Convenience A continued demand for more convenient sizes and other physical qualities also is impacting refrigerated and frozen food packaging. “As household size declines, consumers are asking for smaller, convenient sizes; longer shelf life; and even aseptic qualities pertaining to dairy products,” Anderson says. “Single-serve can range from a 4-ounce to a 24-ounce package, while convenience can mean a bundle of individual serving-sized packages for families with children. In addition, seniors are needing easy-open or resealable packaging.” Convenience factors signifcantly into consumers’ purchasing decisions, afrms Sean Brady, marketing director of ready meals for Duncan, S.C.-based Sealed Air’s Food Care Division. Brady notes that the “2014 Power of Meat Report,” an annual Sealed Air-sponsored consumer survey commissioned by the American Meat Institute (AMI) and Food Marketing Institute (FMI), found that retailers sold more heat-and-eat and ready-to-eat items in 2013 than in each of the fve previous years. “With this growth in demand comes added pressure to deliver packaging features
and formats that accommodate consumers’ busy lifestyles,” Brady says. But despite the addition of convenience-friendly features, Brady admits that expanded favor profling — and not the packages themselves — is responsible for the greatest shift in the refrigerated and frozen food segment. “Retailers can now ofer a broader range of regional and international meals to accommodate consumers’ broadening tastes,” he observes. “Additionally, these formats enable retailers to capitalize on seasonal, limited-timeofer and specialty diet options.” Tom Domaracki, senior dairy category manager at Sunbury, Pa.-based Weis Markets, notes that home storage is a factor. “Manufacturers are designing more space-efcient packages that allow us to ofer more variety to our customers in the same amount of space. Tese new packages also make it easier for customers to save space in their own refrigerators and freezers. Resealable, stand-up packaging is also a new trend that not only allows for space savings, but also allows customers to only use what they need, while the rest can remain fresh for future meals.”
December 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |
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