Frozen food is shaking off its budget label, emerging as a premium contender as brands innovate to meet changing consumer expectations, industry experts have stated.
According to a panel hosted by inventory management software provider Unleashed, the category surged by 12 per cent in 2023-24, raking in over £8 billion in grocery sales. It is now drawing in shoppers seeking both value and quality.
Speaking at the industry panel, hosted by inventory management software provider Unleashed, Dan Pope, from the food and drink podcast HUNGRY, said, “The UK’s supermarket landscape has always reflected the class system, with freezer retailers traditionally sitting at the bottom and being perceived as lower quality.
"Now everyone is saying that the frozen category is going to get bigger and bigger. You only have to look at the premium brand Crosta Mollica, which has created distinct packaging and designs for its frozen and chilled pizza products.”
His comments were echoed by Kathryn Bricken, founder of cookie dough brand Doughlicious, who said, “I think the frozen food category has really innovated, and brands like Strong Roots have played a big part in making frozen food exciting and appealing again.
"Personally, I’ve always believed in the value of frozen foods because they help reduce food waste and promote moderation.”
Nick Hickman, of food and beverage engineering consultancy NIRAS, highlighted changes in packaging trends linked to product innovation – both in the frozen category, and in food and beverages more generally.
“There’s a lot more use of cardboard now, a move away from Tetra Pak-style packaging, and a move towards clear bottles, allowing customers to see exactly what they’re buying.”
The panel – which also included Rahul Passan of Bombay Delhi, Lucy Hitchcock of Partner in Wine, and Mike Yazbek of Unleashed – shared more of their trend predictions for the second half of 2025 and beyond, including:
- Rise of hyper-personalisation: Products tailored to consumers’ preferences, like cereal brand Surreal.
- Functional foods: Foods aligned with specific wellness needs like sleep and alertness, such as functional mushroom drinks from DIRTEA, will continue to trend.
- Products that lead on one benefit are more likely to succeed: Brands shouldn’t try to offer everything – it’s better to focus on a specific area like protein or collagen.
- No/low-alcohol beers and spirits remain strong – but wine isn’t there yet: While craft brewers and big brands like Guinness have honed the taste, non-alcoholic wine producers have yet to capture the complexity of the alcoholic version.
Speaking after the event, Jarrod Adam, Head of Product for Unleashed, said, “The small to mid-sized food and beverage manufacturers we work with are highly ambitious and their innovations are shaping trends in the industry.
"But that’s not easy when customer preferences change quickly and margins are thin.
"Those leading the way are following the example set by craft brewers – creating and testing new product variations monthly and even weekly with help from software that lets them test and scale new recipes efficiently, at minimal cost.”
