Speciality Food Feb/March 2024

specialityfoodmagazine.com 25 put the mix straight in a pan and it’s ready to eat inminutes. It’s that quick to cook element that’s really appealing.” Toby says he and the operators of the farm shop see these parts of the business as hugely valuable, and they wouldn’t hesitate to tell others this is a good investment if they are thinking of expanding or mixing up their offering this year. “We were sceptical about increasing the area to begin with,” he explains. “We thought we’d have loads leftover, but it’s actually increased sales more, and we’ve been able to delve into lots of different things. The demand is very big.” Capitalising on the demand for quality Milly Bagot, founder of ByRuby, which struck up a distribution partnership with Fieldfare in 2023, says it was her own personal experience of the value of high quality, homely readymeals, that led her to launch the company in 2018. “My granny always used to fill her freezer with casseroles, andmy sister made batches for me when I hadmy child. I thought ‘why don’t we do this more?’” Milly was convinced there was a gap in the market for frozen food made with love, just as you’d prepare it in your own kitchen. And she was right. In the last financial year, ByRuby saw sales increase by 50%, with a similar trajectory predicted for 2024, and the brand can now be found in 54Waitrose stores, as well as a number of independents. Winding back the clock, Milly says she could see the sector at the time was “a little bit boring”. She thought she could revolutionise what a ready meal could be, and her vision was cemented during lockdown when she felt people wanted to have a real treat at home – a more nutritious, instant alternative to a takeaway. The frozen foodmarket, she says, is changing for the better. “Gone are the days of people thinking about fishfingers and peas. They are now realising the benefits of frozen. From a freshness perspective, it’s like pressing pause on something until you’re ready to press play again.” Consumers, Milly adds, are using premium readymeal options as a way to claw back precious time for themselves and their family. “Our ethos is that we’re making handmade food that’s ready when you are. You might come home fromwork, and can’t face cooking – and you can put a delicious dinner in the oven straight from the freezer.” This convenience is, she says, one of the main reasons customers tell her they love her range of products – as are provenance and clean labelling. ByRuby uses around 97% British ingredients, including Suffolk chicken, and beef from a farm in Yorkshire. The brand, as many other emerging premiummakers, has steered away frombeing ultra- processed, with UPF a concern for shoppers as research continues to show the effect it has on our bodies. “The beauty of frozen is you don’t have to add preservatives to lengthen the shelf life of a product,” says Milly. “We only use store cupboard ingredients you could buy in your weekly shop. We wouldn’t add anything you didn’t recognise.” Aligning with other makers, ByRuby’s biggest sellers are geared to comfort – lasagne, fish pie and chicken tikka all being big hits, with a new occasion range launching this spring, aimed at feeding four, rather than one or two people. “That will allow us to be able to hit that family market, which will be exciting, not only for families, but for couples having friends round for dinner,” Milly says. Alongside convenience, flavour and quality, Milly believes sustainability is core to people’s buying decisions when stocking their freezers. They are looking to businesses that are doing things in a greener way before they spend out on premiumproducts. “There’s no waste in our kitchen,” Milly says. “We cook exactly the right amount each time. And we don’t use plastic trays. Ours use pulp, which will go through the recycling with cardboard and paper. The liner contains a little plastic, but it’s less than 5%.” THRIVING FROZEN FOOD INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR ITS CENTENTARY YEAR This year not only marks the 75th anniversary of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), but it’s 100 years since Clarence Birdseye brought to market the fast- freezing process, which changed world food production forever. “Our 100-year journey is a reflection of the ever-improving taste, quality and convenience of frozen food, and we hope to continue to support our members and the wider industry for the next century,” says Rupert Ashby, chief executive of the BFFF. The industry continuously demonstrated outstanding performance during 2023, despite challenging economic conditions that impacted the entire frozen food supply chain. According to new Kantar data growth was seen with a year-on-year increase in value of 15.6%, and of volume by 0.4%. The most substantial growth was in frozen potato products (up 4.6%), and savoury food (up 5.1%). A surprise is the spike in ice cream sales, which grew by an impressive 10% in the 12 weeks to November 26. This unusual demand over the autumn season reflects recent impressive innovation in the category, and shoppers opting for cosy nights in rather than costly nights out. “I am elated to see the exceptional performance of our industry in 2023,” says Rupert. “The numbers speak volumes, and are a testament to our members, who have continued to innovate and provide shoppers with value for money foods, despite battling costs and inflation. Frozen food has been embraced by shoppers during what has been an extremely tough year for many.” The beauty of frozen is you don’t have to add preservatives to lengthen the shelf life of a product MILLY BAGOT Leading the charge Operating in the frozen arena for nearly 50 years, Fieldfare can be considered as leading the way in the sector when it comes to value, quality, and sustainability, says managing director Matt Whelan. Over that time the brand has become a trusted staple in farm shops and food halls across the UK, and the teamhave seen, certainly inmore recent years, a noticeable uptick in the popularity of premiumprepared frozen products. Part of this can be explained by shopping habits and environment. As more andmore of us ventured into farm shops and garden centres during the lockdown period, we enjoyed the element of discovery. This is a completely different experience to supermarkets, where customers want to get in and out as quickly as possible. “Browsing really strengthens the offering,” Matt says. “It’s hard for supermarkets to sell premium frozen because people aren’t browsing. Frozen food, for them, is a high-speed aisle.” Another factor Matt believes is affecting our reliance on frozen, is changing family dynamics. “There are more households of one or two people where dependent children have left.” Buying loose frozen foods, as offered by Fieldfare, allows those smaller households to pick exactly what they need. This way of shopping appeals to families where members may be on different diets too. “Gone are the days where we all had one meal at the table that tended to accommodate everyone. Frozen can provide choice here, to satisfy a new era of consumption.” Key to growth in the sector is driving home the message that