Frozen Foods in the U.S.: Dinners/Entrees, Pizza, Vegetables, Appetizers/Snacks, and Breakfast Foods, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Scope and Methodology

Market Definition: Frozen Foods and Beverages

Focus on Three Savory Food Classifications

Report Methodology

Market Size and Composition

Retail Sales Total $51.8 Billion in 2008

Table 1-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Foods, 2004-2013 (in millions of dollars)

IRI-Tracked Sales Approach $31.7 Billion in 2008

Center Plate Represents Half of Frozen Foods Market

Figure 1-1: Share of IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales of Frozen Foods and Beverages by Classification, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent)

Supermarkets Claim 55% of Sales

Economy Driving Consumer Purchasing Patterns

A Return to Eating at Home

Convenience First and Foremost

Kids and Teenagers a Driving Force

Competition from Fresh Prepared Foods

Competitive Overview

Hundreds of Competitors

Niche and Natural/Organic Marketers

Restaurant Names, Licensing and Diet Tie-Ins

Competition from Private Label

Marketing and New Product Trends

More Than 600 New Products Introduced Each Year

Center-Plate Classification Leads in New Products

The Top Product Claims: Upscale, Quick, Natural

Retail and Consumer

Competitive Shifts in Retail Landscape

Household Penetration of Frozen Foods by Category

Table 1-2: Frozen Food Purchasing Patterns by Type, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Ore-Ida and Eggo the Most Popular Frozen Food Brands

Chapter 2: Market Overview

Introduction

Market Definition: Frozen Foods and Beverages

Focus on Three Savory Food Classifications

Report Methodology

Market Size and Composition

Retail Sales Total $51.8 Billion in 2008

Table 2-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Foods, 2004-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Table 2-2: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Foods by Classification, 2004-2008 (in millions of dollars)

IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales Approach $31.7 Billion in 2008

Volume Sales Down 6.0% in 2008

Table 2-3: IRI-Tracked Retail Sales of Frozen Foods by Dollar and Volume Growth, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars and pounds)

Breakfast Foods Grow Fast, Beverages Decline

Center Plate Represents Half of Frozen Foods Market

Figure 2-1: Share of IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales of Frozen Foods and Beverages by Classification, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent)

Fastest-Growing Categories in IRI-Tracked Channels

Table 2-4: Top 10 Frozen Food Categories by Percentage Growth in IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Table 2-5: Top 10 Frozen Food Categories by Percentage Growth in IRI-Tracked Volume Sales, 2007-2008 (in millions of pounds)

Frozen Foods Make IRI’s New Products Pacesetters List

Supermarkets Lead Retail Market with 55% of Sales

Figure 2-2: Share of U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Foods by Retail Channel, 2008 (percent)

Seasonal Sales Vary by Category

Table 2-6: IRI-Tracked Retail Sales of Frozen Foods by Classification and Category, 2004-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Market Outlook

Economy Driving Consumer Purchasing Patterns

Table 2-7: Selected Food/Beverage Psychographics, February 2009 (percent of U.S. Adults)

Food Costs Are Rising

Figure 2-3: Impact of Economy on Grocery Purchases by Household Income: Agreement with Statement “I Buy More Canned, Frozen or Boxed Food Items as Opposed to Fresh, Nonpreserved Food” (percent of shoppers)

The Value Proposition

A Return to Eating at Home

Consumers Buying More Home Freezers

Convenience First and Foremost

Demographic Shifts

Table 2-8: Demographic Snapshot of the U.S. Population as of July 1, 2007

Health and Wellness

A Delicate Balance Between Health and Convenience

Figure 2-4: Consumer Attitudes about Healthy Foods and Time Constraints, 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Skittishness Over Food Safety

Brown-Bagging Lunch

Ethical Issues

Going Local

Natural/Organic Foods Going Mainstream, But Growth Slowing

Kids and Teenagers a Driving Force

Palate for Global Foods Is Growing

Consumers Like Customization

Industry Association Promotes Frozen Foods Through Schools

New Technologies Boost Quality

To Innovate, or Not to Innovate?

