The use of frozen foods in the foodservice industry has not lost its relevance in the year 2024 as companies sought to respond to several consumer demands.
All these actions are reshaping the consumer market and presenting operators with ways to differentiate their offerings, optimize their operations and remain profitable.
The sector of frozen foods has proven to be very relevant for foodservice companies against the background of increasing food prices, deficit of labor force, and instability of supply chains.
Products in high demand remained frozen vegetables, potato products, and seafood among others. These products provide convenience, storage, and standard taste and ease of cooking and this is exactly why these products are commonly used.
For instance, Simplot’s RoastWorks collection of frozen roasted vegetables is particularly effective in cutting down the preparation time and maintaining taste consistency. Instead of roasting the vegetables in-house, which can be very time-consuming and occupy a lot of oven space, foodservice businesses can simply heat and serve these pre-roasted products thereby increasing kitchen throughput.
Frozen vegetables are used frequently in most operations due to their availability throughout the year. Two companies that provide these on a large scale are Green Giant Foodservice and Birds Eye. By using frozen, operators do not have to worry about product perishing and fluctuation based on season, which provides a consistent supply of quality ingredients.
Ethnic Frozen Meals in Catering Business
Other key factors that have influenced the use of frozen foods in foodservice include the current trend where operators are introducing ethnic frozen meals to increase their product offerings.
This is seen from Conagra’s Healthy Choice and Birds Eye through their products such as frozen Indian curries, Korean BBQ, and other world cuisine which makes it easier for foodservice operators to provide variety and tastes while at the same time avoiding the challenge of preparing such meals and the associated high costs of labor.
This trend is supported by the current trend of consumers seeking new experiences in the food they consume which is enhanced by the social media platforms. Frozen appetizers are currently one of the hottest categories in this trend because they provide a simple yet efficient way for foodservice operators to introduce new options.
For instance, Frostkrone provides a great collection of frozen finger foods, including spring rolls with an Asian taste, samosas with a spicy touch and many more.
Smaller, Snackable Portions
Due to the changes in consumer behavior and the current trends of flexible meals, foodservice operators are now using mini and bite-size frozen products.
Some of the items include mini quiches, bite-sized appetizers and frozen snacks such as Farm Schwan’s Rich’s mini stuffed pizza buffalo bites; thus, operators are able to provide for the changing consumer preferences of portion regulated meals.
The consumption of snack sized frozen foods is especially prevalent in the casual dining sector, QSRs and catering services where variety is the spice of life with regards to customers’ needs.
This trend is also associated with the increasing demand for healthier foods in the form of small portions for snacks, which enables businesses to accommodate health-seeking customers while still meeting the fast-paced lifestyle demands. Portion control also helps in minimizing food wastage, which is always advantageous.
To read the entire article, please access your complimentary e-copy of Frozen Food Europe November-December, 2024 issue here.