Frozen vegetables are vegetables that have had their temperature reduced and maintained to below their freezing point for the purpose of storage and transportation (often for far longer than their natural shelf life would permit) until they are ready to be eaten. They may be commercially packaged or frozen at home. A wide range of frozen vegetables are sold in supermarkets.
Global Frozen Vegetables Market was valued at $25,179 million in 2016 and is expected to garner $34,973 million by 2023, registering a CAGR of 4.7% from 2017 to 2023. Freezing is one of the most widely used methods of food preservation that retains texture, taste, and nutritional value of vegetables for a longer duration. Freezing ceases the growth of microorganisms, reduces chemical and cellular metabolic reactions, providing a significantly extended shelf life. Increased disposable income, busy lifestyle, and emerging large retail chains, including hypermarkets and supermarkets in the developing countries such as India and China, have led to the rise in convenience food, thereby driving the frozen vegetables market. Growth in working women population globally has led to rise in ready-to-eat food, supplementing the frozen vegetable market growth. However, negative perception of consumers about the nutrient content of frozen vegetables and poor refrigeration facilities in semi-urban and rural areas may hamper the market growth.
Highest growth rate will be witnessed in spinach followed by other legumes among the frozen vegetable segments during the forecasted period. Increase in demand for Ready to Eat (RTE) foods will drive demand for spinach and other legumes. Among various frozen vegetable types, sweet corn and other vegetables estimated a larger share in the year 2016.