- Contents
- *Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
What you need to know
The $9.9-billion prepared meals and side dishes category declined 4% from 2008 to 2013, partly due to negative perceptions about the nutrition and quality of frozen foods and the high cost associated with these products. Indeed, the top factors that would influence consumers to purchase more prepared meals and side dishes are natural ingredients, higher-quality items, and larger portions for the same price. The category is largely dictated by sales within the single-serve and multiserve frozen meal segments, which continue to experience sales declines. However, the refrigerated segments examined in this report, including refrigerated meals and side dishes, increased as many purchasers indicate they prefer the variety of cuisine types and taste of these meals.
Overall, the category is expected to decline an additional 5% from 2013-18 to reach $9.5 billion, at current prices. Future growth for the category will require product innovation focused on the inclusion of natural ingredients and higher-quality items. Additionally, BFY (better-for-you) options, such as products with fewer ingredients and high protein or fiber, as well as products meeting the individual usage needs of core purchasers are important to reverse the downward category trend.
Mintel provides a comprehensive analysis of the following factors that have the greatest potential to impact the category’s performance:
Types of prepared meals and side dishes purchased and how purchase preferences differ by demographics
How fewer households with children, and an increase in single-person households are impacting the overall market
Reasons for purchasing prepared meals and side dishes related to convenience, taste, nutrition, and price
Occasions in which prepared meals and side dishes are consumed, including their use as snacks
The top health and nutrition claims considered when purchasing prepared meals and side dishes
Factors that would influence consumers to purchase more prepared meals and side dishes, regardless of past purchase
How health, labeling, packaging, and store brands impact consumer attitudes toward prepared meals and side dishes
Which brands are gaining, which are losing, and why, within the market
Definition
This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel's Frozen Meals—US, May 2013, as well as the same title in May 2012, September 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, and previous years. This report also builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Side Dishes—US, June 2010 as well as the same title in June 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2003.
For the purposes of this report, prepared meals are defined as complete meals or entrées that are precooked and frozen or refrigerated. These meals usually include a side dish and require minimal preparation or cooking time.
Side dishes are defined in this report as products intended to be used alongside an entrée or meal center. These items can be frozen or refrigerated. Please note that while the industry has a clear definition of side dishes, the demarcation is not so clear to the consumer, who may well use specific side dishes as a meal or a snack.
The primary segments include the following:
Single-serve frozen meals
Multi-serve frozen meals
Refrigerated meals
Frozen side dishes
Refrigerated side dishes (including refrigerated side dishes that are sold in meat and deli cases and only require microwaving), and refrigerated salads
Excluded from this report are meals and side dishes prepared in store and sold in the fresh deli or other departments. Also excluded are meals and side dishes sold through foodservice venues.
Value figures throughout this report are at (rsp) retail selling prices excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated.
Sales data
Market Size and Forecast: Total retail sales based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; Progressive Grocer’s Consumer Expenditures Study*.
Segment Performance: Total retail sales based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; Progressive Grocer’s Consumer Expenditures Study*.
Retail Channels: Based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; US Census Bureau, Economic Census; Progressive Grocer’s Consumer Expenditures Study*; except supermarket and drugstore sales, which are based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews.
Leading Companies and Brand Share: Based on MULO sales data from Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews. MULO is defined as Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: total US Grocery, Mass, Total US Drug, Total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club. Note that the values shown in this section differ from the Market Size/Forecast and Segment Performance sections of this report. Companies and brands sales data encompasses only sales through MULO channels, while Market Size/Forecast and Segment sales cover the entire retail market.
* Estimates of expenditures are based on three-year rolling averages.
Consumer survey data
For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumer consumption of/attitudes and behaviors toward prepared meals and side dishes. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in March 2014 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.
Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, and region so that they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly over-samples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and to allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.
Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Marketing Services, using the Simmons NCS (National Consumer Study), the Simmons NHCS (National Hispanic Consumer Study), the Simmons NCS Teen Study, and the Simmons NCS Kids Study.
The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS/NHCS was carried out during November 2012-December 2013 the results are based on the sample of 23,689 adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the US adult population. The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS Teen Study was conducted during May 2012-June 2013 and based on a sample of 1,811 teenagers aged 12-17, with results weighted to represent the US teen population. The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS Kids Study was conducted during November 2012-December 2013 and based on a sample of 2,061 kids aged 6-11, with results weighted to represent the US kid population.
While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.
Abbreviations
The following is a list of abbreviations used in this report. Update with report specific abbreviations.
| AFFI | American Frozen Food Institute |
| BFY | Better-for-you |
| CPI | Consumer Price Index |
| GMO | Genetically modified organism |
| GNPD | Global New Products Database |
| MULO | Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: total US Grocery, Mass, total US Drug, total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club |
| NCS/NHCS | National Consumer Study /National Hispanic Consumer Study (Experian Marketing Services) |
| RPI | Restaurant Performance Index |
| : | : |
Generations are discussed within this report, and they are defined as:
| World War II/Swing generations | Members of the WWII generation were born in 1932 or before and are aged 82 or older in 2014. Members of the Swing Generation were born from 1933-1945 and are aged 69-81 in 2014. |
| Baby Boomers | The generation born between 1946 and 1964. In 2014, Baby Boomers are between the ages of 50 and 68. |
| Generation X | The generation born between 1965 and 1976. In 2014, Gen Xers are between the ages of 38 and 49. |
| Millennials* | Born between 1977 and 1994, Millennials are aged 20 to 37 in 2014. |
| iGeneration | Born between 1995 and 2007, members of iGen are aged 7 to 19 in 2014. |
| Emerging generation | The newest generation began in 2008 as the annual number of births declined sharply with the recession. In 2014 members of this as-yet unnamed generation are under age 7. |
* also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers
In order to provide an inflation-adjusted price value for markets, Mintel uses the CPI to deflate current prices. The CPI is defined as follows:
| CPI | The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. The CPI and its components are typically used to adjust other economic series for price changes and to translate these series into inflation-free dollars. Examples of series adjusted by the CPI include retail sales, hourly and weekly earnings, and components of the national income and product accounts. In addition, and in Mintel reports, the CPI is used as a deflator of the value of the consumer’s dollar to find its purchasing power. The purchasing power of the consumer's dollar measures the change in the value to the consumer of goods and services that a dollar will buy at different dates. The CPI is generally the best measure for adjusting payments to consumers when the intent is to allow consumers to purchase, at today’s prices, a market basket of goods and services equivalent to one that they could purchase in an earlier period. It is also the best measure to use to translate retail sales into real or inflation-free dollars. Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics definition. |
