28 SEPTEMBER 2019

GUIDE TO...

FROZEN
FOOD
THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

MCCAIN

MORE THAN A
BIT ON THE SIDE
DETAILS This month, Brew City landed in
McCain the UK; a fresh new brand catered
Havers House Haver
Hill Scarborough North towards the growing social eating trend
Yorkshire YO11 3BS and which aims to bring new life to the
01723 584141 beer snack category.
www.mccain.co.uk
From Halloumi Fries to the Tomato
KEY CONTACTS and Mozzarella Arancini Bites, the range
Mark Hodge launches with nine products; each of
Marketing Director
which have been specifically developed
KEY BRANDS to pair perfectly with craft beer. For
Brew City Cheesy example, Red IPA is the ideal accompani-
Brew Bites
Brew City IPA Last ment to Brew City’s Gouda & Mozzarella
Order Fries Bites, while Blonde Beer complements EXCITING TIMES
Brew City Onion Straws
Brew City
Halloumi Fries
the Frickles and Onion Straws.
The launch of Brew City responds ❝ Ideal for
sharing, each
Mark Hodge, marketing director at
McCain, said: “This is an exciting time
Brew City Mac to both the growing craft beer trend for McCain as we launch something com-
‘N’ Jack Kegs which saw Brits spend an extra £30m product pletely different into the frozen market; a
Brew City Pickle
Bar Fries on craft beer last year – and ‘social eat- provides a hot, brand-new UK category of proper satisfy-
Brew City Arancini ing’; a movement which has become satisfying side ing frozen food snacks, perfectly paired
Shots increasingly popular amongst millenni- to craft beers.
Brew City Potato for friends and
❞
als looking to connect with each other “The new range combines bold on-
Pint Pots
Brew City Fiery informally over food and drink.
family trend flavours and allows us to tap into
Jalapeno Bottle Caps Ideal for sharing, each product pro- the social eating trend with a range of
vides a hot, satisfying accompaniment satisfying snacks that aim to shake up
for friends and family to enjoy either the beer snacks category.
inside or out of the home, whether dur- “Perfect for sharing, Brew City pro-
ing a sports match, games night or a vides retailers with a great way to grow
relaxed night in. their customer base and extend the con-
An exciting new arrival for the cat- sumption occasions available instore and
egory, Brew City will help to expand to drive repeat purchases as a result.”
social eating through all year-round Brew City launched in the USA 20 years
consumption, driving new shoppers to ago exclusively to Bars and Restaurants
the category and new missions in frozen. off the back of the explosion of craft beer
The full line-up of products includes: in the US around the Michigan region,
Cheesy Brew Bites, IPA Last Order Fries, which was given the nickname Brew City.
Onion Straws, Halloumi Fries, Mac ‘N’ The UK range has been designed espe-
Jack Kegs, Pickle Bar Fries, Arancini cially for the UK market to be enjoyed in
Shots, Potato Pint Pots and Fiery Jalap- the home and at appropriate pubs and
eno Bottle Caps. restaurants. ■

2 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

McCain: Taps into the growing social

trends with its Brew City range......................... 2

Analysis: We take a look at what’s hot

in frozen ........................................................................................... 4

Strong Roots: Revolutionising the sector

with it’s plant-based products .........................11

Aunt Bessie’s: Introduces a new look for

its iconic brand..................................................................... 14

Aviko: Celebrates the success of its

indulgent, premium potato products ... 16

Birds Eye: The captain leads the way

with its frozen veggies ............................................... 18

Dr. Oetker: Adds yet more innovative

ranges to its pizza selection .............................. 20

Itsu [grocery]: Flourishes from the

growing demand for Asian cuisine ...........22

Marine Stewardship Council: Explains

how it is helping to save our seas.............. 24

Place UK: Brings new types of food to

the frozen cabinets ........................................................ 26

Whitby Seafoods: Makes sure the

frozen aisles are full of inspiration ........... 28

Youngs: Presents the UK’s best fish and

chip shop..................................................................................... 30
This supplement to The Grocer was published by: William Reed Business Media
Ltd, Broadfield Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 9RT. Tel: 01293 613400.
Editor: Johanna Thomson. Designer: Amber Stoddart Printers: St Ives. ©
William Reed Business Media Ltd.

AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER www.thegrocer.co.uk l 28 September 2019 l 3

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD
ANALYSIS
HOT FOR
FROZEN
Frozen has gone glam. Gone are the days of a
frosty bag of peas in the back of the freezer
as the sector takes on and delivers new trends
Johanna Thomson reports
It’s good news, average
prices of frozen food rose
0.6% over the past year
which, coupled with rising
volumes, pushed up value
sales 3.4% [Kantar 52 w/e 27 January 2019].
That puts the total value of the frozen
market at £6.3bn.
So what’s driving this growth, and is
it expected it to continue? A lot of this
success is thanks to the overall view of
frozen food having improved over the
last few years, with more shoppers see-
ing high-quality products that fit around
their lifestyle.
Value is also being added to the cat-
egory thanks to an increase in shopper
frequency [Kantar 52 w/e 27 January 2019]
which Itsu attributes to the increasingly
exciting offering now available to shop-
pers.
People are also increasingly looking
for alternatives to meat so frozen veg
and fish offer attractive options. Added
to this freezing at source often has more
nutritional value than chilled or “fresh”.
Frozen coated fish value is up 4.7%
and volume 2.3% [Kantar Worldpanel,
Total Frozen Coated seafood, 52 w/e
11th August 2019]. The category is being
driven by inflation across all areas and
4 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk
through premiumisation.
Trends driven by brands like Whitby
Seafood. Laura Whittle Whitby sales and
marketing director, explains: “We expect
the category to continue to see growth
from consumers looking for new and
exciting products and expanding their
eating occasions, as well as a continued
shift from red/processed meat consump-
tion to fish.”
Following last Summer’s spectacular
ice cream growth [IGD, Shopper Vista,
May 2018], this signals even more suc-
cess for the category. And it’s not just
icecream, the whole of frozen offers a
practical and healthy option that means
less waste.
Alison Robb, head of category man-
agement (frozen) at Young’s says: “It’s when we need it, this convenience, and
more economical – people are worried its ease of preparation, fits with the busy
about the impact of Brexit, being able to lifestyles most of us now lead.”
enjoy tasty, high-quality food at more Steve Challouma, marketing director
economical prices drives shoppers into at Birds Eye adds: “A few years ago, con-
frozen food. sumer perceptions of frozen food were
“There is less food waste – the squeeze at an all-time low, with 39% of people
on budgets means we can’t afford to believing that it wasn’t as good as fresh
waste food and we’re more conscious food. A whopping 56% of young people –
about its environmental impact. Frozen’s aged 16 to 24 in 2016 – believed that it was
longer shelf life and easy portionability inferior to fresh food. However, the senti-
means less waste. ment has improved, and from research
“It’s easy to cook – frozen food is there carried out in 2018, we learned that con-
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