Competition from the Restaurant Industry

Competition from Fresh Prepared Foods

Figure 2-5: Supermarket Shopper Interest in Ready-to-Eat Meal Solutions, 2008 (percent)

Fighting the Frozen Foods Stigma

Projected Market Growth

Sales to Approach $65 Billion by 2013

Table 2-9: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Foods and Beverages, 2008-2013 (in millions of dollars)

Table 2-10: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Foods by Classification, 2008-2013 (in millions of dollars)

Competitive Overview

Hundreds of Competitors

Natural/Organic Marketers

Restaurant Names, Licensing and Diet Tie-Ins

Competition from Private Label

Marketing and New Product Trends

More Than 600 New Products Introduced Each Year

Table 2-11: Number of U.S. Food Product Introductions: Overall vs. Frozen and Refrigerated, 1985-2008

Center-Plate Classification Leads in New Products

Table 2-12: Number of U.S. Frozen Food Product Introductions by Product Categories, 2004-2008

The Top Product Claims: Upscale, Quick, Natural

Table 2-13: Top Product Claims/Tags for U.S. Frozen Food Product Introductions, 2008 (number and percent)

Selling Convenience

Figure 2-6: Number of New Frozen Food Product Introductions by Selected “Convenience” Package Tags/Claims, 2007 vs. 2008

Natural Going Strong

Figure 2-7: Number of New Frozen Food Product Introductions by Top “Natural” Package Tags/Claims, 2007 vs. 2008

Selling Health Benefits

Table 2-14: Number of New Frozen Food Product Introductions by Top “Healthy” Package Tags/Claims, 2007 vs. 2008

Nestlé, Kraft Lead 2008 Product Introductions

Table 2-15: Selected Leading U.S. Marketers of Frozen Foods Based on Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) Introduction Levels, 2004-2008 (number)

Packaging Trends

Consumers’ Brand Perceptions

Global Marketing and New Product Trends

Nestlé, Unilever Lead Frozen Food Introductions

Trends in International New Product Introductions

Table 2-16: Selected Leading Global Marketers of Frozen Foods Based on Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) Introduction Levels, 2004-2008 (number)

Table 2-17: Top Product Claims/Tags for Food & Beverage Product Introductions by Selected U.S. and Global Measures: 2008 (percent)

Table 2-18: Top Product Claims/Tags for Food & Beverage Product Introductions by Selected U.S. and Global Measures: Three-Year Aggregate, 2006-2008 (percent)

Innovative International Marketing and New Product Launches

Distribution and Retail

Warehouse vs. Direct Store Delivery

Smaller Marketers Work Through Brokers

Competitive Shifts in the Retail Landscape

Focus on Supermarkets

Focus on Natural Supermarkets

Table 2-19: Sales of Frozen and Refrigerated Products in Natural Supermarkets by Category, March 2006 - March 2008 (in millions of dollars)

Table 2-20: Sales of Frozen and Refrigerated Products in Natural Supermarkets by Leading Marketers and Brands, March 2006 - March 2008 (in millions of dollars)

Focus on Supercenters/Mass Merchandisers

Focus on Warehouse Clubs

Focus on Convenience Stores

Tesco Forging Ahead in U.S. Market

Focus on Specialty Stores

Focus on Drugstores

Trends in Other Retail Channels, at Home and Abroad

Consumer Overview

Notes on Simmons Market Research Bureau Consumer Data

Overview of Simmons Data

Table 2-21: Frozen Food Purchasing Patterns by Type, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Ore-Ida and Eggo the Most Popular Frozen Food Brands

Table 2-22: Top 10 Frozen Foods Products by Usage Rates, 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Table 2-23: Usage Rates for Selected Frozen Foods Types and Brands, 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Demographics of Users Vary by Product Category

Consumer Attitudes Toward Frozen Foods

Table 2-24: Top Demographic Indicators for Agreement with Statement: I Often Eat Frozen Dinners, 2008 (indices)

Table 2-25: Top Demographic Indicators for Agreement with Statement: Easy to Prepare Foods are My Favorite, 2008 (indices)

Table 2-26: Top Demographic Indicators for Agreement with Statement: Frozen Dinners Have Little Nutritional Value, 2008 (indices)

Frozen Breakfast Entrées are the Highest Indexing Category Among Prime Frozen Food Consumers

