Category: Press Releases

Latest Findings from NFRA Show Improved Favorability Toward Frozen Food Category

Posted on | by Natalie Limm | Leave a Comment on Latest Findings from NFRA Show Improved Favorability Toward Frozen Food Category

March 20, 2019 | Harrisburg, Pa. /PRNewswire/ — Aptly timed for National Frozen Food Month’, new media analysis undertaken by the National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) showcases growth in positive frozen food content and innovation within the category. Over the past six years, NFRA and its members have invested in consumer outreach through its Real Food. Frozen PR campaign, driving consistent messaging and reinforcing many key frozen food benefits that were identified in the analysis. Growth amongst consumers and online communities identified several key themes through the analysis:

  • NFRA generated a major increase in year- over-year social volume and engagement through its owned and partner content
  • Key frozen food value messages resonated in positive earned media coverage, including convenience, lack of waste, comparable nutrition value, plus budget-friendliness
  • Favorable conversation around frozen foods grew in 2018 as a result of buzz about new product lines, pop-culture tie-ins, and hot grocery-store offerings

Read more on PRNewsire.com

Elevate Your Food Experience During March Frozen Food Month!

Posted on | by Natalie Limm | Leave a Comment on Elevate Your Food Experience During March Frozen Food Month!

March 7, 2019 | What’s Turning Up the Heat?

Today’s innovative frozen products offer something for everyone:

  • Brands and product lines are aligned with new health trends, changing dining habits, and dietary requirements – whether you are looking for vegan, gluten-free, non-dairy, ethnic, organic…the frozen food aisle has it all.
  • You don’t have to sacrifice delicious dishes and trendy flavors just because you’re in a hurry. The freezer aisle offers quality, ready-to-eat full meal, single serve and small plate options – high proteins, low carbs, indulgent flavors, healthy veggies, fruits and more.
  • If you’re a foodie, you can “up your game” and elevate the food experience with versatile high-end frozen products, savory ingredients and entertaining-quality appetizers and desserts, sure to impress family and guests.

Read more on PRNewswire.com

Executive Conference attendees

Weis Markets to Keynote NFRA Executive Conference

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on Weis Markets to Keynote NFRA Executive Conference

February 1, 2019 | HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) will hold its 27th annual Executive Conference April 8-10, 2019, at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel & Conference Center in Tempe, Ariz. The conference provides the latest information on consumer and industry trends and features a retail presentation by Kurt Schertle, chief operating officer for Weis Markets.

The conference opens at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8 with the optional Greater Penguin Open Golf Tournament or NFRA Fishing Tournament followed by the evening’s welcome reception. Tuesday, April 9 presents an impressive line-up of interactive speaker presentations, as well as a networking reception. On Wednesday, April 10, the conference concludes by 9:00 a.m. after breakfast and a final informational session.     

The retailer keynote by Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets, kicks off the Tuesday morning sessions followed by Jackie Lewis of Cleveland Research Company discussing the current U.S. retail landscape. Zach Kahn from Google will share how the CPG industry is excelling in digital marketing. Chris von der Linden of IRI will look at frozen and refrigerated purchase drivers by generation. Lynn Dornblaser of Mintelwill discuss global food and drink trends. Dr. John Stanton of St. Joseph’s University will look at generational differences in the workplace, and Ken Harris of Cadent Consulting Group will examine the next wave of commerce including block chain, click and collect and last mile logistics.

The conference closes early on Wednesday when Ken Harris returns to help attendees identify key takeaways and areas of action for their own companies.

To preserve the informal atmosphere that encourages group discussion and more personal interaction, the conference is limited to 150 attendees. You can register on the conference website at www.NFRAExecutiveConference.org. 

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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 National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, as well as educational outreach programs.  NFRA holds the annual National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention in October. 

Mr. Food Test Kitchen's Stuffed Phyllo Crisps on plate

Last-Minute Food Hacks and Tips for Holiday Entertaining

Posted on | by Natalie Limm | Leave a Comment on Last-Minute Food Hacks and Tips for Holiday Entertaining

December 18, 2018 | Harrisburg, Pa. / PRNewswire — Yes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year…but sometimes the challenges of food shopping and holiday cooking can turn festive times into stressful times.

Chill! The frozen and dairy aisles of your local grocery stores are full of shortcuts and holiday helpers to make preparations easier, less stressful, and more enjoyable for holiday events, family gatherings and even unexpected guests.

