Author: Kate Landis

National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association Releases Report Detailing Americans’ Changing Approach Toward Food

HARRISBURG, Pa. (December 4, 2023) – Since its peak in 2020 and 2021, cooking at home has decreased slightly, but 64% of Americans are continuing to do so to save money and control their budget. After gaining confidence in the kitchen during lockdown, Americans are looking for inspiration to DIY healthier-for-them meals at home – preferably with ingredients from deals in the frozen and refrigerated food aisles. They are also relying more on online grocery shopping and social media for inspiration on how to use those ingredients.

The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA), a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry, released these findings as part of its latest “Eating at Home” industry report. The report is the culmination of a large-scale research study conducted to better understand Americans’ changing grocery-shopping habits.

To view the multimedia assets and survey information, please visit our landing page.

To gather data, researchers surveyed more than 12,000 U.S. consumers; and to gain in-depth, everyday insights, twenty consumers from across the U.S. welcomed researchers into their homes and to their local grocery stores. Additionally, a large-scale analysis of news and social media content helped researchers identify and understand consumer perspectives surrounding frozen and refrigerated foods over the past 18 months up to mid-August of 2023.

“This is the largest research undertaking from the NFRA on behalf of the frozen and refrigerated food industry, with the results yielding directional insights for food manufacturers on consumer trends,” said NFRA President and CEO Jeff Rumachik.

While the entire report is available to read – including directional insights for those in the industry – some trends from the report are available now for the public.

Health-ier Choices

Americans are prioritizing “healthier-for-me” options, especially as they gain control over what ingredients go into their meals.

• Taste or flavor (66%), quality of the groceries (65%) and healthiness (49%) determine what consumers are putting in their carts.
• Nearly 3 in 5 consumers (59%) say they began cooking at home using precut frozen fruits and vegetables to save on prep time; using frozen main dishes that are easier to prepare, while making their own side dishes; or using frozen fruit in recipes for smoothies or other treats sometime within the past three years.

Convenient and Cost-Effective Options

Convenience doesn’t mean people are just putting frozen dinners in the oven. They’re making some dishes from scratch while using frozen foods and dairy aisle finds to make their home-cooked meals complete. As shoppers continue to explore new tastes and recipes, they’re also taking notice of increased variety within the frozen and dairy aisles – as well as hunting for deals to help their budget.

• 93% of consumers indicate they buy milk or are always looking out for offers on milk when shopping in the dairy aisle. In that same group, more than two-thirds (68%) are always on the lookout for milk alternatives/flavored milk or indicate they purchase milk alternatives/flavored milk occasionally or frequently when shopping in the dairy aisle.
• 45% of consumers rely on air fryers and 43% use slow cookers to cook and prepare food. As of September 2023, there were 9.7 billion views of videos tagged with #airfryer (Media analysis, Atomik Research 2023).

Technology’s Growing Role in the Food We Eat

Technology and social media are having a major influence in shifting how and what Americans eat. Consumers are adopting online grocery shopping and looking to social media for cooking inspiration to make eating at home more convenient or to fill in the gaps when they don’t have the skillset for making a recipe.

• More than half (54%) of consumers are learning about food and cooking through TikTok and YouTube.
• A third of consumers (33%) prefer to shop for groceries online because automated recommended purchases / ‘programmatic reminders’ help ensure that they never forget the ingredients they need for recipes.

For more information about the research and its methodology, to read the full report, or to contact NFRA, visit nfraweb.com/research.

A New Survey Reveals Piqued Interest in Frozen Treats Leading Up to National Ice Cream Month

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 29, 2023 – Every year, many Americans beat the summer heat with frozen treats and this year is no exception. July is National Ice Cream Month and according to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) most U.S. adults (77%) believe ice cream can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. Among those asked in a recent survey, many Gen Z and millennial consumers say they feel less guilty when they have a fruit-based ice cream as compared to eating a chocolate frozen snack.

To view full survey data, please visit our Research landing page.

What’s the scoop?

Among the group of respondents with children, there appears to be a significant level of interest and consumption when it comes to ice cream. On average, parents consume ice cream or frozen novelties more frequently than childfree adults.

More than two in five (43%) Gen Z parents admit to hiding ice cream from their kids, while only 21% of Gen X parents follow suit. Parents indulge in ice cream approximately nine times per month and spend more time exploring the ice cream aisle compared to childfree adults. When it comes to celebrations, three in four parents (75%) believe that a side of ice cream is essential to complete a birthday cake.

Get to the pint, already!

Consumers have a wide variety to pick from when it comes to healthier dessert options in the ice cream category. Today’s shoppers can now find a mixture of high-protein, low carb, plant-based and added fiber frozen dessert options, making sweet treats available for consumers of all tastes and tolerances.

U.S. adults frequently shop in the ice cream and novelties aisle for a variety of reasons. Millennials are most often looking to try “better-for-you” dessert options. On the other hand, almost half of respondents say that they always look at ice cream and frozen novelty food labels in order to decide what works best for them.

We all scream for ice cream!

National Ice Cream Month is the perfect time for consumers to eat all the ice cream they desire and try out a new product or brand in the frozen novelty aisle. NFRA’s month-long Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties promotion celebration includes a chance to win ice cream & novelties for a year. Participants may enter at EasyHomeMeals.com from May 26 – August 4 for a chance to win free ice cream coupons for one year.

For more information on Ice Cream Month and the NFRA, please visit the NFRA website.

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Harrisburg, Pa., June 13, 2023 – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) established the Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame in 2010 to honor individuals for the contributions they have made and the leadership they have provided to the Refrigerated Food Industry. Joe D’Alberto, Director of Sales for Acosta Sales & Marketing and Skip Shaw, retired President & CEO of NFRA, will be the recipients of this year’s prestigious award.

Joe D’Alberto began his sales career at Duval-Bibb in Orlando, delivering magazines and paperbacks to Walt Disney World and surrounding areas. He later joined Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company and then moved to Coca-Cola, where he held various positions, including Director of Trade Development for the Carolina Division.

In 1993, D’Alberto joined Allegiance Sales & Marketing, focusing on brand development and marketing for frozen and refrigerated products. He actively participated in industry associations, including serving as President of the Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of North Carolina and Committee Chairman of the SE Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Conference. D’Alberto is a member of the Honorable Order of Golden Penguins and the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats.

D’Alberto has been actively involved with the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) since 1993, serving as Chairman for two years. He continues to contribute as an active Board member. D’Alberto currently works for Acosta Sales & Marketing as the Director of Sales. After retiring in December 2023, he plans to travel and stay involved with his passion for industry associations.

H.V. “Skip” Shaw joined NFRA in June 1984 as Director of Membership Services.  He was named Vice President in 1986, Executive Vice President in 1987, and assumed additional duties as COO in 2001. Following the retirement of Nevin Montgomery, he became President and CEO in 2010, and retired in 2020. Shaw was instrumental in bringing the refrigerated category into the National Frozen Food Association and in forming NFRA. Shaw is a member of the Honorable Order of Golden Penguins and the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention during the Membership Luncheon on Monday, October 9, 2023, at the Marriott Marquis & Marina, San Diego, Calif.

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About National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA)
NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., NFRA is the sponsor of March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, and the June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion. NFRA holds the annual National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention in October.