Figure 2-27: Leading Frozen Foods Products by Indexes of Prime Frozen Food Consumers, 2008 (indices)

Walmart Is Top Channel for Frozen Foods

Table 2-28: Frozen Food Chain Retail Patterns, 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Table 2-29: Frozen Food Chain Retail Patterns: By Age Bracket, 2008 (index and percent of U.S. adults)

Table 2-30: Frozen Food Expenditure Patterns, 2008 (percent of .S. adults)

Table 2-31: Frozen Food Expenditure Patterns: By Age Bracket, 2008 (index and percent of U.S. adults)

Table 2-32: Frozen Food Expenditure Patterns: By Retail Channel Most Often Shopped, 2008 (percent of U.S. adults)

Frozen Food Age 2008 Consumer Study

Chapter 3: Center-Plate Frozen Foods

Market Trends

Market Definition: Main Courses

A $26 Billion Market

Table 3-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Center-Plate Foods, 2004-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Single-Serve Dinners/Entrées Comprise Largest Category

Table 3-2: Share of IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales of Frozen Center-Plate Foods by Product Category, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent)

Supermarket Retail Share 55%

Figure 3-1: Share of Frozen Center-Plate Foods by Retail Channel, 2008 (percent)

Seasonal Sales

Market Outlook

Convenience and Value Are Prime Motivators

No-Mess Cooking, Easy Clean-Up

Consumers Stocking Up

Projected Market Growth

Frozen Center-Plate Foods to Approach $33 Billion by 2013

Table 3-3: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Center-Plate Foods, 2008-2013 (in millions of dollars)

Competitive Overview

More than 300 Marketers

Market Leaders

Important Niche Marketers

Marketers of Mexican-Style Specialties

Marketers of Asian and Other International Specialties

Natural and Vegetarian Marketers

Some Marketers Focus on Non-Supermarket Channels

Private Label Big in Some Categories, Small in Others

Marketing and New Product Trends

New Products Proliferate

Table 3-4: Number of U.S. Frozen Food Product Introductions in Center-Plate Categories, 2004-2008

The Consumer

Frozen Pizza Enjoys Deepest Household Penetration

Figure 3-2: Frozen Center-Plate Foods Purchasing Patterns by Type, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Focus on Dinners/Entrées

Competitive Overview

Frozen Dinners/Entrées Leaders

Regional and Niche Players

Ethnic Players

Natural and Organic Marketers

Marketer and Brand Shares

Methodology

Single-Serve Dinners/Entrées the Largest Subcategory

Figure 3-3: Share of IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales of Frozen Dinners/Entrées Category by Type, 2008 (percent)

Nestlé and ConAgra Control 61% of Frozen Dinners/Entrées Sales

Table 3-5: Marketer Share of Total Frozen Dinners/Entrées by IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales, 2008 (percent)

Nestlé Leads Single-Serve Dinners/Entrées

Table 3-6: Top Marketers of Frozen Single-Serve Dinners by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Nestlé Controls Over Half of Hand-Held Non-Breakfast Entrées Market

Table 3-7: Top Marketers of Frozen Hand-Held Non-Breakfast Entrées by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Nestlé Also on Top in Frozen Multi-Serve Dinners/Entrées

Table 3-8: Top Marketers of Frozen Multi-Serve Dinners/Entrées by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Marketing and New Product Trends

Frozen Dinners/Entrées Require Constant Tweaking

Value vs. Premium Positioning Strategies

Restaurant Names and Restaurant Quality Meals at Home

Homemade-Style Foods

Marketing Health Benefits

Ethnic Foods Getting a Healthy Update

Natural and Organic Options Proliferating

Natural Foods for Kids, Too

Contessa Is Going Green

Steaming Hot Meals

Hand-Held Entrées: Panini and More

Meals for Two—Or More

The Consumer

More than Half of U.S. Households Use Frozen Dinners

Banquet, Swanson the Most Popular Frozen Dinner Brands

Table 3-9: Frozen Dinners Purchasing Patterns by Brand, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Stouffer’s and Banquet the Favorite Frozen Entrées

Table 3-10: Frozen Entrées Purchasing Patterns by Brand, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Hot Pockets the Most Popular Brand of Frozen Hand-Held Entrées

