Why Frozen Chicken Foods Are Trending In Indian Cities?

It’s no surprise that the post-pandemic world is quite different from the pre-pandemic world. Not only has awareness of basic hygiene and sanitation improved but also food habits have changed tremendously. The Indian population that is greatly dependent on help at home learnt to be more independent and work their way out even with both partners working. People learnt to fend for themselves and serve healthy, nutrient-rich food for their families with the help of quick and easy ready-to-eat (RTE) meals that were convenient to prepare. This led to a steady increase in the purchase of frozen foods. Brands in this frozen foods industry altered their offerings from providing only party snacks to everyday food items that could be savored by people of all ages. One of the most popular categories that showed a considerable increase was frozen chicken foods in Indian cities.

With a rising interest in nutritional foods, the Indian population is steering towards increasing their protein intake to boost their immunity and beat infections. This led to non-vegetarians increasing their intake of chicken from once in 10 days to twice a week in January 2022. Consumers prefer opting for frozen chicken because of hygiene issues and convenience. Besides this, rapid urbanization has led to a rise in income and thereby the affordability power of the population. Not to mention the fact that these ready-to-eat and nutrient-rich meals are almost ubiquitous. All of these are the primary factors that have influenced the growth of the frozen chicken foods market.

Market size and growth:

According to a report on Frozen Foods Market in India 2022-2027, the frozen food market was valued at Rs 124.06 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach Rs 309.07 billion by 2027 rising at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 16.27% during the 2022-2027 forecast period.

In fact, as per a trend analysis from February 2019 till February 2023, the interest and online search volume for frozen chicken were highest as compared to frozen fish, frozen prawns and frozen shrimps. This can be attributed to the ease and convenience of preparing chicken meals as well as the little time and effort that goes into cooking them.

Segment-wise division:

The consumer market for frozen foods based on sales channel is divided into retailers, restaurants & cafes or food service providers and export. Export accounted for the largest portion of the revenue followed by food service providers and retailers in 2021. However, the segment of retailers is the fastest growing owing to the increasing demand amid the pandemic and post-pandemic.

Why frozen chicken is trending?

The frozen chicken industry is rapidly growing and there are several reasons behind the growth curve that we are witnessing today. Here are some of them

• Hygiene:

Today, consumers are more aware of the food they consume. Frozen chicken foods as compared to the chicken bought from local street-side vendors, pass through several quality checks and come from certified processing plants. These frozen chicken providers follow a strict food safety policy that prevents the food from any hazards.

• Longer shelf life:

With a bigger working population, Indian city dwellers are constantly on the lookout for food that they can store for a longer period of time. They go grocery shopping once a week and want to get their hands on all the weekly essentials when they head out. The frozen chicken products undergo advanced freezing techniques which ensure they remain fresh for a longer duration.

• Convenient & saves time:

One of the most important factors why the Indian population made the switch is the convenience attached to frozen chicken products. You simply have to defrost it and it’s ready to cook.

• Affordable & easily accessible:

Frozen chicken products are more cost-effective and can be purchased from a variety of online stores as well as retailers. The ease of adding to your cart and delivery to your doorstep has added a whole new dimension to grocery shopping. 

• Changing culture & lifestyle patterns:

With a growing number of nuclear families and both partners working, the demand for quick, easy-to-cook alternatives has seen a rise. Frozen chicken foods tick all these boxes while offering you the required nutrients. 

• Broader range of products:

The choice of different products has also led to an increase in purchase. You can pick everything from ready-to-cook chicken and frozen chicken momos to frozen chicken wings and kebabs. In fact, the demand for ready-to-cook chicken increased by 888.24% from 2019 - 2022 and frozen chicken momos increased by 755.88% during the same period. 

          Key players & products

One of the key players and reputed brands in the Indian frozen foods market are ITC Masterchef and Kitchens Of India. The variety of products that they offer and the ever-evolving techniques that they use for packaging and distribution is unparalleled. Frozen food packaging requires extra attention owing to the storage and long shelf life of the products. However, these brands are constantly making advancements in this sphere to bring their consumers fresh food.

From Crispy Spicy Chicken and Chicken Burger Patty to Chicken Sheekh Kebab, their offerings are sure to make you salivate.

Challenges & Opportunities

However, to keep up with the growing demand, the frozen food industry in India needs to develop and overcome several challenges. One of these is the lack of awareness. Most people continue to think that frozen foods are not fresh. Moreover, the poor infrastructure in terms of cold storage facilities also leads to spoilage at times. Infrastructure facilities in India for frozen foods are in their nascent stages. To add to this, are the high logistics costs and regulatory hurdles.

With challenges also come opportunities to grow as the ever-growing market is ready for expansion. The increasing demand pushes brands for product innovation and geographical expansion.

With a 164.63% increase in interest for frozen foods from 2019 - 2022 in India, the expansion opportunities are vast for this industry to grow. With new technologies being researched and used in the packaging of these foods, the hurdles are gradually going to be overcome and even the semi-urban population will slowly begin to adopt this category as a daily consumption item. 

(Above mentioned article is a featured content​, This article does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of IDPL, and IDPL claims no responsibility whatsoever)