Frozen Food Marketers Retool Strategies To Battle Challenges From Fresh Produce

Frozen food sales have been lackluster in recent years – they grew by just 7.7 percent  between 2008 and 2012, or 1.9 percent a year – thanks to increased competition from fresh foods. The big challenge, according to market researchers, is a  growing preference for fresh foods for a variety of reasons: perceived better taste, lack of freezer space at home, better nutrition, and higher quality. To combat the trend, frozen food marketers are retooling their strategies to focus on areas of opportunity. Major frozen food makers are refocusing brand portfolios to enter or strengthen positions in faster-growing categories. In addition, they are telling consumers that frozen produce is as nutritious or even more nutritious than fresh produce.