Speciality Food Feb/March 2024

24 T he landscape of frozen food is changing as savvy consumers switch up their habits. The freezer is no longer a forgotten part of the kitchen used to host languishing tubs of ice cream and the odd pack of chips or peas – it’s become a vehicle for eating better, more mindfully, and with an eye onmanaging and minimising household waste, while saving money. According to research by FMCG Gurus, four out of 10 global consumers say they’ve cut down on eating out and takeaways, while increasingly reaching for better quality food to eat at home. “This includes more premium readymeals, which consumers associate with both convenience and good value for money,” says FMCG Gurus’ Kate Kehoe. The premium element, she adds, is an important part of the conversation, with 73% of those asked attempting to @specialityfood KATE KEHOE FMCG GURUS TOBY EDWARDS FRIDAY STREET FARM SHOP MILLY BAGOT BYRUBY MATT WHELAN FIELDFARE COMMENTATORS retailers are upping their frozen game, withmultiple farm shops, food halls and delis increasing their offering, and seeing positive results. Putting frozen front and centre When they were redesigning the layout of their store a few years ago, the team at Friday Street FarmShop decided to invest heavily in frozen – adding a whopping seven additional freezers to this already extensive eat more healthily, paying attention to ingredient lists, and actively looking for meals produced withminimal processing, and fewer additives. ‘Protein’ and ‘fibre’ top the list in terms of what they’re searching for in the frozen aisle, and 54% said they will pay more for a ‘natural’ ready meal, “due to its association with health and an absence of artificial ingredients.” In the face of this ‘newwave’ of interest in the sector, fine food part of the shop floor. There are dedicated branded freezers for Cook, Fieldfare and The Original Baker, as well as sections to house the growing range of locally-made frozen goods, including H&J Gelato, and Brick pizzas. “Frozen is one of our highest selling areas,” reveals deli manager Toby Edwards. “It’s why a lot of people come our way.” The Original Baker is one brand the shop is best known for. “People were calling out THE BIG FREEZE Sales of frozen food and luxury ready meals are climbing. Speciality Food discovers what’s behind the upward trend for sausage rolls and pies they could take home and cook, so for us, it made sense to bring inmore of that as an investment.” Toby believes customers being time-poor is a key driver to the success of frozen at Friday Street. “They’re looking for a cookedmeal, or some croissants for breakfast, or gratins they can pop in the oven to save time slicing up potatoes. They knowwe can save them time with what we have.” Readymeals andmeal solutions made in-house have seen an increase in poplarity alongside frozen too, says Toby. “I’ve been in the butchery trade since 2015, and the sales of these kinds of things has increased tenfold at least. I feel the whole area of pre-made has increasedmassively. Our stir fries sell really well. You just