The air fryer has revolutionized the frozen food world in America

Boom in export and sales of frozen foods in the USA after the widespread adoption of air fryers in American households. Retail sales of frozen foods in the United States grew by +7.9% during 2023, reaching 74.2 billion dollars with an increase of over 10 billion in the last three years.

Frozen foods are a staple of the American diet.

100 years ago, a freezing method was invented that preserved the quality and nutritional values of almost all foods. From that moment on, the U.S. food industry went on the offensive: in 1953, the TV Dinner debuted in the U.S. market, in the 1980s Totino's Pizza Rolls arrived, and in 1990 the Toaster Strudel was born, a toaster pastry as iconic as our Viennetta.

Innovation in the frozen food sector continues today, thanks in part to the air fryer. This appliance became a highly desired item among Americans in 2017 due to its promise of cooking fried foods with little oil, making them healthier. Naturally, in today's diet-conscious American culture, the air fryer's proposition was compelling: a full 60% of households in the United States owned one in 2023.

Impact of the air fryer on the frozen food industry

Although not the first appliance to revolutionize the sector, the adoption of the air fryer has allowed companies to increase sales and exports of frozen products in the United States like never before.

Sales of frozen foods in the American market began to rise starting from the 2020 lockdown, when consumers realized that this appliance could make snacks like taquitos, fries, and pizzas crispier in the absence of their favorite restaurants. This shift in consumer behavior triggered a period of product innovation within the Frozen Food sector.

By the end of 2024, there will be a 90% increase in frozen food products in the USA that include preparation instructions for air fryer meals on their labels.

Status of the U.S. frozen food market 2024

Retail sales of frozen foods in the United States grew by +7.9% during 2023, reaching 74.2 billion dollars with an increase of over 10 billion in the last three years.

The most important categories for companies in the sector are frozen meals and desserts, with respective revenues of 26.6 and 15.4 billion dollars. Following are fruits and vegetables (8.1 billion), seafood (7 billion), and meat and poultry (5.7 billion).

Processed meat and poultry (5.2 billion) recorded the highest growth in the U.S. market (+19.6%), followed by fruits and vegetables (+10.6%) and bakery products (+9.3%).

The dollar growth of frozen foods is primarily concentrated among private label products, which saw a +4.4% increase in sales between 2022 and 2023. National brands lost -0.1% in sales. [Source: Power of Frozen in Retail 2023 by the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) in collaboration with the Food Industry Association (FMI)]

The air fryer is set to become a staple in American kitchens: it's time to invest in launching dedicated frozen products

As people cook more frequently at home, the air fryer is set to remain a long-term fixture in American kitchens. Consumers use it for everything from cooking salmon fillets to reheating pizzas, hash browns, and chicken nuggets. At least when it comes to frozen foods, it has completely replaced the microwave, and since it consumes less than a regular oven, it is unlikely that the trend will end for many years.

We suggest focusing on this emerging consumption trend to develop frozen foods specifically designed for air fryer cooking.