Frozen Food Trends Heat Up: Conagra and Circana Point to Consumer Focus on Gut Health and Global Flavors
Consumer preferences are shifting in the frozen food category.
While trends vary by generation and lifestyle, a few environmental and societal factors are driving consumer purchase and consumption behaviors. Primarily, higher overall market prices and tighter budgets are driving consumers to eat at home more often — but they don’t want to sacrifice food quality or nutrition.
The new insights are part of a collaboration between Conagra’s demand science team and Circana — along with social media and search trends from Tastewise and Similarweb — which highlighted five areas of focus in the $91.3 billion U.S. frozen food market.
5 Emerging Frozen Food Trends
1. Hopping on the GLP-1 Train: Consumers are prioritizing gut health, portion control, and dietary needs. Frozen foods with probiotics and nutrient-dense, gut-friendly ingredients have grown 33% over the past three years, according to Circana. Many CPGs are creating dedicated food lines to cater to the GLP-1 emerging trend.
Example: Nestlé launched a new frozen product line made up of portion-controlled meals that are high in protein and fiber to complement the eating habits of Americans who are currently prescribed a weight-loss medication or are actively managing their weight.
2. “Yes, Chef!” — Restaurant Quality at Home: More and more consumers are choosing to dine at home, but prefer restaurant quality or chef-inspired meals. Celebrity-backed products are also rising in popularity, per the report.
3. Variety Is the Spice of Life: Consumer palates have shifted to more diverse flavors in frozen cuisine, such as tikka masala and Japanese flavors like teriyaki. Twenty-four percent of younger consumers are more likely to purchase globally inspired products, according to Circana.
4. But Really — “Add a Little Bit of Spice”: It’s not just a phrase going viral on TikTok. U.S. sales for spicy foods has surpassed $2 billion. The trend toward flavorful heat is especially popular among Gen Z consumers, who are 48% more likely to buy spicy frozen meals.
5. No More “Go Big or Go Home” — Small and Quick It Is: Particularly popular with families and younger consumers, sales of snack-sized bites have increased to $2.4 billion — a 39% consumption increase over last year, per Circana.
Example: Unilever is experimenting with frozen micro-formats, following consumer trends for portion-controlled consumption. It uses artificial intelligence and robotics during the product development and manufacturing stages to maintain the taste and texture of full-sized counterparts.
The Demographic Breakdown
- Gen Z: More likely to shop for frozen food at dollar stores and mass merchandisers
- Millennials: More likely to get their frozen foods at convenience stores and mass merchandisers
- Gen X and Baby Boomers: Both shop equally across channels for frozen foods. Gen X leans toward club store shopping, while baby boomers typically prefer traditional grocery stores
- The Silent Generation: Significantly more likely to shop at drug stores and traditional grocery stores
"An increasingly diverse array of frozen foods are available, reflective of the overall shifts in what U.S. consumers are eating," said Bob Nolan, senior vice president of demand science at Conagra Brands, in a statement. "New insights point to evolving generational habits and preferences. As millennials and Gen Z enter family formation years convenience and affordability become the priority, driving a 54% increase in spending on frozen foods during this period."