sumers’ perception of frozen food now
outperform those of fresh food in terms
of healthiness [Rainmakers CSI: U&A
Stage 1 data 2018. 1791 participants].
“We’ve worked hard over the last three
years to reposition frozen food from
a staple back-up or ‘last resort’ food
choice into a modern, high quality food
category, with Birds Eye, Goodfella’s and
Aunt Bessie’s leading the way in inspir-
ing everyday mealtimes. Collectively the
three brands feature in 1.9 billion meals
per year.
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER
“The result has been a visible shift
in frozen food sales over the last three
years for Nomad Foods with +2.4% value
sales MAT YOY [Nielsen Scantrack: total
coverage, total Nomad categories & total
frozen category, Value sales MAT L52w/e
10.08.19], ahead of the total frozen cat-
egory at +1.8% YOY.”
Responding to consumer trends
is also a crucial key factor in driving
this growth, especially as brands have
increasingly sought to develop products
mirroring out-of-home trends.
❝ The desire to try
new products and
explore new cuisines
means demand is high
for innovation ❞
The desire to try new products and
explore new cuisines coupled with con-
sumers’ increasingly busy lifestyles
means demand remains high for inno-
vative convenient options.
The convenience of frozen food fills
this need perfectly, offering a wide range
of options that can be quickly and simply
prepared while also avoiding the inher-
ent waste risk of fresh food.
Itsu [grocery] marketing director,
Natalie Sugarman, adds: “Itsu has played
an important part in driving incremental
sales in the frozen category by launch-
ing restaurant quality innovation and
attracting a new shopper to the frozen
aisle; 74% of Itsu frozen noodles’kits sales
[source: Loyalty card data, pre-launch Mar
12 2018 to Sep 9 2018, post-launch Sep 10
2018 to Mar 10 2019] and 76% of Itsu gyoza
sales [Loyalty card data, pre-launch Sep
4 2017 to Mar 4 2018, post-launch Mar 5
2018 – Sep 2 2018] were incremental to the
frozen ready meal category in the first six
months of launch in retailer.”
“Itsu is a fantastic success story in the
frozen category. The brand’s frozen range
is currently experiencing phenomenal
yoy growth of +126% and our exciting
innovation pipeline is set to continue
this trend.”
A lison Robb, head of categor y
management (frozen) at Young’s says:
“Frozen vegetables are the answer to food
wastage, which accounts for 8% of global
gas emissions.
“But frozen isn’t a compromise
for shoppers – it also delivers on
convenience, portion control, and
offers double the nutrient retention
versus fresh.” 6 ❯❯❯
www.thegrocer.co.uk l 28 September 2019 l 5
THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

ANALYSIS

❯❯❯ 5 PREMIUMISATION outright indulgence. This means pre-

Premiumisation is currently a key trend
and is successfully boosting sales for
many brands. With the frozen food sector
being elevated out the concept of it being
a last resort.
Premiumisation is largely being
driven by time-poor millennials who are
propping up the category globally, accord-
ing to Strong Roots CEO and founder,
Samuel Dennigan. He says: “They’re seek-
ing great quality products and they’re
willing to spend more for products that
offer experience, unique flavours and
sustainability. 66% of people are prepared
to pay more for products from companies
that are committed to positive social and
environmental impact.”
Birds Eye point out that it is impor-
tant to offer a varied portfolio that
caters to shoppers of different tastes
and demands. Steve Challouma, market-
ing director at Birds Eye says says: “This
is a consistent approach we take across
all Nomad Foods brands. For example,
earlier this year, we relaunched our pre-
mium frozen fish range to align it with
our popular Captain Birds Eye character
following extensive consumer research.
“The repositioning of our premium
range was shortly followed by the launch
of a new range of premium seafood cro-
quettes and mini fish cakes. This has
miumization will continue. Here Gastro
performs well, with its clearly defined
consumer benefit bringing a restaurant
quality fish experience into the home.”
Whitby Seafoods has just launched
Whitebait and Fishcakes to create
premium NPD which has a twist on the
everyday to attract consumers to the fix-
ture and create buzz.
Laura Whittle Whitby sales and mar-
keting director, explains: “Premiumisa-
tion is an important and key area for us.
Our occasion-based tiering allows us to
create more opportunities for the shop-
per to buy and consume coated seafood,
whilst ensuring we are putting the con-
sumers’ needs at the forefront of every-
thing which we do.
“Having just launched Whitby Sea-
foods Whitebait and Fishcakes, we know
we need to keep driving new shoppers
into the category to drive growth by
creating exciting premium NPD, which
has a twist on the everyday, to attract
consumers to the fixture and create buzz
but also make great quality tasty core sta-
ples for all the family.”
Premiumisation has also been a key
focus for McCain in NPD as it looks to
give consumers the quality and taste
they enjoy when eating out, in the com-
fort of their own home.

allowed us to enter a whole new occasion
for Birds Eye Frozen Fish – the ‘sharing’
occasion, helping us reach new audiences
and help drive incremental category
growth.
“The premium range utilises our
contemporary-looking Captain who we
introduced last year, allowing us to give
the premium frozen fish range a clear
place in the market alongside our core
products, and has been well received by
shoppers.”
Brexit is always going to be ment-
tioned in any category at the moment
but this is one of the few sectors that may
actually benefit from it.
As Alison Robb, head of category man-
agement (Frozen) at Young’s points out:
“As shoppers brace for Brexit they are cut-
ting back on out-of-home food spend and
are looking to mimic that experience at
home as everyday extra and occasional
Naomi Tinkler, category controller at
McCain says: “Clearly this is resonating
well with our customers, with Gastro
Chips growing significantly in both value
(+21.5% YOY) and volume (+14.7% YOY)
over the past year. Now worth £14.5m
to the frozen potato category every year,
this product is a great example to show
how added value propositions are driving
category growth in practice.”
For Itsu, as long as brands focus on
delivering quality, the premiumisation of
the frozen category will continue at pace.
Itsu [grocery] marketing director, Natalie
Sugarman, comments: “At Itsu, quality
ingredients and authentic flavours are
at the heart of all products; when the
gyoza range was in development, each
recipe was benchmarked against dishes
from top restaurants across the globe to
ensure that the end product was the best
it could be. As a direct result of this care
❝
Shoppers are
seeking great quality
products and willing
to spend more for
❞
unique flavours
and attention, Itsu is forecasting to sell
53 million gyoza in 2019.”
McCain points out that there is also
a growing demand for lighter variants.
It’s with this in trend in mind that it
launched Lighter Home Chips earlier this
year. Naomi Tinkler, category controller
at McCain explains: “It’s a brand-new
product, perfect for consumers looking
for a lighter alternative of the nation’s
favourite Home Chip, without any com-

