Dive Brief:
- According to a recent report by the American Frozen Food Institute and FMI — the Food Industry Association, frozen food sales in the U.S. surged by over 45% in the 52-week period ending in September 2025, reaching $87 billion. This growth can be attributed to both inflation and increased volume.
- The report also highlighted that sales of frozen processed meat and poultry more than doubled to $8 billion, while frozen snack sales saw a nearly 70% increase to $4.4 billion.
- There is a rising trend among shoppers to incorporate both frozen and fresh ingredients in their meals, with more than 75% of respondents indicating that they do so.
Dive Insight:
The significant rise in frozen food consumption in recent years is linked to economic challenges faced by many consumers. This has led to a greater emphasis on cost-saving measures like home cooking, meal planning, and reducing food waste, as outlined in the Power of Frozen in Retail report.
Conducted in October 2025 by 210 Analytics with input from Circana, the study surveyed 1,560 participants who consume frozen foods several times a year. Almost a third of respondents expressed their intention to purchase more frozen foods in the coming year.
Key findings from the report show that 40% of participants are highly interested in frozen foods made from “real” ingredients that are minimally processed, high in protein, and free from artificial additives. Additionally, there has been a 3% increase in the number of participants who believe the quality of frozen food surpasses that of fresh food, now standing at 15%.
Notably, traditional grocers have seen a decline in market share within the frozen food category, with club and mass retailers now accounting for a comparable share of spending. Mass retailers experienced a 25% increase in frozen food sales, while club retailers saw a 14% rise. In contrast, traditional grocers witnessed a nearly 40% drop in sales during the same period.
Online shopping for frozen foods has also seen a surge, with close to 90% of respondents stating they have purchased frozen items through digital platforms in the past six months. Delivery services have gained popularity over pickup options.
Recommendations from the report include retailers tapping into the growing demand for frozen foods by leveraging signage, layout strategies, and themed displays to drive sales. Connecting frozen and fresh food offerings through co-located displays and emphasizing attributes like “flash-frozen freshness” and “farm-to-freezer” can also enhance appeal to consumers.
The report also highlights the need for retailers to address consistency issues within their frozen departments. More than 25% of participants noted that product availability is often inconsistent, while nearly 20% struggle to find specific items they are looking for.