• Scope and Methodology
  • Scope of Report
  • Five Categories
  • Report Methodology
  • Retail Sales Increase to $13.4 Billion in 2003
  • Table 1-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks 1999-2008 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Dinners/Entrees Account for Half of Total Sales
  • Retail Channels
  • Figure 1-1: Share of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks by Retail Channel, 2003 (percent)
  • Market Drivers
  • Major Marketers and Brands
  • Marketer and Brand Shares
  • The Competitive Situation
  • Advertising Expenditures Top $262 Million
  • Retail Trends
  • Overview of Consumer Purchasing

Chapter 2: The Market

• Market Size and Growth
  • Market Definition: Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks
  • Five Product Categories
  • Multi-Component Meals
  • Most Foods Meant to Be Served Hot
  • Methodology for Packaged Facts’ Estimates
  • Retail Sales Increase to $13.4 Billion in 2003
  • Table 2-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks, 1999-2003 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Dinners/Entrees Sales Approach $6.7 Billion
  • Table 2-2: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Dinners/Entrees Category, 1999-2003 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Pizza Sales Rise to Nearly $3.7 Billion
  • Table 2-3: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Pizza Category, 1999-2003 (in millions of dollars)
  • Figure 2-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks, 1999-2003 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Hand-Held Entrees Advance to $1.5 Billion
  • Table 2-4: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Hand-Held Entrees Category, 1999-2003 (in millions of dollars)
  • Fast-Growing Frozen Appetizers/Snacks Reach $1.0 Billion
  • Table 2-5: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Appetizers/Snacks Category, 1999-2003 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Breakfast Meals the Smallest Category at $575 Million
  • Table 2-6: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Breakfast Meals Category, 1999-2003 (in millions of dollars)
  
  
• Market Composition
  • Retail Sales by Product Category
  • Figure 2-2: Share of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks by Category, 2003 vs. 1999 (percent)
  • Supermarkets the Dominant Retail Outlet with 79% of Sales
  • Figure 2-3: Share of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks by Retail Channel, 2003 (percent)
  • Winter Favors Sales of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks
  
  
• Market Forecasts
  • Market Dynamics
  • Demographics Suggest Mixed Growth Pattern
  • Table 2-7: Projected U.S. Population by Age Bracket, 2000-2010 (in thousands)
  • Kids and Teenagers a Driving Force
  • Ethnic Foods Spur Sales
  • Criteria for Convenience
  • Convenience Means Even Faster
  • New Products and Technological Advances Feed Growth
  • Aggressive Marketing
  • The Low-Carb Craze
  • Competition from Fast-Food Industry
  • Competition Within the Store
  • Line Between Meals and Snacks Blurring
  • Expanded Distribution Channels Drive Hand-Held Entrees and Appetizers/Snacks
  • Surveys Focus on Customer Dissatisfaction
  • Crunch for Freezer Space
  • Impact of the California Grocery Strike
    • Frozen Dinners/Entrees Require Constant Tweaking
    • Frozen Pizza Ups and Downs
    • Frozen Hand-Held Entrees Still a Rising Star
    • Frozen Appetizers/Snacks Hold Dual Appeal
    • Frozen Breakfast Meals on the Ups?
    
    
  • Figure 2-4: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars)
  
  
• Projected Market Growth
  • Retail Sales Will Surpass $16.6 Billion by 2008
  • Table 2-8: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Dinners/Entrees to Reach $8.0 Billion
  • Table 2-9: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Dinners/Entrees Category, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Pizza Will Struggle to $4.3 Billion
  • Table 2-10: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Pizza Category, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Hand-Held Entrees to Top $2.2 Billion
  • Table 2-11: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Hand-Held Entrees Category, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Appetizers/Snacks to Grow 42%
  • Table 2-12: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Appetizers/Snacks Category, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars)
  • Frozen Breakfast Meals Will Advance to $733 Million
  • Table 2-13: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Breakfast Meals Category, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Chapter 3: The Competitive Situation