6 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

promise on taste.
“To drive growth even further, it’s
important that the category also diver-
sifies, to create new missions and bring
new consumers into the frozen aisles.
“For example, we were delighted to
launch Brew City just last month, a new
brand which capitalises on the growing
social eating trend and offers consum-
ers the ideal snacks to enjoy with their
friends and family. From IPA Fries to the
Tomato and Mozzarella Arancini Bites,
each product within the range pairs
perfectly with craft beer and provides
the ideal accompaniment for friends to
enjoy together over a drink, an informal
catch-up or whilst watching their favour-
ite show on the TV.”
McCain continues to remain the UK’s
largest manufacturer of frozen potato
products since it launched over 50 years
ago and it’s encouraging to see that
the category continues to show posi-
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER
tive growth. McCain currently enjoys a
value share of 52% and a volume share of
41% of the frozen category, which is cur-
rently worth over £660m [IRI 12 w/e 17th
August 2019].
VEGGIES
With a growing number of vegetarians,
vegans and flexitarians, the frozen cat-
egory is perfectly placed to tap into these
trends. So how is it doing this?
Laura Whittle, Whitby sales and mar-
keting director, explains: “The frozen
category is key to helping support and
grow the vegetarian and flexitarian trend
further, allowing more consumers more
choice away from meat. Creating easy
storage solutions, convenient and simple
cooking options and greater high quality
tasty ranges that all the family can enjoy
across numerous occasions can help sup-
port this trend.”
Naomi Tinkler, category controller at
McCain adds: “Frozen is perfectly placed
to support the growing trend of vegan-
ism, vegetarians and flexitarianism.
Easy to cook, little preparation time and
always on hand means a number of our
products can provide the ideal accompa-
niment to a vegetarian or vegan meal,
such as our Jackets range and Lighter
Home Chips.”
Recognising that sweet potato has
become the potato of choice for many
consumers thanks to its natural sweet-
ness and unique flavour, with 69% of
consumers eating it at home [Aviko
Independent Consumer Research, 2017],
Aviko launched a Sweet Potato Gastro
Gratin as part of its Gastro Potato Grat-
ins range.
Shah Khan, senior marketing man-
ager, Aviko UK & Ireland, says: “The
ideal trade-up solution responding to
consumer demand for choice, quality
and added value when it comes 8 ❯❯❯
www.thegrocer.co.uk l 28 September 2019 l 7
THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD
ANALYSIS
❯❯❯ 7 to their frozen food, the Sweet
Potato Gastro Gratin is made with slices
of sweet potato and mature cheddar from
award winning cheese producer Godmin-
ster, with a hint of garlic and herbs for
added taste and flavour.
“We recognise that the rising demand
for innovation requires sweet potato to
take more than just the popular ‘fries’
format. Listening to consumers and stay-
ing ahead of trends, we have designed
the Sweet Potato Gastro Gratins – a noto-
riously challenging dish to recreate at
home – to give consumers an exciting and
delicious meal to easily bake in the oven.”
Birds Eye are keeping a keen eye on
these trends and believes the move
towards more flexible diets is expected
to develop further, with research indi-
cating 42% of vegans are between 15 and
34-years-old.
“Additionally, the calendar event
‘Veganuary’ has gained more and more
traction every year, adds Steve Chal-
louma, marketing director at Birds Eye,
“encouraging new, particularly younger,
consumers to consider meat-free options.
“This presents a good opportunity for
retailers to enhance their frozen plant-
based offerings alongside expanding
their range of vegetables and potato prod-
ucts. Frozen items have a much greater
shelf life and generate much less wastage
than fresh alternatives, so there’s a clear
need for meat-free options in the frozen
aisles as consumers are increasingly see-
ing the benefits of buying frozen food
that caters to their dietary requirements.
It is important for retailers to cater to as
many shoppers as possible by having a
wide range of choices across their fresh,
ambient and frozen fixtures to avoid
restricting shoppers or pushing them
towards alternative stores.”
Nomad Foods has consciously
addressed the meat-free macro-trend by
launching the Birds Eye ‘Green Cuisine’
range, made with pea protein, with very
encouraging feedback so far from con-
sumers. Goodfella’s also launched its
second Vegan pizza at the beginning of
year to excellent reviews and also offers
gluten-free pizzas in its portfolio.
For Young’s health is a key reason for
a flexitarian or meat-free lifestyle. As
8 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk
many of the sales of meat-free products
are driven by meat eaters trying alterna-
tives, now is a perfect time for fish to pro-
mote its health credentials. Alison Robb,
head of category management (Frozen)
at Young’s says: “Young’s have done this
effectively by promoting Chip Shop is
less than 250 calories per fillet, offering
consumers clear permission to eat."
Strong Roots CEO and founder, Samuel
Dennigan says: “More space in fixture for
plant-based and merchandising products
in a way that answers the need of those
shoppers, inclusive of cross-shop multi-
buys. Value should be offered to the con-
sumer through complementary product
offerings.”
With continued growth in IQF pasta,
rice and pulses, in November 2013 Pha-
seolus Ltd became part of the Place UK
Ltd family. Phaseolus is the leading pro-
cessors of IQF Beans and Grains to the
UK food manufacturing and catering
industry supplying ingredients typically
used in soups, sauces, ready meals, dips,
salads and formed products.
In addition to the established port-
folio of IQF Beans, recent introductions
include a selection of IQF Grains such
as Quinoa, Sorghum, Pearl Barley and
Bulgur Wheat to reflect the increased
demand. The pulses are soaked, cooked
and IQF ready to use, without fuss and
wastage, and are additive free.
Place UK’s commercial manager Deb-
bie Smith says: “Our clients are large
and small manufacturers, food service
❝
suppliers and, indirectly, retailers. The
sectors covered are desserts and bakery, The frozen category
frozen fruit and smoothie mixes, ready
meals and soups. In terms of updated is key to helping support
developments, we recently launched a
new vegan smoothie mix which utilizes and grow the
pellet inclusions we are able to manufac-
ture on site. vegetarian and
❞
“We’re always open to discussing ideas
with customers and are constantly work- flexitarian trends
ing on new ways of offering a wider range
of products and services to buyers”. tainable lifestyle.
Itsu [grocery] marketing director, “These consumers are no less inter-
Natalie Sugarman, comments: “Follow- ested in exploring world cuisines than
ing a flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan their meat-eating counterparts, meaning
diet has firmly joined the mainstream brands should look to include vegetarian
in recent years, tapping into consumer and vegan products in their ranges and
interest in living a healthier, more sus- whenever considering NPD.
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

