The frozen food market - Italy

Freezing is a food preservation technique that involves the rapid cooling of food, brought to a low temperature. The technique has consequently given name to frozen foods, a term by which we refer to the set of foods that are preserved by this method. Frozen foods are thus a sub-segment of the broader food market. The frozen food market can be broken down by product, the most common of which include: fruits, vegetables, ready meals ("ready-to-eat"), meat and fish. In Italy, the food market has experienced a negative trend in recent years, driven more by cutbacks in food spending and transformations in Italians' culinary habits. The different perception of eating out is expected to continue to impact the market as a whole. Frozen foods for their part have experienced a stable evolution, influenced in particular by the growing hectic lifestyle and preferences for convenience and speed in cooking. The Italian market is, however, highly concentrated and sees the dominance of a few brands and an intense dominance of a single distribution channel. In addition, two other forces are believed to consequently impact the market on both the supply and demand sides. On the one hand, stringent regulations regarding frozen products and on the other hand, the growing interest in the environment by consumers.