Whether it’s for a holiday party, New Year’s Eve get-together or just because, these creamy-dreamy savory Mediterranean Stuffed Phyllo Crisps are always a hit. Visit EasyHomeMeals.com for terrific Holiday recipes!

The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) recommends you shop early, keep your fridge and freezer stocked full, and check out the many easy to make holiday appetizers, entrees and desserts like these Mediterranean Stuffed Phyllo Crisps at EasyHomeMeals.com.

Continue reading on PRNewswire.com

Mr. Food Test Kitchen Food Waste Video screenshot

How to Reduce Food Waste Over the Holidays

Posted on | by Sarah Thompson | Leave a Comment on How to Reduce Food Waste Over the Holidays

November 16, 2018 | Harrisburg, Pa. /PRNewswire/ — Forty percent of all food produced in America is discarded and 20 percent of all food bought is never eaten.

The effects of food waste are staggering – on the economy, it equates to about $218 billion of food lost each year; on the environment, food waste is the number one component found in America’s landfills; and on American families, each of us tosses approximately 300 pounds of food a year, adding up to as much as $2,200 worth of uneaten food that a family of four throws away.

And between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, three times as much food is wasted as at other times of the year! It is estimated that about 204 million pounds of turkey meat will get thrown away over this Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.

The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) suggests that frozen foods can be part of the solution to turning around the consumer food-waste trend and offers some specific tips for the upcoming holidays.

Read more on PRNewswire.com

Speed Meetings

2018 NFRA Convention Breaks Participation Record and Hosts Nearly 2,200 Retailer Business Appointments

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on 2018 NFRA Convention Breaks Participation Record and Hosts Nearly 2,200 Retailer Business Appointments

November 14, 2019 | Harrisburg, Pa. – The 2018 National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention set a participation record with over 1,260 total attendees who held an estimated 2,200 business appointments with leading retailers. The event held on October 20-23, 2018, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego, San Diego, Calif. and hosted by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA), was designed to bring together leading companies from every segment of the industry in one venue to efficiently and effectively conduct the maximum amount of business in the least amount of time.

Eighty-six retailers booked meeting rooms to hold customer business appointments. According to a survey of convention attendees, more than half the retailer participants held more than 20 appointments lasting at least 30 minutes each throughout the event. In addition, some retailers participated in 6-minute speed meetings to accommodate new members and smaller manufacturers who may have difficulty getting regular appointments. Sixteen retailers set aside time for speed meetings with 74 manufacturers creating an additional 443 meeting slots which was double the number of speed meetings in 2017.

From beginning to end, the convention was structured to help attendees make valuable connections. The opening Taste of Excellence Reception on Sunday, October 20, included 53 manufacturers, including 10 new NFRA member companies, showcasing over 170 of the latest frozen and refrigerated food products.

Headlining the convention were two popular speakers offering their unique insights. At the Monday, October 21 breakfast, Brian Solis, Principal Analyst and Futurist at Altimeter, discussed disruptive technology and its impact on business. During the Tuesday, October 22 breakfast session, Todd Buchholz, former White House Economic Policy Director, shared his thoughts on economics, finance and business strategy.

The convention also served as a platform for recognizing NFRA leaders and award recipients. The Annual Membership Luncheon on October 21 included the induction of NFRA’s new officers and directors. Dave Jones, VP Industry Initiatives, Kellogg Company, was elected as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Jones also led a panel discussion with students from St. Joseph’s University food marketing program sharing their thoughts and shopping habits related to the frozen and refrigerated categories.

A Networking Reception on October 21 recognized the 2018 Golden Penguin winners for the March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotions. Award winners with the highest scoring entries were revealed as Top Marketers during the reception. Five companies were named Top Marketers for March Frozen Food Month including: Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of Northern California, The Pictsweet Company, Albertsons Southwest Division, IMPACT Group and W. Lee Flowers and Company. Four companies were named Top Marketers for June Dairy Month including: Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of Northern California, Land O’Lakes, Safeway Eastern Division and C&S Wholesale Grocers. Three companies were named Top Marketers for the Ice Cream & Novelties promotion including: Graeter’s Ice Cream, Chris’ Food Center and IMPACT Group.

The convention closed with a luncheon that included the presentation of Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer magazine’s Retail Patriot Awards honoring those companies that have gone above and beyond in support of our active and retired military and their families. Kroger and SpartanNash were both recognized as Retail Patriots.

The 2019 NFRA Convention is set for October 12-15 at the Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando, Fla. Registration for the event opens March 1, 2019. For more information, visit NFRAConvention.org.