“Within its frozen range Itsu offers
a number of products that, as well as
being restaurant quality, are also veg-
etarian and vegan. Further vegetarian
and vegan products will be added to the
frozen range throughout 2020.”
Dr. Oetker is also taking health seri-
ously with its new Momenti range. Jan
McKee, executive head of marketing –
Pizza says: “Building on the success and
loyal following of its long standing Dr.
Oetker Ristorante brand, Dr Oetker has
identified a gap in the frozen pizza mar-
ket for an indulgent portion controlled,
single-serve pizza. Momenti, with its
prominent front of pack calorie call-out,
will appeal to those looking for a con-
trolled portion without compromising
on indulgence or taste or for single eat-
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER
ing occasions within busy households.”
Modern new product development
that meets new trends, such as Birds
Eye’s Green Cuisine range of plant-based
products and expansion of the popular
range of vegan pizzas in the Goodfella’s
line-up, has successfully driven aware-
ness of our brands, and the frozen cat-
egory, by driving the emerging trend for
flexitarian eating to a more mainstream
consumer.
Steve Challouma, marketing director
at Birds Eye says: “This is also demon-
strated in Birds Eye’s Veggie Bowl range
of vegetarian microwavable meals, as
well as our takeaway-style range of
Chicken Shop products, which again
are great examples of the versatility and
quality available in the frozen fixture.”
MERCHANDISING
Unfortunately, there is still the problem
of clogged up cabinets and steamed-up
windows on the frozen aisles, making it
difficult to shop. So how can brand own-
ers and retailers work harder together to
make the category more appealing and
easier to shop?
Young’s believes it’s all a question of
getting the basics right to make shop-
ping easy and inspirational. Alison Robb,
head of category management (frozen) at
Young’s explains: “Retailers need clear
navigational signage, well stocked and
tidy fixtures with SEL and promo POS
in the right place. Brand owners need to
supply attractive, easy to identify pack-
aging designs which are distinguishable
behind glass and inspire shoppers to take
a closer look.”
Laura Whittle, Whitby sales and mar-
keting director, agrees saying: “Making
the category more appealing is a chal-
lenge across all categories in frozen but
the use of clearer aisle signs with strong
focused messaging, brighter more dis-
tinctive packaging and full shelves at
fixture can help the customer navigate
the frozen aisle more effectively. The
introduction of unique branded pack-
aging, range development programme
aimed at aligning products with usage
occasions and launching well researched
NPD into the frozen fish category has led
to a frozen penetration uplift for Whitby
Seafoods of 0.9% [Source: Kantar World
Panel, Whitby Seafoods, 52we 11 Aug 19].”
Packaging is also extremely important
– bold product names, clear flavour dif-
ferentiation and great on-pack imagery
deliver a better experience for customers.
Itsu [grocery] marketing director, Natalie
Sugarman, adds: “It is also essential to
select high-quality packaging materials
that stand up to the challenge of the fro-
zen environment.
“Merchandising within freezers is
also a significant challenge for brands
and retailers to consider. Itsu has recently
changed its gyoza packaging to a stand-
ing pouch, dramatically improving its
shelf presence and shoppability. Finally,
brand blocking in the frozen aisle is vital
to increase visibility.”
It’s imperative that brands 10 ❯❯❯
www.thegrocer.co.uk l 28 September 2019 l 9
THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

ANALYSIS

❯❯❯ 9 help make the shopper’s ‘frozen

food’ trip as easy and rewarding as pos-
sible, giving them reasons to browse the
freezer aisle for longer and fill their trol-
lies higher says Birds Eye.
Steve Challouma, marketing director
at Birds Eye says: “Brands and retailers
should work together to create a ‘wel-
coming’ environment by stocking com-
plementary products next to each other
to create recognisable meal solutions,
while also demonstrating the breadth
of ranges available. Shoppers need to be
able to clearly see the options available to
them and understand the quality of the
products on offer.
“Regarding vegetables in particular,
our current ‘Eat in Full Colour’ cam-
paign encourages consumers to add more
essential nutrients and vibrant colour to
their plates with a delicious mix of fro-
zen vegetables. The vibrant colours are
brought to life in the campaign – sup-
ported by impactful in-store displays and
signage – will help create the impression
of a less sterile environment in store, the quality of the products”.

grabbing the attention of shoppers and
drawing them to the frozen aisle.
“Alongside POS, packaging also plays
a fundamental role in making the aisle
more engaging and underlining the qual-
ity of products.
With Aunt Bessie’s, we are currently
rolling out a new packaging design to
❝
In order to drive in-store loyalty and
It is important for profit it’s important for retailers to stock
a wide range of products that can be
retailers to stock a clearly displayed for a number of meal
occasions. McCain recommend follow-
wide range of products ing tips for retailers:
● Remind customers throughout their
that can be clearly journey instore that great solutions exist

increase appeal to the modern-day shop-
per. The updates see the evolution of the
brand character alongside a complete
packaging redesign that emphasises the
quality of the products, allowing us to
modernise the impact on shelf whilst
reinforcing the convenience of the range.
“We have recently commissioned a
piece of research across nearly 11,000
shoppers, from which we are identifying
further opportunities with retailers on
how to encourage higher footfall to the
frozen aisle.
“The research highlights that, despite
the recent positive changes, there is still
a very strong role for busting myths
around the frozen fixture. For example,
there is the perception that the frozen
aisle is cold, presenting a major barrier to
purchase; however, in reality, only 14% of
shoppers who frequent the aisle feel this
❞
displayed
is the case.”
Nomad Foods work closely with our
retail partners on in-store merchandis-
ing solutions, including recommenda-
tions on planogram layout, flow and
positioning to enable a better shopping
experience. Nomad Foods continues to
test and learn meal solution ideas with
its online retail partners to understand
how it can make the shopping experience
more convenient and inspiring. “We work
with digital teams to best understand
the optimal touchpoints across an online
shop, “ explains Steve Challouma, mar-
keting director at Birds Eye, “and how we
can best communicate the benefits of
frozen, whether that’s through inspiring
recipes or lifestyle imagery highlighting
in frozen foods. POS around the store giv-
ing inspiration is a great way to do this.
● In the height of the season, use
impulse freezers to showcase frozen best
sellers, such as Roast Potatoes for Winter
and Crispy French Fries for Back to School
● Ensure your frozen potato range offers
consumers variety and choice and mini-
mise duplication
● Use point of sale to bring meal occa-
sions to life, such as appealing recipe
ideas and enticing imagery.
And the environment is taken seri-
ously with forty-one percent of the fro-
zen fish sold in UK retail now bearing the
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label,
showing shoppers that it was caught in
a sustainable and well-managed fishery.
Frozen seafood represents a quarter of
the sector, worth £910m per year.
So frozen really does tick every box. ■

