It was back in 1927 when Clarence Frank Birdseye II, a biologist for the US government, earned the first frozen foods freezing process patent and set up Birdseye Seafoods. Since then, the global frozen food market has soared to become a US$219.87bn industry in 2018, with projections to grow at a CAGR of 5.14 per cent to reach US$282.50bn by 2023. It is within this buoyant context that Anuga Frozen Food returns to Cologne from 5–9 October – a dedicated event for the segment, featuring more than 600 national and international exhibitors.

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Frozen products are in high demand on retail and out-of-home markets – and Anuga Frozen Food will once again be offering a concentrated business platform for the industry’s suppliers and trade buyers. In Halls 4.1 and 4.2, of Koelnmesse, around 600 exhibitors will present the wide spectrum of products and services of the frozen food segment to the retail trade and to the still fast growing food service segment. In total, around 7,500 exhibitors from more than 100 countries are expected to participate at Anuga in Cologne. 

 

Leading exhibitors at Anuga Frozen Food include 11er Nahrungsmittel, Agrarfrost, Ardo, Aviko, Condeli, Crop’s, Erlenbacher, Greenyard Frozen, Gunnar Dafgard, McCain, Neuhauser, Pfalzgraf, Roncadin, Salomon Foodworld, Surgita, Sweet Street, Viciunai and Wolf Butterback. 

 

Furthermore, there will be joint participations from countries like Belgium, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Thailand and Turkey. 

 

Other important frozen food exhibitors will be exhibiting at the Anuga Meat and Anuga Bread & Bakery trade shows, which run concurrently in October. The offer ranges from fish and meat, through to fruit and vegetables, from ready-made meals, through to bulk packs for customers from the communal catering and food service sectors. 

 

Themes and trends 

 

In general, frozen food products are becoming an ever-more significant staple for consumers. The German Frozen Food Institute (dti), which has been the exclusive partner of Anuga Frozen Food and Anuga Culinary Concepts since 2013 and which will also be represented this year in Hall 4.2, confirms this dynamic. Dti’s stand is set to serve as the central point of contact for the frozen food industry in Germany, presenting current shopper insights into frozen food products. 

 

The strongest trends on the frozen food market are undoubtedly convenience and health. Healthy eating is being achieved through innovations from various segments of the market, including vegan, vegetarian and free-from products. The trend towards meat substitute products would not be conceivable without frozen food, meaning that new meat alternatives are very much at home in the frozen food department. 

Convenience remains very important for the consumers. Ready-made meals and bakery products satisfy the desire for time-saving options and reduced workloads. Frozen food products are especially indispensable in the out-of-home market and are recording high growth rates. Pre-portioned and ready-prepared components ensure the highest safety, flexible preparation and portioning and relieve the burden on the staff in the professional kitchens. 

 

Further current food trends include organic, Halal and international specialities. In the case of finger food and snacks, products with a high protein content are playing an increasingly more important role, particularly regarding ice cream. The frozen food industry is thus always a guarantee for product innovations. 

 

Growth market frozen products 

 

Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific are all regions in which the frozen food segment is growing due to its technological advantages in offering consumers contemporary food solutions. With the global frozen food market growing at an anticipated 5.1 per cent CAGR to reach almost US$282.5 billion by 2023 according to Markets and Markets, sales of frozen products will continue to expand at a fair clip worldwide. And according to Euromonitor International, the highest sales volumes ever worldwide will be achieved for frozen ready-made meals, frozen fruit and vegetables, and frozen meat products. 

 

Frozen food sector events @ Anuga 2019 

 

With the dti acting as partner of Anuga Frozen Food, its exhibition stand will form the central point of contact for the frozen food industry in Germany in Hall 4.2, B11/C10. International and German guests alike will therefore be offered a comprehensive offer of information and a communicative ‘frozen food lounge’. 

 

For the first time this year, the dti will also be represented at the DEHOGA Food Service Marketplace in Anuga Culinary Concepts. The dti will be presenting its digital offer of information for chefs, the TK-PEDIA knowledge database. 

 

Beyond that, for the first time in 2019 the Anuga VIP offer will also include a guided Frozen Food Trend Tour – jointly conducted by Nutrimarketing and dti, and highlighting an array of current international product trends. It is necessary to register in advance for this event, which takes place on Sunday 6th October 2019 at 4pm.  

 

Another special event will be TIEFKÜHL STAR NIGHT (7th October in Congress Centre East at Koelnmesse fair grounds, by personal invitation only), at which the most outstanding frozen food departments in the retail segment will be the recognised. Trend expert and director of the NX food hub, Fabio Ziemßen – Director Food Innovation at Metro AG in Düsseldorf – will hold an impulse lecture on the theme ‘Future Food – which new technologies of the food industry you should keep an eye on’ as part of the evening’s entertainment. 

 

Finally, professional chef Andreas Scholz, Kitchen Director at the Hotel Esperanto Fulda, will demonstrate the creative implementation of frozen foods in the out-of-home food sector on the ‘Culinary Stage’ in Hall 7, Stand B110/E109 on Tuesday 8th October (3:30–4:30pm). 

 

For further details, visit: https://www.anuga.com/fair/anuga-trade-shows/anuga-frozen-food/anuga-frozen-food.php