Packaging units shrank on the frozen product market

Due to last year’s unfavourable weather there is a product shortage on the market of frozen fruits and vegetables all over the world. Prices elevated on the domestic market too, but retail chains tried to offset the increase, for instance by expanding their private label assortment. In certain categories the proportion of PL products within volume sales reached 50 percent. We learned from Dr József Losó, MIRELITE MIRSA Zrt.’s CEO that domestic demand for frozen vegetables did not change, but in the case of fruits it fell. As for frozen ready-made meals, the buyers of premium products remained faithful to their favourites, while the medium layer of society cut back on consumption. The average packaging units became smaller: formerly the 1-kg format was dominant, but now the 450-g, 350-g and 300-g versions are increasingly popular. Rita Takács, brand manager with Iglo distributor Maresi Foodbroker Kft. agreed that smaller packaging units were becoming more widespread and she added that ‘extra free’ offers sold really well too among vegetables. She told that mono vegetables realised the majority of sales. In December MIRELITE MIRSA started selling a game sauce, which will be followed by semolina dumpling in January and other old/new products. Iglo constantly appears on the market with new frozen vegetables and fish products. Early 2011 they will enter a new segment, that of frozen breadcrumbed chicken products.