10 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD
STRONG ROOTS
THE ROOTS OF
REAL HEALTH
DETAILS Strong Roots, the company revolu-
Strong Roots Food tionizing the frozen food industry
Company UK Limited
The Canopy, 75b with its plant-based, natural health-
Great Eastern Street foods, is the fastest growing food and
Shoreditch beverage brand in the UK, where its prod-
London EC2A 3HN
020 3457 0955 ucts are stocked by all major UK retailers.
Hello@strongroots. Consumers have embraced the mod-
com ern brand, and their exceptional growth
www.strongroots.com
@strongrootsuk comes at a time when consumers are
looking for healthy options. Strong Roots
KEY CONTACTS
offer a range of tasty plant-based food for
Samuel Dennigan
busy lives. Strong Roots have sold 8 mil-
Founder & CEO
KEY BRANDS
lion packs to date and they’re just get-
ting started with NPD plans underway
Strong Roots
to launch into new sub-categories in the
next 12 months.
Consumers are seeking ‘elevated con-
venience’ and Strong Roots is delivering
on that by matching the premium expec-
tations of the consumers they serve.
Consumers want convenience without
compromise, and they want to experi-
ence restaurant formats and flavours in
the home. Strong Roots is addressing
the full spectrum of modern consum-
ers’ needs particularly around health and
wellness, sustainability, premiumisa-
tion, convenience and the need for truly
tasty meat-free meal components.
Strong Roots strategy for the forth-
coming year involves launching into
two sub-categories in frozen with the
same tasty, plant-based and better for
you proposition which has assisted their
growth to date. Each new product launch
will be supported by a marketing cam-
paign to drive awareness and penetration
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER
targeting a more mainstream audience,
❝
The plant- not just the vegan and vegetarian seg-
based trend is ment of shoppers.
Strong Roots over index with afflu-
unrelenting ent millennial shoppers, the segment
and the largely responsible for the growth of the
volume of category which is driving category incre-
NPD this year mentality. Strong Roots can look, feel
and speak to these consumers in a way
has further that legacy brands cannot execute cred-
demonstrated ibly and Strong Roots plan to capitalise
that this is on this opportunity over the coming 12
❞
not a fad months.
According to CEO and Founder, Sam-
uel Dennigan; “The plant-based trend is
unrelenting and the volume of NPD this
year has further demonstrated that this
is not a fad, and the pilgrimage towards
a plant-based diet is not waning.
“Plant-based products within frozen
can assist with planet health by reducing
food waste, personal health by reducing
consumption of meat and the products
now taste great.
“We’ve been on a journey with our
retailers in relation to the plant-based
trend whereby Strong Roots initiated the
conversation in 2016 when we launched
in the UK”.
Strong Roots is targeting the seasonal
period with the launch of the Strong
Roots Winter range which includes some
of Britain’s most-loved winter vegetables.
The range includes ‘Chargrilled Sprouts’
and ‘Winter Green Vegetables’, both
served with a plant-based butter adding
incredible flavour and eliminating the
requirement for seasoning. ■
www.thegrocer.co.uk l 28 September 2019 l 11
THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD
AUNT BESSIES
MEDIUM EFFORT,
MAXIMUM REWARD
DETAILS With frozen food no longer demon-
Nomad Foods
Bedfont Lakes
Business Park,
ised in the way it once was, as
shoppers are increasingly understanding
1 New Square, the nutritional benefits and convenience
Middlesex, offered by the category, there is a great
Feltham
TW14 8HA opportunity for retailers to capitalise on
KEY CONTACTS
this and enhance their frozen food offer-
ings.
Sam Dolan
Frozen food is no longer seen as a
Head of Marketing
lesser category that provides unappeal-
KEY BRANDS
ing emergency options, with higher
Aunt Bessie’s
quality, more premium options from the
leading brands helping to drive category
growth and bring more shoppers to the
fixture.
Beyond improving product quality and
an increased shopper focus on reducing
food waste – both of which have been key
factors in supporting the growth of the
category – one of the overriding elements
that has brought shoppers back to frozen
food has been the undeniable conveni-
ence that it offers.
Shoppers have busy lifestyles that
are restricting the time they can spend
with their family – on average a family
spends only 34 minutes of undisrupted
time together – particularly during the
working week.
At the same time, they don’t want to
compromise on the quality or diversity
of the meals they can prepare, which is
particularly relevant when making a
roast dinner.
Frozen food offers an ideal solution for
this, with meal and product solutions
14 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk
that help to reduce prep times without
❝ Frozen food
is no longer
sacrificing the end result, with longer
shelf lives than fresh alternatives to give
greater flexibility.
seen as a lesser
category that A MODERN APPROACH
provides In keeping with the revitalisation of the
unappealing category, Aunt Bessie’s is introducing a
new-look brand to better appeal to the
emergency
❞
modern-day shopper. The updates see
options the evolution of the brand character
alongside a complete packaging rede-
sign that emphasises the quality of the
products, with new packs hitting shelves
through September and October.
Sam Dolan, Aunt Bessie’s head of
marketing comments: “We know our
shoppers inside out, based on our long-
standing position in category that has
been supported by significant consumer
research. That tells us the roast din-
ner occasion is about the family com-
ing together, with many life-changing
events being announced to loved ones
over a roast dinner.
“This gives the occasions a huge emo-
tional value, so it has to consist of good
quality food with no compromises. With
the average family spending around just
34 minutes together each day, consumers
don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen pre-
paring a meal taking away precious time
with their family. They want products
that are not only easy to prepare, but also
deliver the quality the family deserves,
every time.
“The roast dinner occasion is a very
personal and individual meal, we all have
our own twists and traditions handed
down from our parents and grandparents
we like to stick to deliver the ‘perfect’
roast. This complex meal has so many
different components requiring prepara-
tion and different cook times. Our range
is perfectly placed to give a helping hand
in the kitchen, delivering products that
don’t only save time, but deliver consist-
ently on quality and taste,” Dolan con-
cludes. ■
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER
THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

AVIKO

SWEETEN PROFITS
WITH AVIKO
DETAILS Since launching into retail in 2015 consumers thanks to its natural sweet-
Aviko with four frozen convenience prod- ness and unique flavour, with 69% of
26 Morefields
Tring ucts, Aviko has built a nine-strong range consumers eating it at home1, Aviko
Herts of frozen potato products that meet shop- launched a Sweet Potato Gastro Gratin
HP23 5EU per demands for premium dining at as part of its Gastro Potato Gratins range.
0800 633 5611
home. Whilst successfully building a The ideal trade-up solution responding
❝
info@avikoathome.
co.uk loyal following with independent retail- Aviko is to consumer demand for choice, quality
www.retail.aviko.co.uk ers, the brand is also showing healthy and added value when it comes to their
www.avikoathome. continually
growth YOY with retailers including frozen food, the Sweet Potato Gastro Gra-
co.uk
Waitrose and Ocado. developing its tin is made with slices of sweet potato
KEY CONTACTS
Responding to consumers’ desires for extensive retail and mature cheddar from award win-
Mohammed Essa
Commercial Director, ‘something special everyday’ has been range with ning cheese producer Godminster, with
UK & Ireland key to earning consumer loyalty with products that a hint of garlic and herbs for added taste
Neil David the Ocado shopper in particular – the and flavour.
Senior Business excite and
❞
Manager, UK & Ireland number of 4- and 5-star reviews left on Shah Khan, senior marketing manager,
Shah Khan the retailer’s website for Aviko’s entire delight Aviko UK & Ireland, says: “We recognise
Senior Marketing range is testament to this. that the rising demand for innovation
Manager, UK & Ireland
requires sweet potato to take more than
KEY BRANDS INDULGENT RANGE just the popular ‘fries’ format. Listen-
Thick Cut Super The rise of indulgently premium prod- ing to consumers and staying ahead
Crunch Oven Chips
Rib Cut Sweet ucts in the foodservice sector such as of trends, we have designed the Sweet
Potato Fries creamy, crispy gratins and loaded dishes Potato Gastro Gratins – a notoriously
Hash Brown Bites is influencing consumers looking to challenging dish to recreate at home – to
Herb Diced Potatoes
Golden Hash Browns recreate these dishes in the home, but give consumers an exciting and delicious
Spicy Potato Wedges who may not necessarily have the time meal to easily bake in the oven.”
Cream & Cheese or experience to do so. To help retailers Aviko’s range is entirely gluten-free
Potato Gratin
Gastro Gratin capitalise on this particular shopper and suitable for vegetarians. The com-
Godminster Cheddar demand, Aviko is continually developing pany continues to invest in digital mar-
with Rosemary its extensive retail range with products keting to drive awareness and engage
and Thyme
Gastro Gratin Sweet that excite and delight. with consumers, as well as shopper
Potato with Godminster Recognising that sweet potato has SOURCE marketing solutions to drive visibility
1. Aviko Independent
Mature Cheddar become the potato of choice for many Consumer Research, 2017. and sales in-store and online. ■

