Sustainability Chapter Champion

Cameron Moffat
Sustainability Manager, Young’s Seafood

“Whilst Covid-19 still dominated headlines in 2021, its ubiquity seemed only to be challenged by the prevalence of stories relating to sustainability and climate change in the media. From the World Meteorological Organisation’s flagship ‘State of the Global Climate’ report warning that the global average temperature had already risen by approximately 1.2 degrees, to the widespread protests by Insulate Britain making front page news, 2021 felt like a real step change in the climate conversation. Nowhere was this more evident than at the COP26 summit at the end of last year, where 100,000 people took to the streets of Glasgow to demand more action from the world leaders negotiating the approach to limit anthropogenic change. The people have spoken and now is the time to act.

The British frozen food industry has always had particularly strong messaging relating to production of safe, nutritious goods with minimal food waste. Nevertheless, the manufacturing, storing and transporting of frozen goods is an energy intensive process that needs immediate attention if businesses are going to transition to Net Zero.

This topic remains a huge piece of the puzzle in assuring sustainable food systems both in the UK and its complex global supply chain. Whilst challenges in the availability of accurate and consistent data in this area still exist, businesses are increasingly aware of its necessity and are engaging with the tools needed to transparently report it.

As we look forward to 2030 and beyond, increasingly climate conscious consumers will be looking for the simplest way of reducing their environmental impact. A trend that is set to grow over the next few years is footprint labelling on pack, with detailed recyclability and emissions information influencing buying decisions.

This movement is supported by a recent EY report that noted “Gen Z and Millennials are much more likely to favour sustainable lifestyle choices, such as plant-based diets and use of public transport. They are more likely to share information about products that are good for the planet with their friends and peers”. Businesses in the frozen food space like Quorn have already made headway with this and have shown the possibilities of offering these eco-aware consumers of tomorrow more robust information on the products they are buying.

The term ‘Sustainability’ can mean many different things to many people. From the responsible procurement of raw materials, to the management of water and waste, or the effectiveness of a business’s human rights due diligence procedure. This is why this year’s formation of the BFFF Special Interest Group on Sustainability is a fantastic step forward for the Federation. By using collective knowledge, effectively allocating resources and sharing insight, we will have the ability to better address the holistic challenges our industry faces.

With this being said, I am very proud to be this year’s Frozen Food Report Sustainability chapter champion and I welcome you to read on into the chapter’s insights.”

The Frozen Food Report 2022

Showcase Chapter Champion
Andrew Staniland
Trading Director, Iceland Foods

This September Iceland launched 250 new frozen products in one day, in response to consumer mindsets adapting to embrace the benefits of shopping frozen.
Since the pandemic, frozen food has seen a resurgence in popularity, especially amongst young adults and families who have adapted by shopping bigger and less often and filling their freezers. This boosted Iceland’s sales by 30% and it’s been growing ever since.

Over a quarter (26%) of 18-24-year olds are now buying more frozen equivalents of their regular fresh items and almost a third (31%) are trying new frozen foods such as meat substitutes. Generation Z has been paving the way during lockdown and is making frozen fashionable again with 40% of 18-24-year olds stocking up on more healthy frozen options like vegetables, fruit, meat and fish.

But it is not just families and the younger generation turning their attention to frozen; a third (33%) of all UK shoppers are using their freezer more efficiently and a further one in five (21%) are including more frozen foods in their cooking.

When it comes to why shoppers are re-igniting their love for frozen, the cost saving potential of frozen over fresh has been a huge driving force. One in five (21%) have noticed how frozen items can be better value for money than fresh, and 17% agree they can get far more for their money by shopping frozen.

Our frozen sales have boomed over the past year or so and this has resulted in Iceland introducing its biggest-ever frozen new product development drive outside of Christmas. The frozen industry still must keep pushing on innovation if we want to be taken seriously by the consumer and one way that can be achieved is with association.
Now that shoppers are becoming savvier about the savings they can make by shopping frozen, it’s the industry’s job to keep demonstrating innovation in frozen. This will keep these new customers interested and entice even more to convert from fresh to frozen.

Having a dedicated team and a state-of-the-art development kitchen allows us to keep improving and keep innovating for Iceland own brand and for others. Here we can offer the major players a service that enters them into the frozen market. Customers love big brands and when we get brands into the Iceland development kitchen it reaps rewards for us, for the brands and most importantly for customers looking to switch to frozen.

Customers want to see new product regularly. Plotting out new and innovative products throughout the year gets customers excited and keeps them returning. Offering big brands at great prices is a sure way to do this, so when you add exclusivity on brands into the mix, it’s a great recipe for great sales.
Iceland currently has over 200 exclusive products with 20 brands and demand is like no other. The innovation with branded products starts with understanding your customer and what they like to eat, knowing the brands they already like and tapping into their eating habits such as where and when they like to eat out and how adventurous they like to be. Keeping up with the trends – the old, the new and exciting – all helps with the innovation process.

Favourite exclusive products that Iceland develops, such as with TGI Friday’s, allow customers to feel like they are taking the restaurant experience home with them at a fraction of a cost. The most recent brand we have introduced is Piccolino, a luxury Italian restaurant, which is different to our usual offering, but we have listened and understood that the demand for the ‘dine out, at home’ experience is on the up.

The new products that we’ve put in stores recently have been crucial in driving our strong growth. Being first to market with new, quality and exclusive frozen food products ultimately gives us the footfall we wouldn’t normally have.

The consumer habits embedded during lockdown, coupled with the level of innovation within frozen food, mean that we are entering a particularly exciting period within the category and I’m looking forward to seeing how Iceland, its suppliers and other retailers maximise this over the next twelve months.

Character is revealed by crisis. And in the past two years of pandemic, BFFF’s members have revealed their true characters, adapting to huge shifts in consumer behaviour and using innovative new approaches and products to emerge from this crisis stronger than ever. Here are some of the most compelling stories of innovation in the age of Covid.

The Frozen Food Report 2022

Foodservice supplier KFF, part of the Sysco Speciality Group, has made it even easier to place orders with the introduction of a handy App that brings the South-East based wholesaler’s extensive range – which now includes fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat, as well as fresh fish & seafood – right to the fingertips.

Existing online customers simply need to download the App onto their phone or tablet and sign into their account as usual, while new customers are invited to register to receive delivery details and a password that will have them shopping in minutes.

Via the App users can browse the easy-to-navigate, illustrated product catalogue to collate a shopping list, or they can take advantage of the repeat order button for a swift checkout. The App links to the website for automatic updates, and allows users to gain access to multiple accounts for group management. A basket prompt serves as a reminder of forgotten items, while a favourites list makes it easy to create and maintain lists.

“Around 60% of our customers currently order online, a figure that has grown significantly during the pandemic, and we have received regular requests to create an App, so we have developed one,” says KFF’s Marketing Manager, James Mills. “Running alongside our already popular online ordering service, it gives customers the added advantage of being able to order from a wealth of product sectors from the palm of their hand, wherever they are and whatever the time of day.”

For more information on the KFF App, or for details of products in the extensive KFF range, visit www.kff.co.uk or call 01622 612345