Table 3-11: Frozen Hand-Held Entrées Purchasing Patterns by Brand, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Demographics of Frozen Dinner Purchasers Differ by Brand

Table 3-12: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Dinners, 2008 (U.S. households)

Frozen Entrée Consumer Profiles

Table 3-13: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Entrées, 2008 (U.S. households)

Frozen Hand-Held Entrées Hold Similar Draws

Table 3-14: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Hand-Held Non-Breakfast Entrées, 2008 (U.S. households)

Focus on Frozen Pizza

Competitive Overview

Frozen Pizza Leaders

Regional Pizza Marketers Serve Regional Tastes

Midwest the Core Market for Frozen Pizza

Figure 3-4: Likelihood of Pizza Usage by Region, 2008 (index)

Marketer and Brand Shares

Methodology

Kraft Leads Frozen Pizza with Multiple Brands and 39% Share

Table 3-15: Marketer Share of IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales of Frozen Pizza, 2008 (percent)

Table 3-16: Top Marketers of Frozen Pizza by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Marketing and New Product Trends

Plenty of Room to Grow

Upscale vs. Value Positioning Strategies

Even More Like Restaurant Style

Pizza That’s Good for You

Single-Serve Pizzas

Just for Kids

The Consumer

Two Out of Three Homes Use Frozen Pizza

Table 3-17: Frozen Pizza Purchasing Patterns by Brand, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Pizza a Youth- and Family-Oriented Product

Table 3-18: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Pizza, 2008 (U.S. households)

Chapter 4: Frozen Vegetables, Appetizers/Snacks and Sides

Market Trends

Market Definition: Frozen Vegetables, Appetizers/Snacks and Sides

Market Approaching $8.8 Billion

Table 4-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Vegetables, Appetizers/Snacks and Sides, 2004-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Frozen Plain Vegetables Account for 34% of Retail Sales

Table 4-2: Share of IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Sales of Frozen Vegetables, Appetizers/Snacks and Sides by Product Category, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent)

Supermarkets Lead Retail Market with 70% of Sales

Figure 4-1: Share of Frozen Vegetables, Appetizers/Snacks and Sides by Retail Channel, 2008 (percent)

Seasons Dramatically Impact Sales

Sales to Reach $12 Billion by 2013

Table 4-3: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Vegetables, Appetizers/Snacks and Sides, 2008-2013 (in millions of dollars)

New Product Counts

Table 4-4: Number of U.S. Frozen Food Product Introductions in Frozen Vegetable, Appetizer/Snack, and Sides Categories, 2004-2008

Focus on Frozen Vegetables

Market Outlook

Frozen Vegetables Suddenly a Hot Category

Frozen Vegetables Economically a Good Value

Consumers View Veggies as Healthy—But Don’t Eat Enough

Consumers Seek Easy Cooking and Clean-Up

Challenge from Fresh Counterparts

Competitive Overview

A Short List of Market Leaders

Marketer and Brand Shares

Methodology

Private Label Almost 43% of Frozen Vegetable Sales

Table 4-5: Top Marketers of Frozen Plain Vegetables by IRITracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Ore-Ida Rings Up More than Half of Frozen Potato Sales

Table 4-6: Top Marketers of Frozen Potatoes by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Marketing and New Product Trends

All Steamed Up

Steam Cooking Migrating to Other Product Categories

Functional Vegetables

Single-Serve Veggies

Getting Kids to Eat their Veggies

A New Bean

Encouraging Creative Cooking

Frozen Fresh Herbs

Potatoes Move Beyond French Fries

The Consumer

Four in Five Households Use Frozen Vegetables

Table 4-7: Frozen Vegetables Purchasing Patterns by Type, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Few Outstanding Demographic Indicators

Table 4-8: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Vegetables, 2008 (U.S. households)

Three out of Five Households Use Frozen Potatoes

Table 4-9: Frozen Potatoes Purchasing Patterns by Type, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Kids, Large Households Indicated for Frozen Potatoes

Table 4-10: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Potatoes, 2008 (U.S. households)