16 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD
BIRDS EYE
THE CAPTAIN
LEADS THE WAY
DETAILS Frozen Food has experienced a
Nomad Foods resurgence over recent years, due
Bedfont Lakes
Business Park to changing perceptions coupled with
1 New Square increased ranges of high quality frozen
Middlesex products. Frozen Food was previously
Feltham
TW14 8HA looked upon as a back-up or ‘last resort’
food choice, but shoppers are increas-
KEY CONTACTS
ingly seeing it as a modern, innovative
Steve Challouma
Marketing Director category, with Birds Eye leading the way
in inspiring new mealtimes.
KEY BRANDS
Birds Eye SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
As a company that has always had sus-
tainability at its core, Birds Eye continues
to lead the way in this area to ensure the
long-term health of the category. This is
particularly evident with its fish portfo-
lio, where Birds Eye is the biggest brand
in the UK when it comes to certified sus-
tainable and responsible sourcing.
Steve Challouma, marketing director
at Birds Eye, said: “Our work with the
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has
never been more important in future
proofing our oceans, and winning the
MSC Frozen Brand of the year award for
the sixth consecutive year demonstrates
our global commitments. We’ve realised
our aim of having 100% of our UK fish
portfolio MSC labelled or ASC labelled,
and we want consumers to feel reassured
that when they are buying Birds Eye, they
are making a sustainable choice.”
Sustainability is not just demon-
strated by the way by which Birds Eye
18 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk
sources its products, this extends across
its other brand activities too. For exam-
ple, Birds Eye recently ran a programme
with The National Schools Partnership
as part of the brand’s involvement with
❝ Birds Eye
leading the
the cross-industry ‘Veg Power’ campaign.
INVESTING IN GROWTH
way in With established ranges in a wide num-
inspiring new ber of product categories, while also
mealtimes ❞ extending into new ones, Birds Eye
invests to best reach each target audi-
ence and drive demand. For example,
and running alongside the eye-catching
‘Whoops, I’m a bit Veggie’ campaign for
its meat-free range, Birds Eye recently
launched its ‘Eat in Full Colour’ activity.
The campaign encourages consumers to
add more essential nutrients and colour
to their plates with a mix of frozen veg.
“Eat In Full Colour is our biggest fro-
zen veg campaign to date and forms part
of our ongoing mission to not only grow
the category, but double the consump-
tion of vegetables in the UK. Vegetable
consumption is still lagging behind the
5-A-Day recommendation, at just 1.6 –
hardly surprising given that only 1.2% of
all food and drink advertising is for veg-
etable products,” concluded Challouma.
Birds Eye’s sister brand, Goodfella’s
has also been responsible for a signifi-
cant amount of investment in above the
line activity for frozen food. Earlier this
year, it launched the biggest campaign
of any frozen pizza brand in the last six
years, taking the brand back to its origi-
nal Italian-American history with its
‘Made with Respect’ activity. ■
AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER
THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

DR. OETKER

LEADING THE WAY

IN FROZEN PIZZA
DETAILS With category driving brands Dr.
Dr. Oetker UK Ltd Oetker is experiencing 6.5% growth
4600 Park Approach
Thorpe Park in sales over the past quarter1.
Leeds Jan McKee, executive head of market-
LS15 8CB ing says: “Chicago Town continues to
0113 8231400
impress the nations’ pizza lovers follow-
KEY CONTACTS ing its fully integrated brand relaunch
Georg Parsbo and the introduction of its new tasty vari-
Managing Director
Jan Mckee eties across the portfolio earlier this year.
Executive Head “Sales figures for the 12 weeks since
of Marketing the campaign launch show that the brand
Jenny Stockton
is up by 11%1 year on year and that house-
Executive Head of
Category Development hold penetration has also increased, ris-
KEY BRANDS
ing by 21%2 on the previous year.
“This means an additional 930,000
Dr. Oetker Ristorante
Dr. Oetker Momenti households have bought a Chicago Town
Chicago Town pizza in this latest period when contrast-
Deep Dish
Chicago Town ing sales figures to those of the same
Takeaway time last year.”
Chicago Town The second phase of its integrated cam-
Tiger Crust
paign launching in Autumn will span
TV, Video-On-Demand, digital, social
and shopper in order to amplify Chicago
Town messaging across all channels. The
brand will delight UK pizza lovers with
three million coupons to drive awareness
of the entire Chicago Town range and
encourage shoppers to try other pizzas
as opposed to their usual buys.
CONTINUED INNOVATION
2019 has seen Chicago Town launch the
SOURCES Takeaway Cheesy Stuffed Crust pizza,
1. IRI 12 Week Ending 17 August.
2. Kantar 12 Week
already proving to be incremental to the
Ending 11 August. category, with 60% of sales coming from
shoppers adding it to their repertoire or
❝
Momenti, completely new shoppers deciding to
with its opt for this great gooey, tasty, share-for-
mat pizza. Cheesy Stuffed Crust Loaded
prominent Cheese was the first cheese filled crust
front of pack pizza Chicago Town has created and joins
calorie call-out, the hugely popular tomato filled and
will appeal to classic crusts pizza options.
The demand for the new crust style
those looking alongside positive consumer feedback
for a controlled has led to a second flavour being quickly
portion ❞ added to the Cheesy Stuffed Crust range
with The Cheesy Stuffed Crust Pepperoni
launching nationally from September.
Mum’s favourite Tiger Crust range is
also being expanded this year with the
addition of the Tiger Crust Cheesy Ham
& Bacon pizza.
This pizza features a crispy tiger bread
style crust topped with a generous layer
of delicious white sauce which is then
layered with mozzarella and mature
cheddar and finally topped with ham
and bacon to widen appeal and presence
for the brand at the important mid-week
family meal occasion.
McKee concludes: “Building on the
success and loyal following of its long
standing Dr. Oetker Ristorante brand, Dr
Oetker has identified a gap in the frozen
pizza market for an indulgent portion
controlled, single-serve pizza. Momenti,
with its prominent front of pack calorie
call-out, will appeal to those looking for
a controlled portion without compromis-
ing on indulgence or taste or for single
eating occasions within busy house-
holds. ■

