The German Frozen Food Institute Endorses Frozen Food Month

Frozen Food Month

The German Frozen Food Institute (GFFI) has issued a press release in which it highlights that March is Frozen Food Month. In 1984, US President Ronald Reagan first proclaimed Frozen Food Day on March 6. Since then, the birth of frozen food is also remembered internationally, with the 35th day of frozen food coming up in 2019.

The growth in the frozen food category can easily be illustrated by a comparison of per capita consumption in Germany. 35 years go this was 17.2kg, while in 2018 it was 46.5kg per German citizen – and the trend is still rising. According to the GFFI, the frozen food industry is one of the five major subsectors of the food industry with a 12% share of sales.

While the frozen foods were available in the US as early as 1930, it took another 25 foods for the category to expand to supermarkets in Germany. The first frozen products that were sold were poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables. Today, 98% of German households buy frozen foods.

On top of convenience, frozen foods can also contribute to reducing food waste. A study by the GFFI showed frozen foods are thrown away less than fresh foods. This in turn protects the environment, as well as consumers’ budgets.