Market Trends of Europe Frozen Food Industry
Increasing Demand for Convenience Food
The busy lifestyle of European consumers is driving the demand for convenience food as they are looking for on-the-go snacks and meals in their daily diet. According to the statistics of the European Union, the accumulative share of the employed population involved in different types of work either from home or from different offices has witnessed an increase from 14.6% to 24.4% between 2019 and 2021. Further, due to the work pressure consumers are not able to invest their time in the preparation of food on daily basis, thereby, preferring frozen ready meals as it reduces the time to cook. Thus, working individuals demand ready-to-cook products like diced frozen vegetables and frozen pastes, making the cooking process convenient. Additionally, the demand for frozen snacks is also increasing, owing to their longer shelf life and easy storage properties. As a result, key brands are offering products in line with customer sentiments to gain a competitive advantage. For instance, in June 2021, McCain launched the Pickers range in the frozen appetizer category in France. The Pickers by McCain range includes products such as Mini Mozzarella Sticks, Crispy Onion Rings, Cheesy Italian Pops, and Nachos Cheese Triangles. Therefore, the convenience factor has influenced consumer preference for frozen food products. Thus, the aforesaid factors are expected to propel the market's growth.
United Kingdom Dominates the Frozen Food Market in Europe
High consumer demand for frozen snacks, supported by the widespread availability of both private label and global brands across the distribution channels, is driving the growth of frozen food in the United Kingdom. In addition, families and younger consumers are opting for affordable, healthy options in the frozen food category with a longer shelf life. Further, the players in the market are focused on offering child-centric frozen food to expand their customer base. For instance, Ella's Kitchen, a leading baby food brand in the United Kingdom, offered its first-ever frozen food range for kids aged from weaning to three years. The products include toddler snacks and finger foods like sticks and puffs. Furthermore, growing health consciousness among consumers is anticipated to accelerate the demand for vegetarian and free-from foods like gluten-free, low-sodium, etc. Thus, companies are innovating new alternatives to cater to evolving consumer preferences. For instance, in December 2020, Aviko launched three new frozen potato products. The new frozen potato snack includes Super Crunch Julienne Fries, Bistro Garlic and Herb Wedges, and Mashed Potato. The company claims that these products are gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly.