20 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

ITSU

LEADING THE WAY

WITH INNOVATION
DETAILS
Itsu [grocery]
High Holborn House
52-54 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6RL
KEY CONTACTS
Natalie Sugarman
Marketing Director,
itsu [grocery]
Lorna Douthwaite
Category Manager,
itsu [grocery]
KEY BRANDS
Itsu [grocery]
SOURCES
1. Total UK market EPOS data
MAT 52 w/e 08/09/2019
vs. previous 52 weeks.
2. Lightspeed/Mintel 2000
internet users aged 16.
The frozen category is undergoing
a renaissance. Previously a lack of
premium quality or any discernible inno-
vation gave frozen food a poor reputa-
tion. However freezer cabinets are now
becoming a destination for shoppers
looking for exciting new cuisines to try.
But shopper demands remain high.
The success of Uber Eats and Deliveroo
takeaway services have made restaurant
food more accessible in the home than
ever before, driving up shopper expecta-
tions. Conscientious consumerism has
also made reducing food waste a key
consideration for many, which has seen
a distinct drive to frozen.
What is more, with the eyes of the
world turning east in the coming 12
months, in celebration of the Rugby
World Cup in Japan and Tokyo Olympics,
Asian cuisine is likely to see a boom in
popularity. Against this backdrop, Itsu is
flourishing in the frozen category by driv-
ing new shoppers down the frozen aisle
and posting a +126% YoY1 growth within
frozen. With a string of market firsts
under its belt – including noodles’kits,
a hugely popular gyoza range, and most
recently bao’buns – Itsu continuously
innovates with its frozen offering, bring-
ing restaurant-quality, authentic flavours
to consumers in convenient and versatile
formats.
IT’S BAO OR NEVER
❝ Itsu is
forecast to
In September this year, bao’buns joined
the Itsu frozen range. Ready from frozen
in just 60 seconds, and only 196 calories
sell over 53 per serving (two buns), they offer an
million gyoza ideal solution for time-poor food lovers
in 2019❞ looking for a more adventurous option
for their freezers.
Natalie Sugarman, marketing director,
Itsu [grocery], says: “We are excited to
bring yet more innovation to the frozen
category, fuelling the UK’s growing love
for authentic Asian food. We know how
popular our bao’buns are with consum-
ers, as they have already entered the top
selling dishes in our restaurants. We are
confident this will translate into strong
sales in supermarkets”.
Itsu’s five strong frozen gyoza range
has also been a particular success story,
with the brand forecast to sell over 53
million gyoza in 2019. Representing the
very best of Itsu, each recipe was pains-
takingly developed to deliver a healthier
and delicious alternative to traditional
ready meals.
To support this success story, Itsu
will be embarking on its biggest ever
marketing campaign this autumn – Go
Gyoza – aiming to bring gyoza into the
mainstream.
The campaign itself is another debut
for the brand, bringing both restaurants
and grocery together for the first time
under a single integrated PR, Social
Media, Digital and ATL campaign. The
campaign will also include the distribu-
tion of 1 million vouchers, out of home
advertising and trade marketing activa-
tion focused at the point of purchase.
In a sector where almost 50% of 25-44
year-olds admit they are looking for new
foods to try2, the success of Itsu’s inno-
vative, restaurant-quality range makes
it an absolute must stock for any retailer
looking to capitalise on the premiumi-
sation of the frozen food category, and
bring new younger shoppers down the
aisle. ■

22 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL

PROTECTING THE
SEA FOREVER
DETAILS Forty-one percent of the frozen fish
Marine Stewardship sold in UK retail now bears the
Council
www.msc.org Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label,
1 Snow Hill showing shoppers that it was caught in a
London sustainable and well-managed fishery.
EC1A 2DH
Frozen seafood represents a quarter of
KEY CONTACTS the sector, worth £910m per year.
George Clark The sector has rapidly converted to
Senior Commercial
Manager MSC labelled, with an average of eight
george.clark@msc.org percentage points growth per year over
the past few years.
The majority of the growth has been in
frozen prepared products, including bat-
tered and breaded fish, fish with sauces
and fish fingers.

BIRDS EYE HITS 100% demonstrates our global commitments.

Birds Eye recently achieved their target of
100% MSC certified on their fish portfolio,
a tremendous achievement. As a result, it
is hardly surprising that this year, Birds
Eye won the MSC’s Frozen Brand of the
Year 2019, for the 6th year in a row.
Announcing the award at a ceremony
in July, the MSC’s Loren Hiller praised
Birds Eye’s “...continued strong commit-
ment to labelling products with the MSC
logo. Birds Eye continue to provide excep-
tional provision of MSC labelled products
as the clear market leader in certified sus-
tainable frozen seafood products.”
Steve Challouma, marketing director
at Birds Eye, said, “Our work with the
MSC has never been more important
in future proofing our oceans and the
marine life that lives within them, and
winning the MSC Frozen Brand of the
year award for the sixth consecutive year
❝ Our work
with the MSC
“We’ve realised our aim of having
100% of our fish portfolio in the UK
MSC labelled or ASC labelled, and we
has never really want consumers - who are increas-
been more ingly concerned about sourcing trans-
important in parency – to feel inspired by our own
future proofing commitment.”
our oceans❞
ICELAND ADDS THE LABEL
In February this year, Iceland launched
a new range of MSC labelled products
across all of their UK stores. The ten new
cod, haddock, plaice and prawn lines
now make up a third of Iceland’s wild-
caught range.
Challouma concludes: “The move
strengthens Iceland’s commitment to
ocean protection, following initiatives
that reduce and remove plastic packag-
ing in store as well as removing palm oil
from all own brand products." ■

24 l 29 September 2018 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

PLACE UK

A REAL FROZEN
SUCCESS STORY
DETAILS Established in 1954, Place UK have In addition to the established port-
Place UK Ltd and
Phaseolus Ltd
Church Farm
a solid reputation as one of
Britain’s leading fruit growers, IQF sup- ❝ Place UK
have a solid
folio of IQF Beans, recent introductions
include a selection of IQF Grains such
Church Road pliers and food processing plants. as Quinoa, Sorghum, Pearl Barley and
Tunstead, Norwich Founded by John Place, supplier of reputation as Bulgur Wheat to reflect the increased
NR12 8RQ
01692 536225 fresh fruit to the canning and jam- one of demand. The pulses are soaked, cooked
info@placeuk.com making industries, the business was Britain’s and IQF ready to use, without fuss and
www.placeuk.com transformed two decades later, with the wastage, and are additive free.
www.phaseolus.co.uk leading fruit
installation of a freezer tunnel, giving
KEY CONTACTS the company a distinct advantage – high
growers, IQF COVERING ALL AREAS
Debbie Smith quality homegrown produce could be fro- suppliers and With their joint unique and diverse
Commercial Manager
01692 534228 zen and supplied throughout the year. food offers, Place and Phaseolus cover all areas
debbiesmith@ With 60 years of experience, Place UK processing of the retail, food service, processing and

❞
placeuk.com is currently run by Tim Place and is now
Derek Clipsham
recognised as one of the UK’s leading
plants
Business Development
Manager growers and processors of high quality,
01223 810125 soft fruits for major British supermarkets
Derek@phaseolus.
co.uk Alongside fresh fruit, Place UK sup-
ply Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) Brit-
KEY BRANDS
ish and imported fruit to a wide variety
Place UK
of manufacturers and wholesalers, as
well as developing frozen fruit purees
and fruit mixes for the ever-popular
smoothie drinks.
With continued growth in IQF pasta,
rice and pulses, in November 2013 Pha-
seolus Ltd became part of the Place UK
Ltd family.
Phaseolus are the leading processors
of IQF Beans and Grains to the UK food
manufacturing and catering industry
supplying ingredients typically used in
soups, sauces, ready meals, dips, salads
and formed products.
manufacturing industries, which benefit
from their one-stop-shop approach.
Together, Place UK and Phaseolus
remain well placed to capitalise on the
growing awareness of healthy eating and
the associated benefits of using beans
and grains in a diverse range of recipes.
Place UK’s commercial manager Deb-
bie Smith says: “Our clients are large
and small manufacturers, food service
suppliers and, indirectly, retailers. The
sectors covered are desserts and bakery,
frozen fruit and smoothie mixes, ready
meals and soups. In terms of updated
developments, we recently launched a
new vegan smoothie mix which utilizes
pellet inclusions we are able to manufac-
ture on site.
“We’re always open to discussing ideas
with customers and are constantly work-
ing on new ways of offering a wider range
of products and services to buyers”.
The company is constantly coming up
with new ideas, experimenting using dif-
ferent produce, and have launched 16 new
lines into retail in 2019.
Branching out into retail packing in
2013 for Place UK has paid dividends with
an annual turnover of £30 million.
With a new cold store recently built on
site, and plans to install new equipment
in their packing area this year, things are
moving briskly along. Recent investment
exceeds £1m. Smith says, “Since 2010, our
turnover has more than trebled, long
may it continue!” ■

