Frozen products on board. During and after the lockdown. Lots of people appreciated them before, others have (re)discovered them during confinement thanks to their convenience. Then you also discovered that these are healthy foods and which, thanks to the industrial freezing process, different to home freezing, they keep their organoleptic and nutritional properties intact and do not require the use of preservatives.

From the data of the Italian Institute of Frozen Foods for the first four months of 2020, it emerges that the overall sales of frozen foods in the Retail channel showed a + 13.5% with positive performances in the seafood segment (+ 16.5%), in savoury snacks (+ 21.5%), pizzas (+ 12.5%) and potatoes (+ 12%). The per capita consumption of frozen products in 2019 exceeded 14.1 kg per year, a value never before recorded.

The stakeholders in the sector confirm the positive moment and explain how they are exploiting it to innovate and increase quality even more. “Our supply chain needs to innovate in general, in particular on two fronts: research into excellent raw materials and a strong focus on sustainability - adds Dario Roncadin, CEO of the company of the same name -. Time to market is also fundamental: another reason why Roncadin is strongly committed to the efficiency of logistics. With regard to consumers, they are increasingly demanding healthy products with a “clean” list of ingredients, which enhances Italian products. Trends already present before the Covid emergency, but now accentuated, especially regarding the presence of Italian excellence in the recipes”.

Even more relevant are the challenges faced by those who work mainly with the Ho.Re.Ca. channel. “After these difficult months, our choice is to innovate on several fronts - maintains Pierluigi Acquaviva, CEO of Dolciaria Acquaviva - from the products to the services offered to the customer, up to greater structuring of the company's internal and external team. With regard to products, we are continuing to notice the growth of the ‘healthy’ sector; the interest in clear labelling; the return to simple and genuine ingredients, traceable and coming from sustainable or circular economies; there is also a particular impetus for ingredients of Italian origin”.

Research and development, in addition to a supply chain approach, are the key factors according to Andrea Bino, Surgital Marketing Manager. “The supply chain has always been a source of pride for us: we have a relationship based on trust with all of our suppliers of raw materials, selected with extreme care, while production is internal with direct monitoring of all the steps up to freezing. In addition, our R&D department is engaged every day in studying new references, but also in updating the proposals that are already part of the range. With regard to sustainability, we are obtaining the IEA - the Integrated Environmental Authorisation, which will regulate aspects previously managed only on a voluntary basis. We are on the move with a purification plant, for a sustainable water use. We have been recovering 98% of kitchen waste for three years, triggering a virtuous circle that generates only 2% of waste from disposal ”.

Chilled foods will be present at TUTTOFOOD 2021, as well as in the TUTTOFROZEN sector, also in TUTTOSEAFOOD.