BFFF says frozen sector helps foodservice survive uncertain times

The latest Frozen Food Report from British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) shows how using frozen food helps outlets cope with fluctuating covers, staff shortages and supply disruptions.

Richard Harrow, chief executive of the BFFF, said: “Many foodservice operators found that offering their usual menu was almost impossible on reopening after Covid restrictions. Whether due to having fewer kitchen staff or unpredictable diner numbers, many menus were replanned, and frozen food offered a solution to several problems.

“The convenience and longer shelf life of frozen allows operators to adapt to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic while reducing food waste and helping them hit their sustainability targets.”

The report highlights the ‘back-to-basics’ approach that has been favoured by many operators. Paring down menus means that kitchen skills don’t have to stretch as far. Choosing a frozen version of tricky, labour-intensive dishes like beef wellington, southern fried chicken and soufflés allows outlets to provide consistent quality with minimal prep time.

Harrow added: “Restrictions for dining out may have been lifted last summer, but the foodservice sector wasn’t able to recover to reach anywhere near pre-pandemic numbers. Britain now has at least 10,000 fewer licensed premises than it did before the pandemic hit. Our predictions show that the total foodservice market is to reach around £95b in 2022, which is still 5% below 2019 levels.”

As consumers have developed new habits and preferences, The Frozen Food Report 2022 also predicts that foodservice outlets will still be expected to provide enhanced delivery and takeaway options.

The Frozen Food Report 2022 brings together research from Kantar Worldpanel and IGD to give a full picture of the market for frozen food. It has been produced by the BFFF Young Leaders Forum, with input from BFFF members, and features opinions and market predictions from industry leaders, including foodservice consultant Peter Backman, founder of FutureFoodservice.com Simon Stenning, and Hugo Mahoney, former chief executive of Brakes Group.

The Frozen Food Report is available here