an additional $1.2 billion in sales
in a four-year period.
In an attempt to better understand
the perceptions and applications of
frozen fruit and vegetables at home,
AFFI commissioned the study to look
at shopper demographics, motivations
and uses.
" Frozen fruits and vegetables represent
a healthy $7 billion of the entire frozen
category in the United States, " said
Mary Emma Young, vice president of
communications at AFFI. " This study
was an opportunity for the industry to
better examine the positive attributes of
6 MAY/JUNE 2 0 2 3
 Birds Eye Loaded Cauliflower Bites, pictured in bacon cheddar flavor, are among the frozen food offerings from
Conagra Brands. Photo: Conagra
this segment, assess current consumer
use and anticipate the upcoming market
trends and barriers. "
Some 1,525 U.S. consumers participated
in the AFFI online survey, conducted
in June 2022. Participants came from
a range of economic backgrounds and
represented ages 18-75. Of those who
participated, 98.4% said they purchase
from the frozen food department at least
once a year. Of those, 40% are high
frequency consumers, meaning they
purchase frozen food daily or every few
days. An additional 28% make purchases
at least weekly.
According to AFFI's survey, America's
core frozen fruit and vegetable consumers
are more likely older millennials,
located in the Northeast, from larger
households with high income. They're also
likely to have children in the household,
especially between the ages of 7 and 12.
Florida, California and Texas rank
as the top three-selling states, while
Oklahoma, Wyoming and Arizona rank
as the top three-growth states.

May/June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2023

Table of Contents
Editor's Letter
Frozen frenzy
Proactive produce
Electric ride
Sustainable and safe
100 years of solutions
Product Focus section
Center for Produce Safety: Research rewards
The Pulse
Upcoming events
Advertiser Index
May/June 2023 - 1
May/June 2023 - 2
May/June 2023 - Table of Contents
May/June 2023 - Editor's Letter
May/June 2023 - 5
May/June 2023 - Frozen frenzy
May/June 2023 - 7
May/June 2023 - 8
May/June 2023 - 9
May/June 2023 - Proactive produce
May/June 2023 - 11
May/June 2023 - 12
May/June 2023 - 13
May/June 2023 - Electric ride
May/June 2023 - 15
May/June 2023 - 16
May/June 2023 - 17
May/June 2023 - 18
May/June 2023 - 19
May/June 2023 - Sustainable and safe
May/June 2023 - 21
May/June 2023 - 100 years of solutions
May/June 2023 - Product Focus section
May/June 2023 - 24
May/June 2023 - Center for Produce Safety: Research rewards
May/June 2023 - The Pulse
May/June 2023 - Advertiser Index
May/June 2023 - 28
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