• Marketers and Brands
  • Over 300 Marketers
  • Market Leaders
  • Significant Minor Marketers
    • Marketers of Mexican-Style Specialties
    • Marketers of Asian and Other International Specialties
    • Natural and Vegetarian Marketers
    
    
  • Some Items Retailed in Both Frozen and Refrigerated Formats
  • Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestures
  • Table 3-1: Selected U.S. Marketers of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks
  
  
• Marketer and Brand Shares
  • Methodology
    • Nestlé, ConAgra, Kraft Control 50% of $10.4 Billion Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks Market
    • Nestlé, ConAgra Also Lead Frozen Dinners/Entrees Category
    • Kraft is King of Frozen Pizza Category
    • Nestlé Owns 49% of Hand-Held Entrees Category
    • Heinz Takes First Place in Frozen Appetizers/Snacks Category
    • Swanson Leads Frozen Breakfast Meals Category
    
    
  • Table 3-2: Top Marketers of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks by IRI-Tracked Sales and Shares, 2003 (dollars and percent)
  • Table 3-3: Top Marketers of Frozen Dinners/Entrees by IRI-Tracked Sales and Shares, 2003 (dollars and percent)
  • Table 3-4: Top Marketers of Frozen Pizza by IRI-Tracked Sales and Shares, 2003 (dollars and percent)
  • Table 3-5: Top Marketers of Frozen Hand-Held Entrees (Non-Breakfast) by IRI-Tracked Sales and Shares, 2003 (dollars and percent)
  • Table 3-6: Top Marketers of Frozen Appetizers/Snacks by IRI-Tracked Sales and Shares, 2003 (dollars and percent)
  • Table 3-7: Top Marketers of Frozen Breakfast Meals by IRI-Tracked Sales and Shares, 2003 (dollars and percent)
  
  
• Competitive Overview
  • Old Players Reshuffle; New Ones Emerge
  • Some Marketers Focus on Non-Supermarket Channels
  • Regional Marketers Serve Regional Tastes
  • Private-Label Penetration Small
  
  
• Marketing Trends
  • Premium vs. Value Positioning
  • Restaurant Spin-Offs
  • Reformulating Healthy Foods
  • “Supersize Me!”
  • Package Sizes for Different Family Sizes, Eating Occasions, and Retail Channels
  • Pizza Multi-Packs
  • Homestyle Foods Target Families
  • Sophisticated Flavors Target Female Consumers
  
  
• New Product Trends
  • Mainstreaming Ethnic Flavors
  • Product Trends by Category
  • Trends in Frozen Dinners/Entrees
    • Frozen Salads
    • Low-Carb Lines
    • A World of Flavors
    • Homestyle and Hearty Meals
    • Meals for the Family…
    • And for Kids…
    • Meal Kits
    • Bowl Meals
    • All-Natural Foods
    
    
  • Trends in Frozen Pizza
    • Thin-Crust Pizza
    • Rising-Crust Pizza Moves into More Lines
    • Deep-Dish Pizza
    • Dietetic Pizzas
    • New Flavor Combinations and Limited Editions
    
    
  • California Pizza Kitchen Gets Bigger
  • Trends in Frozen Hand-Held Entrees
    • Brand Extensions Boost Sales of Stuffed Hand-Held Items
    • Corn Dogs and Go-Stix
    • Mexican Foods
    • Trends in Frozen Appetizers/Snacks
      • Mexican Snacks…
      • …And Asian Appetizers/Snacks
      • Rich-Seapak Debuts Farm Rich Mega Nachos and Pizzatas
      • Upscale Hors d’Oeuvres
      
      
    • Trends in Frozen Breakfast Meals
      • The Next Hot Arena
  • Advertising and Promotion Trends
    • Marketers Spend More Than $262 Million on Advertising
    • Nestlé, ConAgra, Kraft Lead Advertisers
    • Advertising Positioning
    • Consumer Promotions

