Stephanie Moe, Food and Beverage Division, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board

The frozen food aisle is rarely the primary destination for consumers doing their weekly shop. Indeed, frozen foods are often stocked at the periphery of supermarkets making them almost an afterthought for many shoppers who are persuaded to purchase frozen foods often simply because of aggressive price promotions.

Frozen food manufacturers are constantly vying for consumers attention, not an easy task in an aisle where browsing is a rarity. But the convenience of frozen foods for the consumer is obvious, and freezing techniques have progressed so much in recent years that frozen options are often ‘fresher than fresh’ in terms of nutrient content. Yet the perception of frozen foods still remains one of ‘cheap’ and somehow inferior in consumers’ minds.

With a considerable number of our client companies operational in this sector, Bord Bia decided to explore the frozen food category, looking particularly at how it is likely to evolve in the coming 5-10 years. By exploring possible future scenarios, drawing inspiration from various countries across the world, our hope is to provide inspiration for Irish frozen food manufacturers in NPD, encouraging them to adopt a more strategic, long-term approach for their businesses.

Bord Bia commissioned UK-based agency, The Futures Company, to conduct this research from late 2012 to April 2013.

The final report is now complete and Bord Bia will be sharing the findings with client companies in Bord Bia offices on Friday 10th May. Companies operational in the frozen food category wishing to attend should contact stephanie.moe@bordbia.ie for further details.