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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, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties and the Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program.

2018-2019 NFRA Officers

NFRA Elected New Officers and Directors at 74th Annual Membership Meeting

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on NFRA Elected New Officers and Directors at 74th Annual Membership Meeting

November 2, 2018 | HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) elected its Association Officers and Members of the Board of Directors for 2018-2019 at its Annual Membership Meeting and Luncheon held October 22, 2018 in San Diego. The membership meeting was held during the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention at the Marriott Marquis San Diego.

Dave Jones headshotDave Jones, VP Industry Initiatives, Kellogg Company, has been elected as Chairman of the Board. Jones has served on the Board of Directors since 2008. He served as Vice Chairman – Frozen from 2013-2016, as Secretary from 2016-2017 and Chairman-Elect from 2017-2018. Jones is also a member of the Honorable Order of Golden Penguins and Distinguished Order of Zerocrats.

Other officers sworn in at the Association’s 74th Annual Meeting were: Joe D’Alberto, Acosta Sales & Marketing, Chairman-Elect; Neil Ritchey, Ajinomoto Foods North America, Secretary; Ray Tarnowski, Philadelphia Warehousing & Cold Storage, Treasurer; Steve Mayle, General Mills, Vice Chairman – Frozen and Bob Knodle, H.P. Hood, Vice Chairman – Refrigerated.

Newly elected to the Board of Directors were: Rob Cohen, Bozzuto’s; Kristina Cole, Danone North America; George Denman, Graeter’s Ice Cream; Michelle Dorin, Weis Markets; Risa Jenkins, C&S Wholesale Grocers; Tim McNamara, Southeastern Grocers; Jeff Nelson, IMPACT Group and Theresa Whitney, Albertson’s – Intermountain.

Elected for a second term on the Board of Directors were: Joey Bates, Harris Teeter; Bob Bollbach, RDD Associates; Randall King, Lowes Foods; Jim Motos, Rich’s Consumer Brands and Marty Steinmetz, U.S. Cold Storage.

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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 National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion and the Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program. NFRA provides consumer information such as food safety guidelines, meal preparation tips, recipes and sweepstakes opportunities at http://www.EasyHomeMeals.com. Further information available at https://nfraweb.org.

Golden Penguin Awards on table

NFRA Announces June Dairy Month and Ice Cream & Novelties Golden Penguin Winners

Posted on | by nfra | Leave a Comment on NFRA Announces June Dairy Month and Ice Cream & Novelties Golden Penguin Winners

September 14, 2018 | Harrisburg, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has announced the winners of the Golden Penguin Awards for its 2018 June Dairy Month and Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties promotions. These promotions helped the industry drive traffic in the aisles and increase sales for many categories and brands. For June Dairy Month, NFRA has awarded 15 Gold Awards and 18 Silver Awards. See the complete list of June Dairy winners. For Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties, NFRA has awarded 13 Gold Awards and 14 Silver Awards. See the complete list of Ice Cream & Novelties winners. In addition, 4 companies will be revealed as Top Marketers for June Dairy Month and 3 companies will be revealed as Top Marketers for Ice Cream & Novelties during the NFRA Convention in San Diego.

The Gold award winners will be recognized throughout a Networking Reception on Monday, October 22, 2018 at NFRA’s Convention, and the Top Marketer awards will be presented. Silver awards are typically presented at the local level at appropriate frozen and refrigerated food association meetings.

In an effort to create a renewed level of prestige and recognition for this flagship awards program, NFRA made significant changes to the Golden Penguin Awards program in 2016. New categories that better reflect today’s marketing practices, a streamlined online entry system, a numeric scoring platform and a redesigned award provided a fresh opportunity for companies to be nationally recognized for excellence in merchandising and marketing frozen and refrigerated foods.

Eleven categories included: In-Store Display, In-Store Event, Community Involvement, Social Media Campaign, Traditional Marketing, Private Brand Campaign and Overall Marketing Campaign with sub-categories for – Retailer, Wholesaler, Manufacturer, Sales Agent and Local Association. Plus, the Top Marketer Awards honor the best of the best. The highest scoring entry in each of the Overall Marketing Campaign sub-categories will be named the Top Marketer.

Retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, sales agents and local associations of any size (retail and military) could enter any category applicable to their business. Entries were judged on their own merit taking into consideration organization size and/or program budget.

