Frozen food 2024: frozen fish in fashion as volumes rise

It’s 100 years since US inventor Clarence Birdseye patented his machine for fast-freezing fish. Birdseye, a naturalist by training, had discovered frozen food during a research trip to Newfoundland and Labrador. He observed how fish caught by the local Inuit people froze instantly in the sub-zero temperatures but retained freshness when thawed. The rest, as they say, is history.

In contemporary Britain, Birdseye’s breakthrough still resonates. Volume sales of frozen fish are up 2.6%, or 3.1 million kilos. And with average price per kilo down 4.5%, it’s an increasingly attractive option to shoppers still feeling the bite of the cost of living crisis.

It’s hardly surprising that this rise in frozen fish has been accompanied by a volume gain for frozen chips. They’re up seven million kilos as thrifty consumers recreate pricey chip shop meals at home.

In response to this trend, brands have been rolling out new and improved products. Young’s, for example, grew its recently rebranded Chip Shop range with Mini Fish Fillets in March and Jumbo Cod in September. The aim is to offer “the genuine takeaway experience at home,” says Iain Lowrie, Young’s category insight director.

Makers of other chippy-style products have also been busy in frozen. Pukka Pies unveiled a larger format of its bestselling variants in October, when the 500g Big One, available in both chicken & Mushroom and All Steak, rolled into Morrisons and Ocado.

That was a month after Birds Eye extended its Chicken Shop range, adding seven lines including Hot & Fiery Chicken Chunks, Hickory BBQ Chicken Wings and Crispy Potato Ridges.

However, Rupert Ashby, CEO of the British Frozen Food Federation, is keen to stress that frozen’s year has been about more than just fakeaways. For many, it’s been about satisfying dietary requirements. Almost a third of those who begin their journey in the frozen aisle follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, Ashby says.

Plant-based’s growing importance to frozen was signified by McCain’s acquisition of fast-growing vegan challenger Strong Roots for an undisclosed sum. The deal would bring “vegetable-forward, environmentally responsible food choices to more consumers”, said McCain at the time.

Strong Roots is in a strong position to do just that. Value sales have surged 33.6% after a wave of NPD – most recently the three-strong Air Bites range unveiled in September.

The brand’s growth is indicative of frozen’s evolution. “We’ve seen significant changes in the frozen category, largely shaped by shifting consumer priorities and lifestyles,” says the BFFF’s Ashby.

This shift has helped not only bring in new shoppers, it’s also encouraged eye-catching innovation. Take Pleese, which in March rolled out frozen cheesecake in a tub. Lemon & Raspberry, Butterscotch & Caramel and Double Chocolate comprise “at least 35% cream cheese” mixed with biscuit pieces and flavoured sauces. The brand hopes to build on early success by adding plant-based, reduced sugar and functional variants already in development.

That desire for healthier products has also been seen in frozen veg, where smoothie mix startup Pack’d has grown volumes 88.5% after ramping up listings across the mults.

A boon for Iceland

Overall, the frozen category is in a sturdier position than this time in 2023. And that, perhaps inevitably, has meant a payday for the UK’s number one frozen food retailer.

After a difficult couple of years, Iceland is going from “strength to strength” thanks to its “customer winning” strategy, says Carol Ratcliffe, NIQ senior insights analyst.

The retailer has highlighted its “keen value proposition” by expanding its cheapest own label – the £1 or less range now spans more than 700 products. It’s also rolled out a suite of mix and match multibuy promotions. “Both appeal to cash-conscious shoppers and bargain hunters,” Ratcliffe adds.

Iceland’s performance has likely accelerated the category-wide shift towards own label. But there have still been opportunities for brands, such as the retailer’s multibuy promotions, which have included offers like 10 for £10 on selected brands.

And its exclusive brands initiative – including the likes of Slimming World and TGI Fridays – “leads the category” for innovation, Ratcliffe says. “With plans to open another 250 stores in the future, Iceland’s influence shows no sign of abating.”

So, while Birdseye’s fast-freezing machine helped to birth a category a century ago, it’s Iceland that’s now helping to raise it.

Read more: Frozen food 2023: Frozen grabs attention as inflation hits