  • Retail and Internet Trends
    • Focus on Supermarkets
    • Focus on Mass Merchandisers and Drugstores
    • Focus on Warehouse Clubs
    • Focus on Convenience Stores
    • Focus on Natural Food Stores
    • Focus on Vending Machines
    • Focus on the Web: E-Commerce

Chapter 4: Competitive Profiles

• Competitive Profile: ConAgra Foods, Inc.
  • Corporate Background
  • No. 2 in Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks
  • Banquet a Family-Oriented Mainstay
  • ConAgra Recasts Healthy Choice… Again
  • Life Choice Carb-Conscious Meals
  • Marie Callender’s Home-Style, Premium Line
  • Kid Cuisine Offers Winning Combinations
  • ConAgra’s Mexican Food Lines
  • ConAgra Misses Out on Frozen Pizza Business
  
  
• Competitive Profile: H.J. Heinz Co.
  • Corporate Background
  • Goodbye Weight Watchers, Hello Smart Ones
  • Boston Market Thrives
  • Ethnic Gourmet Foods
  • The Leader of the Snacks
  • Sales of Tween-Targeted Bagel Bites and Hot Bites Plunge
  • T.G.I. Friday’s, Poppers Target Adults
  
  
• Competitive Profile: Kraft Foods, Inc.
  • Corporate Background
  • On Top in Frozen Pizza
  • Premium DiGiorno Is America’s Leading Frozen Pizza
  • Tombstone Launches Many “Firsts”
  • Jack’s a Value-Priced Brand
  • California Pizza Kitchen
  
  
• Competitive Profile: Nestlé USA, Inc.
  • Corporate Background
  • No. 1 in Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks
  • Stouffer’s and Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine
  • Competitive Strategy
  • Nestlé Acquires Chef America
  
  
• Competitive Profile: Pinnacle Foods Corp.
  • Corporate Background
  • Pinnacle Merges with Aurora Foods
  • Pinnacle Revitalizes Swanson Brand
  • Celeste Pizza Shines Regionally
  • Chef’s Choice
  
  
• Competitive Profile: Sara Lee Corp.
  • Corporate Background
  • Sara Lee Dominates the Corn Dogs Business
  • Jimmy Dean and Rudy’s Farm Gear Up for More Breakfasts
  
  
• Competitive Profile: The Schwan Food Company
  • Corporate Background
  • No. 2 in Frozen Pizza—and Falling Further Behind
  • Red Baron the Nation’s Second-Largest Pizza Brand
  • Schwan Repositions Freschetta
  • Tony’s Pizza the Weakest Link
  • Pagoda Pan-Asian Foods

• Demographics
  • Note on Simmons Survey Data and Tables
  • Product Usage Rates
  • Purchasing Patterns
    • Age Patterns
    • African-Americans Prime Purchasers; Marketers Missing Out on Hispanics
    • Geographic Distribution and Local Eating Habits Affect Preferences
    • Socioeconomic Levels Vary by Product and Brand
    • Larger Households More Likely to Use Frozen Pizza, Singles/Divorced Frozen Dinners and Entrees
    
    
  • Table 5-1: Adult Purchasers of Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks, Fall 2003 (% of U.S. households)
  • Table 5-2a: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Age Bracket of Purchaser, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-2b: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Age Bracket of Purchaser, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-3: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Ethnic Group, 2002 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-4: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Region, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-5: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Educational Attainment, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-6: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Employment Status, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-7a: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Household Income Bracket, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-7b: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Household Income Bracket, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-8: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Marital Status, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-9: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Household Size, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-10: Purchasing Indices for Frozen Meals and Appetizers/Snacks: By Presence of Children by Age, Fall 2003 (U.S. adults)

Chapter 6: Looking Ahead

• Trends and Opportunities
  • Reaching the Untapped Hispanic Market
  • Convenience + Health
  • Combating Obesity
  • Frozen Pizza Aims for Bigger Slice of Pie