As it has with other convenience and value-centric foods positioned in the center of store, COVID-19 has triggered a surge in frozen snack sales. After years of modest yet steady growth, 2020 will deliver the strongest growth the category has seen in a decade, with an 11.3% bump bringing sales to $5.6 billion. Price, brand and versatility (as a meal or a snack) are the primary factors consumers seek in product selection. Each of these will become even more important as the country navigates a deep recession. Participation in the category is a family affair, elevated by the presence of children in the household. This will challenge that category in the longer term as households with children continue to shrink in number. Brands will need to redirect some attention to product development and marketing to adult palates, parent or not. This Report covers the following issues:

• The short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on frozen snacks

• Growing only moderately at best pre-COVID-19, sales strengthened considerably with stay-at-home orders

• Recession will lead consumers to focus even more on price

• With consumers seeking smaller, snack-sized foods, frozen snacks are well-positioned to increase their consumer base beyond young consumers and parents

This Report builds on analysis presented in Mintel’s Frozen Snacks – US, June 2019, as well as the 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 Reports of the same name.

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

• Frozen appetizers/snack rolls/pretzels (eg Totino’s Pizza Rolls, Bagel Bites, Superpretzels)

• Frozen handheld entrees (eg Hot Pockets, burritos, Uncrustables/sandwiches).

• Not included in this Report are:

• Frozen breaded vegetables, such as breaded mushrooms

• Frozen chicken products, such as chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, and chicken fingers

• Frozen dinners or entrées

• Refrigerated or shelf-stable snacks of any kind