Focus on Frozen Appetizers/Snacks

Market Outlook

Frozen Appetizers/Snacks Suit Multiple Eating Occasions

Meals Blurring, Snacks Rising

Perfect for Kids and Teens

Restaurants Exert a Powerful Influence

Ethnic-Style Appetizers/Snacks in High Demand

Health and Wellness Meet Snacks

Competitive Overview

Only Two National Market Leaders

Mexican, Asian and Other Ethnic Specialties

Some Marketers Focus on Non-Supermarket Channels

Marketer and Brand Shares

Methodology

Heinz Leads Frozen Appetizers/Snacks with Multiple Brands

Table 4-11: Top Marketers of Frozen Appetizers/Snacks by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Marketing and New Product Trends

New Lines from Established and New Players

New Stuff

Healthier Snacking Foods

Introducing Empanadas

Appetizers with Soul

Wegmans Adds Elegant Private-Label Hors d’Oeuvres

Frozen Bread Rising

The Consumer

Almost Half of Households Use Frozen Appetizers/Snacks

Figure 4-2: Favorite Brands of Frozen Hot Snacks, 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Households with Kids a Key Market

Table 4-12: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Appetizers/Snacks, 2008 (U.S. households)

Chapter 5: Frozen Breakfast Foods

Market Trends

Market Definition: Frozen Breakfast Foods

A $2.2 Billion Market

Table 5-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Breakfast Foods, 2004-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Waffles the Largest Category; Muffins Grow Fastest

Table 5-2: IRI-Tracked Retail Sales of Frozen Breakfast Foods by Product Category, 2004 vs. 2008 (in millions of dollars)

Waffles Slip to 37% Share of Frozen Breakfast Foods

Table 5-3: Share of IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales of Frozen Breakfast Foods by Product Category, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent)

Supermarkets Lead But Have Declined in Share

Figure 5-1: Share of Frozen Breakfast Food Sales by Retail Channel, 2008 (percent)

Market Outlook

The Most Important Meal Consumers Skip

Convenience Is Primary Market Driver

Different Needs for Weekdays, Weekends

Not Just for Breakfast

Kid-Targeted Foods a Big Part of the Action

Competition from Other Breakfast Foods and Fast Foods

Product Innovation a Challenge

Projected Market Growth

Frozen Breakfast Foods Will Approach $3.1 Billion by 2013

Table 5-4: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Frozen Breakfast Foods, 2008-2013 (in millions of dollars)

Competitive Overview

Short List of Leading Marketers

Licensing an Important Market Component

Marketers Buy Ideas from Outside Corporate Structure

Marketer and Brand Shares

Methodology

Kellogg Claims One-Third of Frozen Breakfast Foods Market

Table 5-5: Marketer Share of IRI-Tracked Dollar Sales of Frozen Breakfast Foods, 2008 (percent)

Kellogg Dominates Frozen Waffles with a 73% Market Share

Table 5-6: Top Marketers of Frozen Waffles by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Sara Lee Leads Frozen Hand-Held Breakfast Category

Table 5-7: Top Marketers of Frozen Hand-Held Breakfast Entrées by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Sara Lee and Pinnacle on Top in Frozen Breakfast Meals

Table 5-8: Top Marketers of Frozen Breakfast Meals/Entrées by IRI-Tracked Sales and Market Share, 2007-2008 (in millions of dollars)

Marketing and New Product Trends

Part of a Larger Category

Breakfast Fast…

… and On-the-Go

Better-for-You Breakfasts

Hot Oatmeal from the Freezer

Products with a New Twist

Just for Kids

The Consumer

More than Half of U.S. Households Use Frozen Waffles/Pancakes/French Toast

One out of Four Households Use Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches/Entrées

9% Use Frozen Bagels

Table 5-9: Frozen Breakfast Foods Purchasing Patterns by Type, 2004 vs. 2008 (percent of U.S. households)

Frozen Waffles/Pancakes/French Toast Draw Kids, Large Families, Northeasterners

Table 5-10: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Waffles/Pancakes/French Toast, 2008 (U.S. households)

African Americans, Families with Teens Choose Frozen Breakfast Entrées/Sandwiches

Table 5-11: Selected High-Indexing Demographics by Brand Line for Frozen Breakfast Entrées/Sandwiches, 2008 (U.S. households)

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