Progressive Grocer - March 2010 - (Page 93)

Frozen/Refrigerated Cold and Colder: Trends in Frozen and Dairy While frozen food and dairy sales suffered recessionary blows, trends for 2010 hint that these categories aren’t down for the count. By D. Gail Fleenor eing a popular dairy or frozen category was no guarantee for continued soaring growth in 2009. Even booming categories like yogurt and pizza weren’t immune to recessionary effects, which stunted sales growth. Some consumers chose to eat at home, which benefited a few categories; others eliminated foods they felt weren’t necessary to their diets or shifted to private label options. Reports say the recession is finally 6.8 percent, and frozen fish jumped 6.5 percent. Frozen categories that dipped over the same period Look Back First include frozen bagels, down 19.6 percent; To see where the frozen and dairy cate- frozen dinners, down 9.5 percent; and total gories may head this year, it helps to look frozen juices/drinks, down 7.8 percent. back first. In frozen, while unit sales overall In the dairy department, overall sales by for the year ending Nov. 28, unit were up slightly Grocery List 2009, vs. the same period in over this period (1.6 2008 were flat (The Nielsen Among the upcoming or percent). According to Company, total U.S. food continuing trends in frozen foods Nielsen data, shredstores with $2 million and and dairy are convenience; ded/grated cheese unit over in sales, excluding superproducts targeting kids and sales were up 6.6 percenters), several categories teens; frozen pizza; sodium cent, while total showed healthy increases. reduction; healthy, natural and yogurt unit sales Frozen desserts rose 8.3 perorganic frozen items; simple, gained 3.1 percent. cent, breaded vegetables natural ice cream ingredients; Although household were up 6.9 percent, Italian private label; and yogurt. staples milk and eggs frozen entrées increased by were both down waning. What will 2010 hold for the frozen and dairy departments? www.progressivegrocer.com A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T slightly or flat in unit sales, flavored milk unit sales rose 8.2 percent. The characteristics of the typical frozen and dairy shopper may bode well for future sales. This shopper, according to Nielsen Homescan Consumer Facts Data for Mid-Year 2009, is a female head of household between the ages of 35 and 54. She has an income of $40,000 or over, and a large household of three or more. This shopper has two characteristics that are important to sales growth in frozen and dairy: her household indexes high for kids 18 or under, in particular between the ages of 6 and 17, and she most often works outside the home. Convenience and healthy foods for her family are at the top of her list, and her children and teens often help steer purchases. Looking Forward To forecast the future in frozen foods and dairy, Progressive Grocer consulted industry experts, consultants and trade associations, and discovered these top trends: Convenience continues to be the No. 1 Progressive Grocer • March 2010 • http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - March 2010

Progressive Grocer - March 2010
Table of Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/ Spotlight: Dairy/Yogurt
Green Grocer Awards 2010: Seeing Green
Multicultural Marketing: Use Your Common Census
Harold Lloyd on … “Making a Difference”: The Employee’s First 30 Days: It’s Now or Never
The Lempert Report: Enter the ‘Koodies’
Independent Retailing: Keep Cash Flowing With Trade Terms
Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Meat Operations Review: Value on a Platter
Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Seafood Operations Review: Seafood Hits its Stride
Executive Insight Series: Lasting Impressions: Forward Thinking
Produce: Tracking the Transition to Traceability
Meat: Heinen’s Freshens up Service Benchmarks
Natural/Organic: Nature’s Best on Ice: Natural and Organic Frozen Foods
Frozen/Dairy: Cold and Colder: Trends in Frozen and Dairy
Baby Food: Green to Grow On
Green Promotions: Along for the Ride
Foodservice: Loaded for Bar
Case Study: Clean Carts
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - March 2010