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Golden Penguin Awards on table

NFRA Announces March Frozen Food Month Golden Penguin Winners

Posted on | by Natalie Limm | Leave a Comment on NFRA Announces March Frozen Food Month Golden Penguin Winners

August 3, 2018 | Harrisburg, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has announced the winners of the Golden Penguin Awards for its 2018 March Frozen Food Month promotion. The March promotion helped the industry drive traffic in the frozen food aisles and increase sales for many categories and brands. NFRA has awarded 39 Gold Awards and 23 Silver Awards. In addition, five companies will be revealed as Top Marketers during the NFRA Convention in San Diego. See the complete list of winners.

The Gold award winners will be recognized throughout a Networking Reception on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 at NFRA’s Convention, and the Top Marketer awards will be presented. Silver awards are typically presented at the local level at appropriate frozen food association meetings.

In an effort to create a renewed level of prestige and recognition for this flagship awards program, NFRA made significant changes to the Golden Penguin Awards program in 2016. New categories that better reflect today’s marketing practices, a streamlined online entry system, a numeric scoring platform and a redesigned award provided a fresh opportunity for companies to be nationally recognized for excellence in merchandising and marketing frozen and refrigerated foods.

Participants could choose from eleven categories including: In-Store Display, In-Store Event, Community Involvement, Social Media Campaign, Traditional Marketing, Private Brand Campaign and Overall Marketing Campaign with sub-categories for – Retailer, Wholesaler, Manufacturer, Sales Agent and Local Association. Plus, the Top Marketer Awards honor the best of the best. The highest scoring entry in each of the Overall Marketing Campaign sub-categories will be named the Top Marketer.

Retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, sales agents and local associations of any size (retail and military) could enter any category applicable to their business. Entries were judged on their own merit taking into consideration organization size and/or program budget. Companies can participate in the Golden Penguin competition for NFRA’s other promotions for June Dairy Month and Ice Cream & Novelties.

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Gary Spinazze & Roger Robbe Hall of Fame Winner Photos

Two Industry Leaders to be Inducted into 2018 Frozen Food Hall of Fame

Posted on | by Natalie Limm | Leave a Comment on Two Industry Leaders to be Inducted into 2018 Frozen Food Hall of Fame

May 2, 2018 | Harrisburg, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) and the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) are pleased to announce that the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats has selected two food industry leaders as the 2018 Frozen Food Hall of Fame inductees.

The 2018 inductees are Roger Robbe, retired vice president of wholesale food procurement, SUPERVALU, Inc. and Gary Spinazze, retired vice president of vendor relations, Nash Finch Company.

Roger RobbeRoger Robbe enjoyed a 30-year career in retail food management and wholesale food operations, merchandising, marketing, and corporate procurement. He began in the retail food industry in 1966 as a store manager for Kroger Company. In 1972, he started a 24-year career with SUPERVALU moving up the ranks as vice president, wholesale food procurement with direct responsibility for frozen and refrigerated foods. After retirement, Roger worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service in creating a Cold Chain Seminar in 20 Central and South American and 5 Asian countries. He also worked with organizations to create and execute USAID programs in retail operations in Africa and Ukraine. Roger was inducted into the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats in 1992 and elected chairman of NFRA in 1994 after serving many years on various Association councils and the board of directors.

Gary Spinazze is a food industry veteran, with over 40 years of experience. Early in his career, he spent 17 years in retail with Chatham Super Markets. Gary moved on to Nash Finch as vice president of national accounts and later vice president of grocery procurement where his responsibilities covered perishable departments as well as store brands. Gary then worked at Bozzuto’s as director of corporate programs and trade relations. After his return to Nash Finch, he retired as vice president of vendor relations. Gary is co-founder and served as executive vice president and treasurer of Friends in Service of Heroes Foundation. He also served as chairman of the NFC Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Nash Finch. Gary served as NFRA chairman in 2009 and 2010 and has participated on many industry associations and committees throughout this career. He is currently a board member of the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats.

The inductees will be honored at the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats meeting during the NFRA Convention on Saturday, October 20, 2018, at the Marriott Marquis in San Diego.

The Frozen Food Hall of Fame was established in 1990 by the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats, an organization of industry members whose purpose is to maintain the tradition of promoting the image and advancement of the frozen food industry. These members nominate and vote on the newest inductees, whose dedication and hard work have greatly benefited the industry. A special industry-wide ceremony honors the imagination and innovation that have ensured the continued growth and success of the frozen food industry.

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