The votes are in: Today’s flavor-obsessed foodies are clamoring for frozen meals. But the increased demand for ready-to-eat meals isn’t just about convenience; four in ten consumers who regularly reach for ready meals do so because they like the taste, while a third choose them to satisfy a specific craving (Kantar Profiles/Mintel, 2023).
As more and more customers reach for frozen ready meals, it’s clear that great taste is a key differentiator in this evolving market. Read on to find out more about why now is the time to enter the frozen meals market – and how custom sauces from Giraffe Foods can help your recipes stand out from the crowd.
Why Consumers Love Frozen Meals
Frozen meals have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. First, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, more professionals are working from home than ever before. And while today’s workers may be clocking in from the kitchen table, that doesn’t mean they have time to whip up an elaborate meal in the middle of the workday.
Enter frozen meals, which provide convenience and the opportunity for a satisfying meal. The retail sector also provides cost savings for foodies who’d otherwise shell out for pricey meals out on the town. It’s no surprise that a whopping 39% of prepared meal consumers in the US say they’re eating more frozen meals than they were a year ago (Kantar Profiles/Mintel, 2023).
Frozen Meals Are Smart Business
If you’re considering hopping onto the frozen and ready-made meals train, now is the time. Along with the reasons listed above, frozen meals offer customers a tantalizing opportunity to experience the unexpected at a great price. Other benefits include the following:
- Convenience: Preparing a meal from scratch can be time-consuming, and in today’s fast-paced world, convenience reigns supreme. Frozen ready meals offer a quick and easy solution for consumers juggling busy schedules, eliminating the need for meal planning, shopping, and cooking. Oh, and there’s zero cleanup required! That’s tough to beat.
- Consistency: Frozen meals provide consistent portion sizes and flavors, ensuring consumers get the same taste experience every time. This is also great news for health-conscious customers who might be counting calories, carbs, or other nutritional components. The same goes for customers with food allergies, who can rest easy knowing their ready-to-eat meals are allergen-free.
- Variety: With a wide range of cuisines and flavors available, frozen meals cater to diverse palates and dietary preferences. Frozen meals also offer a way to experience new cuisine types without spending money on an expensive restaurant meal that may or may not meet diners’ expectations.
Who’s Buying Frozen Meals?
The consumer attitude toward frozen meals is shifting in a major way. Today, the frozen meals category applies largely to the following demographics:
- Busy Professionals: Consumers with hectic lifestyles often rely on ready meals for quick and hassle-free dining options.
- Health-Conscious Consumers: Like we mentioned above, with a growing focus on health and wellness across market sectors, many consumers are seeking nutritious and balanced frozen meal options.
- Young, Adventurous Consumers: Younger generations – specifically, consumers who fall into the millennial and Gen Z age brackets – value both convenience and variety. They’re looking for innovative, globally-inspired frozen meals, with adults between the ages of 18 and 34 generally opting for frozen and ready meals more frequently than their older counterparts (Kantar Profiles/Mintel, 2023). These consumers are always ready to try something new, creating an exciting opportunity for brands willing to go the extra mile to deliver a truly innovative (and delicious) product.
The current market presents a unique opportunity to dive into the lucrative frozen meals space. Of course, it’s a relatively mature market sector, so innovation is key to setting your brand apart. That’s where an expert industry partner like Giraffe Foods comes in. As a leading custom sauce manufacturer, we help brands craft unique and flavorful sauces to enhance the taste and quality of frozen meals. We also offer expert research and development (R&D) support, with a team of culinary experts ready to help our partner brands develop innovative and on-trend frozen meal sauces, dips, dressings, drizzles, and marinades.
If you’re ready to lean into the current demand for frozen meals, our team at Giraffe Foods can help. Our experts are well-versed in ideation, formulation, packaging, and even regulatory standards for frozen meals, helping you get ahead of the competition. Our talented culinary team can devise unique sauces, dressings, marinades, and dips to take your frozen meals to the next level. From innovation and rapid prototyping to operational scale-up, Giraffe Foods is your partner in the frozen meals space.
