Speciality-Food-Magazine-March-2025

24 Top-sellers in the range include fish pie, lasagne, beef bourguignon and chicken tikka – all familiar favourites. “People really want comforting and delicious dishes in their freezer that taste like they’re homemade.” Restaurant-quality dishes at home For Norfolk-based Farmyard Frozen, the Covid-19 pandemic made Hannah Springham and her chef husband Andrew Jones re-evaluate their business model – andmove into the growingmarket for restaurant-quality food in the comfort of customers’ homes. With Farmyard, their restaurant located in central Norwich, closed, they decided to feed the growing appetite for fine food at home. “We talk a lot about ‘foodies’, particularly time poor foodies,” begins Hannah. “People who really care about provenance and who made their food for thembut also people who want to avoid e numbers and ultra processed food. There are lots of meal kits around which are brilliant, but our range is zero prep so it’s great to just be able to pull it out of the freezer and have an excellent meal without having to think. Because we’re frozen you essentially have a chef at home, on tap. In a nutshell we’re frozen food for foodies.” Why should discerning fine food retailers act now? “We call it the frozen food revolution,” says Hannah. “The signs are all pointing the right way with people turning to it for various reasons –younger people don’t have the old stigma in their minds and it’s convenient. More people than ever own large freezers thanks to lockdown and we’re here to show people just how good it can be. We’re seeing the artisan farm shops and delis we stock investing in freezers because their customers are asking for an offering alongside the lovely fresh produce. If that’s not an indicator of where we’re going I don’t knowwhat is. The sky’s the limit for this category.” It’s not only in the freezer that products can be found that satisfy the 2025 shopper’s appetite for quality foods that deliver on convenience, taste and sustainability. “We know consumers are increasingly looking for organic foods that offer shorter cook times without compromising quality or healthfulness,” begins Carmen Ferguson, brandmanager at Biona’s parent company Windmill Organics –which recently launched Pumpkin andMushroom risotto mixes. “With 90% of shoppers incorporating ready-to-cookmeals into their diets and organic food sales flying at the moment, we’d encourage retailers to get onboard and stock these two delicious risottos which should both prove popular with health-conscious consumers.” Kirsty Henshaw, founder of Kirsty’s and Prep’d Protein, agrees – and suggests that annual events can provide opportunities for retailers. “The cost-of-living crisis has seen consumers move away fromdining @specialityfood “SUSTAINABILITY IS NO LONGER A NICE-TO-HAVE” Sustainability is no longer a nice-to- have for shoppers. They expect their favourite retailers to offer a wide range of sustainable products and to implement effective sustainability practices. Last year, Fieldfare collaborated with the independent researcher, YouGov, to learn more about evolving shopper habits. The research* found that sustainability is increasingly important in influencing purchasing decisions. A quarter of respondents stated that a product’s overall sustainability credentials are important to them, and 36% of shoppers expressed a preference for products with plastic-free packaging. Additionally, 38% of shoppers prefer to be able to choose the amount of a product they buy, rather than being restricted to pre-packed quantities. Food waste is a key area of concern. It is both an environmental and economic issue for shoppers and retailers. Consumers recognise the role that frozen products can play in reducing waste at home as they can have delicious foods to hand, without having to worry about short use-by dates. Fieldfare’s loose and single-portioned products can also help reduce waste by allowing shoppers to take only what they need. The scoop-your-own concept is particularly beneficial for smaller households needing perhaps just one or two portions. For retailers, frozen presents a low-risk option due to the extended shelf life compared to fresh or chilled items. This reduces the risk of discarding products past their shelf life, benefiting both sustainability and profitability. According to WRAP, retail accounts for approximately 3% of overall food waste in the UK. While this percentage may seem small, it translates to an estimated cost of around £1bn per year for retailers, which is substantial. Plastic-free packaging or low packaging is a growing area of interest for shoppers. Minimising packaging can be challenging for frozen brands; however, with over 40 years of experience providing high-quality, loose frozen foods to UK farm shops, Fieldfare has demonstrated that it can be done. Nearly 90% of Fieldfare products are packaging-free and packaging is used only when absolutely necessary to protect a product. Since 2021, all Fieldfare’s new products have been launched without packaging and the company is now working closely with suppliers to convert legacy products to packaging-free as well. Fieldfare is also constantly working with suppliers to find solutions that reduce plastic and packaging during transportation. Matt Whelan, MD of Fieldfare, states: “While it is essential to protect our products so that they reach shoppers in perfect condition, there are excellent eco-friendly solutions available now, that allow us to avoid unnecessary use of harmful materials such as plastic.” * Total sample size: 2,150 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14th - 15th February 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Matt Whelan, MD of Fieldfare shares his take on the frozen food market out to creating dining in experiences instead – quality ready meals are a big part of this, with them offering quick and convenient ways to create tasty meals at home. Retailers can play on customer dine-in moments, such as Chinese New Year, Valentine’s and Easter, offering popular ‘deals’ for customers.” Authentic and convenient As anyone who has prepared an authentic meal from far flung destinations can attest, it often takes far longer to prepare – and even shop for – the dishes in question than it does to eat them. And with time being an ever-diminishing currency in UK households, many are on the hunt for delicious, nutritious and high quality meals that offer up authentic flavours without the hassle of preparing them at home. Enter Bini’s authentic Indian ready meals. By using family recipes and traditional techniques, founder Bini Ludlow has ticked all the boxes with this range –which is a far cry from the Indian dishes available in every supermarket chiller cabinet and freezer up and down the country. “The biggest difference is that everything we make is produced by hand, in small batches, just as you would cook at home,” Bini begins. “Unlike mass- Retailers canplay on customer dine-inmoments, such as Chinese NewYear, Valentine’s andEaster, offering popular ‘deals’ for customers Made in Somerset – Inspired by India info@binifinefoods.co.uk www.binifinefoods.co.uk 07879777167 Authentic Frozen Ready Meals clever spicing and confident flavours Proud to hold 13 prestigious Great Taste Awards