26 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

WHITBY

MAKING A SPLASH
IN FROZEN
DETAILS Continuing on their quest for the
Whitby Seafoods best, Whitby Seafoods has bagged
Fairfield Way
Whitby the title of the ‘fastest-growing coated
North Yorkshire seafood brand’. In the latest 12 weeks, the
YO22 4PU Yorkshire seafood obsessives have seen
KEY CONTACTS a whopping 14.7% increase in spending
Jill Hall and 18.7% increase in volume1. What’s
Head of Retail Sales more, they have also seen a whopping
Sophie Pogson
Marketing Manager 59,000 new households being introduced
Claire Greenbank to the brand over the last year2.
Category Manager Established by Graham Whittle as a
KEY BRANDS frozen focused manufacturer in 1985, the
Whitby Seafoods proud, independent family business has
a buccaneering spirit and claims it will
never accept seafood mediocrity. Packed
full of hearty, straight- talking Yorkshire
goodness, Whitby Seafood’s main aim is
‘to wow customers with Bloomin’ Special
seafood’.
Laura Whittle, Graham’s daughter and
the Whitby sales and marketing director,
explains: “We don’t believe in bland and
boring seafood and that’s why we don’t
do anything in a bland and boring way!
At the heart of our brand is a warm and
passionate business that has always been
about finding new ways to enjoy seafood.
We are pioneering a frozen seafood revo-
lution to make exciting seafood more
accessible. Frozen is key category seafood
and it represents 75% of all our branded
sales.”
The coated seafood market under
indexes against younger and more afflu-
ent shoppers, a segment that the Whitby
brand has been able to attract into the
category. Whittle says: “We know that
younger people have less time and are
❝
We don’t not so confident in preparing seafood, yet
believe in they love it and want to enjoy more of it,
especially as more consumers are looking
bland and for an alternative to meat based meals.
boring Our mission is to use this insight to bring
seafood ❞ more and more top-notch innovation to
the market, giving younger shoppers a
proper reason to be excited when buying
frozen food. Our recent launch of White-
bait and three new and exciting Fishcake
lines is just the start targeting the needs
of this consumer group, we have lots of
exciting new products about to launch
which will only help to further attract
this new frozen shopper to the frozen
seafood category.’
Whittle continues: “We believe that
the move by consumers to a more
crafted, local way of buying is just as rel-
evant to frozen food as it is to other sec-
tors. The need to feel more connected to
the food we eat and knowing more about
it’s provenance is a great dynamic for us
as a brand.
“Whitby is a family owned and run
business, based in a real place, in Whitby
North Yorkshire, and we make sure all
our products tell this true story. This is
what makes us stand out on shelf. ■

SOURCES
1. Kantar World Panel
Online, UK Total Coated
Seafood, Whitby Seafood,
12 w/e 11th August 2019
2. Kantar World Panel
Online, UK Total Coated
Seafood, Whitby Seafood,
52 w/e 11th August 2019
3. Coated Seafood PSM,
208 frozen seafood
consumers, Feb 2017

28 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

THE GROCER GUIDE TO...
FROZEN FOOD

YOUNG’S

THE UK’S BEST

CHIP SHOP
DETAILS Britain loves Chip Shop. At over
Young’s Seafood £40m in sales, it’s stunning that
Limited
Ross House Young’s Chip Shop is up +30%1 and has
Wickham Road grown in value by +£2.3m. What’s power-
Grimsby ing the stellar performance that’s seen
North East Lincolnshire
DN31 3SW half a million new shoppers2 buy into the
01472 585858 brand?
www.youngsseafood. We explore how the Nation’s favour-
co.uk www.facebook.
com/youngsseafood ite is perfectly positioned for growing
www.instagram. consumer trends; with more focus on
com/youngsseafood/ health, more families eating together
www.twitter.com/
youngsseafood and increasing uncertainty in the future.
KEY CONTACTS A FOCUS ON HEALTH ilies see it as core family time, they’re
❝
Yvonne Adam
Marketing Director Health is a key reason for a flexitarian or Now is a doing so on more occasions and busy
Frank Green meat-free lifestyle. So, now is a perfect perfect time households want products that are easy
Sales Director time for fish, with many meat-free sales to prepare.
Jason Manley
driven by meat eaters trying alternatives. for fish, with Adam says: “We’re happy to spend a
Head of Frozen
Alison Robb In younger families there’s a desire for many meat- little extra time preparing a dish, but
Head Of Category
Management (Frozen)
products to have health benefits. free sales it must be easy to make. Chip Shop’s
Yvonne Adam, marketing director, driven by meat ever ready status in the freezer means
KEY BRANDS says “Omega 3 has a specific and well- shoppers know they have a simple-to-
Young’s eaters trying
❞
known health benefit that really appeals cook, family favourite whenever it’s
Young’s Gastro
Young’s Chip Shop to parents”. Meeting these needs trans- alternatives needed.”
Young’s Simply Breaded lates into sales.
Young’s Scampi Adam adds: “At less than 250 calories INCREASING UNCERTAINTY
Young’s Admirals Pie
Young’s Simply Steam per fillet, and a natural source of Omega And it’s fair to say that people are wor-
3, our Omega 3 range has been a hit with ried about the impact of Brexit on their
younger families, adding incremental income3 . They’re turning to frozen to
sales and bringing in new shoppers, not enjoy high-quality food at more eco-
just those switching around.” nomical prices.
Adam explains: “Uncertainty is chang-
SOURCES EATING TOGETHER
1. IRI 12 weeks to we 14.7.19. ing behaviours; people are eating more
2. KWP 12we 14.7.19.
3. TradingEcomoics.
An increase in eating together is another home cooked meals and they’re looking
com, GFK NPO (UK). key trend that’s frozen fish friendly. Fam- for comforting foods”.
This is where the ‘the authentic taste
of the chippy at home’ promise really hits
the spot. The 30-year-old range appeals to
different shoppers through its choice of
species and pack size.
Adam adds: “From the immedi-
ate success of our new Fillet of Fish
Quarter Pounder, our Extra-Large packs
that appeal to older, smaller house-
holds, and our Omega 3 range attracting
younger families, Chip Shop genuinely
offers something for everyone and
it’s growing across all our product
ranges.” ■

30 l 28 September 2019 l www.thegrocer.co.uk AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE GROCER

WILLIAM REED BUSINESS MEDIA LTD
Broadfield Park, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 9RT
Tel:01293 613400 Fax: 01293 610380
www.thegrocer.co.uk