1. Consumer and Innovation
Trends in Frozen Food 2014
The latest trends in frozen food
Category series. Published March 2014
Consumer Insight

2. Contents
1. Executive Summary
2. The Market: Where the Opportunities Lie
• Market Snapshot
• Innovation Snapshot
• Growth Opportunities
3. The Trends: Consumer and Innovation Insight
• Made for Men
• Redefining Convenience
• Brand Experiences
• Bridging “Trust Gaps”
• “Fresh Frozen”
• Targeting Millennials
4. The Future: What's Next in Frozen Food?
5. Appendix
Click on the title to go directly to the relevant section
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3. Made for Men
A ‘deep dive’ into the male psyche
Men are more likely to prioritise ‘high protein’ products
when grocery shopping than women
Nearly a quarter of male consumers surveyed globally by
Datamonitor prioritise ‘high protein’ when purchasing food and
drink products*. Protein has been typically associated with
weight gain and used by bodybuilders and athletes for its ability
to promote muscle growth, increase strength, and speed up
recovery times. It isn’t surprising therefore that new dairy
products are being launched with ‘high-protein’ claims to
specifically target ‘fitness-oriented’ and ‘active’ men.
Consumers associate meat with masculinity which has
important implications for marketers
According to Datamonitor's 2013 survey, men are more likely to
have a high meat intake in their daily diet than women. This isn’t
surprising given that a new study published in the Journal of
Consumer Research concluded that consumers found meat to be
more masculine than vegetables and that male meat eaters were
viewed to be more masculine than non-meat eaters. This finding
highlights just how important it is for frozen meal brands to
consider the ‘thoughts and feelings’ raised by different foods in
order to successfully shape their marketing communication.
Source: Datamonitor’s Consumer Survey May/June 2013 * Consumers who consider "The flavor" highest priority when choosing food and drink, compared to
other factors listed. Please see accompanying datapack for full details3
Insight On-trend innovation Take-outs
Global: consumers who prioritise ‘high protein’ when
purchasing food and drink products?*, 2013Global: which best describes your daily diet?, 2013
Looking
ahead...
Manufacturers must adopt the right marketing cues to effectively tailor their products to men such as using
bold darker colors on packaging. Products with high protein claims on pack will draw male consumers into
the frozen food aisle.
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4. Targeting Millennials
Millennials share certain characteristics that make them highly influential consumers
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…are connected
Millennials* are conditioned to using digital
technologies to communicate, socialize, work, and
connect with each other. They expect brands and
retailers to adapt to their digital lifestyles by ensuring
that technology facilitates a simpler and more relevant
shopping experience. 60% of millennials, for example,
express interest in grocery product promotions sent to
their mobile phone based on previous purchases,
compared to less than half of baby boomers.**
…do their homework
Financial insecurity brought on by bleak job prospects
and the residual effects of the global financial crisis
has had a marked impact on youth spending patterns.
Their pursuit of value is facilitated by their fluency in
digital media, which allows them to instantly compare
prices across brands and retailers. Indeed, 49% of
millennial consumers monitor the prices of their
favored groceries between different stores either all the
time or most of the time.
…enjoy experimenting
Millennials do not exhibit the product preferences and
brand loyalties that older generations hold, and thus
are more inclined to try new things and seek novel
experiences. Taking food and drink preferences as an
example, 66% of millenials find products that have new
and exotic flavor ‘appealing.’
…set and accelerate the trends
The size of the millennial cohort alone affords them
significant influence; however, their ability and desire
to influence others ensures that the preferences of
these consumers serve as early indicators of future
trends. That a third (33%) of millennials attach
importance to adopting the latest cosmetics looks and
styles, compared with 19% of boomers, illustrates their
inherent desire to shape the opinions and behaviors of
others.
Source: Datamonitor analysis*Millennials = 18–34 year olds for the purposes of survey analysis; **Baby boomers = 45–64 year olds for the purposes of survey
analysis
Millennials…
Insight On-trend innovation Take-outs
Millennials outnumber baby boomers** in many markets making them highly influential consumers. This combined with
their willingness and ability to influence the spending choices of others, makes targeting this cohort indispensable.
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5. Stand-alone
gourmet
frozen food
shops
Scent
marketing to
entice
consumers
Cross-
merchandising
fresh and
frozen food
In-store
tastings
Expanding into
new categories
e.g. frozen pet
food
What next for…frozen food retail?
Frozen food retail: the future
Source: Datamonitor’s analysis; shutterstock.com5
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report

6. What next for…frozen food packaging?
‘Self heating’ technology for frozen food
Source: Datamonitor analysis; Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics (PLA)6
Self-heating packaging for frozen food
• Applying self-heating can technology to frozen food
packaging.
• The ‘self-heating’ packaging would help defrost/ heat
“ready to eat” frozen foods like bakery products and
snacks at room temperature.
Opportunities to offer ‘super-convenience’ to on-the-go
consumers
• Opportunities exist to extend the concept of self-heating
technology from canned to frozen food. This would
eliminate/ minimize preparation time and provide brands
with an avenue for differentiation.
• It will also help generate NPD in frozen snacks to target on-
the-go consumption .
Widens frozen food appeal
• The packaging‘s “auto-defrost” features would offer
consumers a convenient and time-saving solution to frozen
food preparation and consumption.
• ‘Self-heated’ frozen food products would also provide a
more nutritious alternative to their canned food
counterparts which have high amounts of preservatives in
them.
What are self-heating cans?
Self-heating cans usually feature an
activation button that when pressed,
heats up the can’s contents in a span
of a few minutes.
Hot-Can Self Heating Soup
US
The consumer is instructed to push
an activation button on the bottom of
the can, then shake the can gently
for 30 seconds, and wait three
minutes for the soup to get hot.
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report

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