Mintel has defined the center of the store in terms of two segments – shelf-stable grocery and frozen foods. Sales in the category as a whole have managed fairly strong growth – 10% since 2010, largely the result of the shelf-stable grocery segment, where introductions have succeeded by catering to consumer health and wellness demands. Those demands, however, are leading consumers to seek more freshly prepared foods, and the processed reputation surrounding most center-of-the-store foods is proving a challenge to manufacturers.

The center of the store, as defined for this report, includes food categories typically found along the interior aisles of supermarkets, grocery stores, and most supercenters. All retail sales of the specified items are included even though differences in store layout may mean that not all stores (particularly food retailers that are not traditional grocers) position these items in the store center. The following segments are used in this report:

• Shelf-stable grocery: including processed meats, meat products, and meats included in processed food; packaged loaf breads, rolls, refrigerated bread dough, and cakes/pies/desserts; canned produce; shelf-stable snacks; and cereal

• Frozen foods: including produce, frozen/prepared meals, and frozen snacks

This report excludes items discussed in the Perimeter of the Store – US, June 2014 report:

• Meat, poultry, fish/seafood: Fresh and frozen

• Fresh produce: Fresh fruits and vegetables, including bagged salads

• Milk, dairy, eggs: Fresh dairy and nondairy milk, cream; butter; cheese (natural, processed, cream cheese/spreads, cottage cheese); fresh eggs

• Bakery: In-store baked breads/rolls only

• In-store deli prepared foods: Freshly prepared foods such as entrées, sandwiches, appetizers, salads, sides, trays, dips, desserts, soups, spreads