Rise and Shine

Frozen breakfast foods are a bright spot in the overall category.

If the first meal of the day is the most important, the first frozen meals of the day are significant to the overall frozen food sector.

You might call frozen breakfast foods the current hotspot in an overall category that’s been struggling and working on reinventing its offerings, messaging and merchandising. In the past year alone, breakfast foods have grown at a clip of nearly 5 percent, according to industry figures.

More specific sales data compiled by Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI) affirms that that breakfast foods are growing across many subcategories. For the 52 weeks ending Dec. 1, 2013, IRI found that overall sales of frozen breakfast foods topped nearly $3 billion, a 6.7 percent increase from the previous year.

Although sales of frozen bagels were down 7 percent, growth came from other categories. Breakfast entrées, for example, were up nearly 2.5 percent, and the stalwart frozen waffle subcategory rose 1.7 percent.

Another reflection of the heating trend in frozen breakfast foods is the number of new product introductions, including items from major food brands. In 2013, the Battle Creek, Mich.-based Kellogg Co. unveiled new breakfast foods through its Kellogg Frozen Food group, including Special K Red Berry waffles and Eggo Drizzlers.

Consumers’ penchant for hand-held breakfast meals is also evident, both in sales data and new product launches. According to IRI, sales of hand-held frozen breakfast foods jumped nearly 20 percent in the past year.

New hand-held breakfast foods are now part of many major brand portfolios. Kellogg’s recently capitalized on its Special K brand identity by adding Special K Flatbread Breakfast Sandwiches in three varieties.

The venerable Jimmy Dean brand has also found consumer interest in hand-held breakfast meals. Last fall, the brand’s parent, Chicago-based Hillshire Brands Co., launched microwaveable hand-held sandwiches, including an Egg, Veggie & Pepper Jack Cheese Croissant Sandwich, and Maple Pancake and Maple Sausage Snack Size sandwiches.

In addition to convenience, many hand-held breakfasts and entrées have a healthy bent to them, another selling point in today’s health- and diet-conscious climate. Further underscoring shopper interest in better-for-you, easy-to-make breakfast meals are new products linked to a certain diet or eating plan, such as high-protein breakfast scrambles that are part of the Atkins Frozen Meals line from Denver-based Atkins Nutritionals, and newly launched frozen oatmeal from the Weight Watchers SmartOnes portfolio from Pittsburgh-based Heinz. According to IRI data, many Atkins and Weight Watchers products enjoyed tremendous growth — up to double- and triple-digit increases — from December 2012 to December 2013.

Katie Strohbeck, assortment manager for KeHE Distributors, in Romeoville, Ill., has tracked frozen trends and says that better-for-you options for morning meals also include breakfast meats — or, to be more precise, the lack thereof. “Breakfast is a big part of the meat alternative category, and several brands have fit into that well,” she notes, citing items like soy- or veggie-based sausage patties and links and bacon.

Meanwhile, since the dawn of the frozen waffle, frozen breakfast foods have appealed to kids and their parents, for both convenience and taste. Kid-friendly options have evolved, too, with some new products. The Aunt Jemima brand, from Parsippany, NJ.-based Pinnacle Foods Group, last year added a new line of Lil Griddles, bite-sized mini-pancakes and French Toast sticks. The Pillsbury brand, from Minneapolis-based General Mills, is also aiming at younger palates with Heat-N-Go Mini Waffles and Mini Pancakes, which can be microwaved in the bag for time-crunched kids and parents.

“Breakfast is a big part of the meat alternative category, and several brands have fit into that well.”
—Katie Strohbeck, KeHE Distributors