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Report: Foodservice operators seek innovations in flavor variety, packaging, labor-saving solutions

March 4, 2020

Frozen foods are used by foodservice operators of all types. But a Datassential study found operators are hungry for innovation.
 
"Frozen has a strong foothold at foodservice, with even more opportunity for growth ahead," American Frozen Food Institute President and CEO Alison Bodor, said in a press release.
 
Conducted on behalf of AFFI, the study explored operator attitudes and perceptions about frozen foods, purchase drivers and uses, and identified how manufacturers and distributors can meet operator needs for frozen food in foodservice. Datassential based its findings on a survey of 426 commercial and non-commercial operators.
 
Overall, the category delivers on operators' need for quality, taste and consistency. Additionally, those surveyed cited long shelf life, year-round availability, convenience, ease of preparation, product consistency, reduced prep time and affordability/value as the top benefits of frozen foods.
 
Other key findings include:

• 89% of operators purchase frozen foods and beverages.
• Roughly half (47%) of operators' yearly purchases are frozen products.
• Staples such as meats/poultry and potatoes lead the category in purchases, followed by vegetables.

 "Both retail consumers and operators turn to frozen for convenience and ease of preparation," Bodor said." Consumers, however, show a higher degree of interest in frozen compared to foodservice operators, likely because innovations in retail products have outpaced foodservice." 
 
Despite the frozen category's high penetration in foodservice, potential for growth exists. Operators expressed interest in category innovation such as:

• Greater flavor variety with enhanced quality and textures.
• Frozen products that provide labor savings (such as fully prepared frozen items, in addition to understanding the role of frozen in scratch cooking).
• Packaging to address storage limitations and reduce food waste, such as resealable, bulk bags.

Image courtesy of American Frozen Food Institute.