Globally inspired flavors, evolving use of kitchen appliances, and a surge in breakfast foods are among the emerging trends identified in Future of Frozen Food 2024, a comprehensive, data-driven report from Conagra Brands that examined how the $78 billion frozen food market in the United States (calculated based on data released by NIQ through NielsenIQ Discover for the retail frozen department for 52 weeks ending 12/02/23), may evolve this year.
Future of Frozen Food 2024 leveraged Conagra Brands’ demand science expertise, combined with robust sales data from NielsenIQ, in-home consumption behaviors from Circana’s National Eating Trends, and in-depth social media trend predictors from Black Swan Data to identify five trends in the United States frozen food department.
“The frozen food industry, which began with our own Clarence Birdseye over a century ago, will continue to evolve with product innovation, flavor experimentation and changes to how and when people want to enjoy frozen food. Unlike conventional consumer surveys or online polls, we leveraged our team to dive deep into data and other insights, unearthing tastes and experiences for the year ahead,” said Bob Nolan, senior vice president of demand science at Conagra.
In addition to Birdseye, among the Chicago, Illinois-headquartered company’s well known retail frozen brands are Healthy Choice, Marie Callender’s, P.F. Chang’s, Banquet, Kid Cuisine, Van de Kamp’s, Mrs. Paul’s, Alexia and Gardein.
Emerging Trends
A collection of sales data and insights on food consumption and preparation helped identify five trends driving frozen food innovation and growth in 2024, including:
A Taste of Global Cuisine
Historically, more conventional “meat-and-potatoes” and fewer bold flavors shaped frozen food aisles. Today, consumers are being exposed to a broader set of global flavors and cuisines. Asian-inspired foods, such as Indian and Korean BBQ, are rapidly influencing food preferences, as well as global cuisine related social media trends in 2024.
Frozen Foods Rising and Shining at Breakfast
The “most important meal of the day” is increasingly becoming a hot time of the day for frozen food consumption. Frozen croissant sandwiches, breakfast burritos and biscuit sandwiches are among the most popular items driving growth. Frozen breakfast sandwiches alone now account for $2.3 billion in sales. Time savings, variety, and both indulgent and healthy morning-time options are driving growth.
Big Appetites for Bites and Mini Portions
Small in size but big on flavor, this frozen space has surged thanks to growing options which mirror increased snacking culture. Food producers are promoting bites and minis for portion control, healthier options, and quick satisfaction. In the past year alone recipes for bites and minis were included in more than three million internet searches, according to Similarweb US search engine data.
Fun and Convenient Kids Meals
Frozen foods that kids enjoy and are easy for parents to prepare have seen significant growth. Kid-friendly frozen food now generates more than $248 million in annual sales, up 122% over the past four years. Beyond convenience, taste and growing variety, families leverage frozen foods to help control food budgets and reduce food waste.
The Air Fryer’s Influence on Food Preparation
The report notes air fryer ownership has jumped 27 points since 2020. As a result, the number of frozen foods with air-frying instructions has jumped 90% in the past four years. Air-fryer preparation often saves time, can be a healthier food preparation option and emits less heat for year-round cooking.
“Americans increasingly want new, exciting and unique frozen food flavors,” said Nolan. “These trends point to the vast possibilities for continued innovations.”
US Frozen Food Snapshot The United States is by far the world’s largest frozen food marketplace. Eight in 10 Americans choose frozen food at least once weekly, and most consume frozen products four times each week.5 More than half of Americans have frozen food on hand, especially vegetables, and nearly half now own at least one secondary freezer, according to Circana data.
The Future of Frozen Food 2024 report found that prepared foods (including meals, handhelds and appetizers), desserts and seafood are the three largest categories by dollar share. It also examined some generational differences in frozen food preferences and habits, including those among Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers, Gen X, “empty nesters” and senior couples.
The Future of Frozen Food 2024 is a first-of-its-kind report from Conagra, going beyond traditional consumer surveys and online polls and instead leveraging Conagra’s cutting-edge demand science and insights expertise. It includes robust sales data from NielsenIQ and Black Swan Data’s analysis of 120 million+ social media conversations, as well as multiple other sources to identify key trends. Report research and data spans the past four years, including the most recent NielsenIQ data through November 2023.
Future of Frozen Food 2024 can be reviewed in its entirety on the Conagra Brands website: www.conagrabrands.com.
