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The State of Frozen Food Industry in 2022

During the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) AFFI-CON 2022, nearly 500 companies and more than 1,100 attendees gathered in Dallas, Texas to meet one-on-one and discuss current and future business opportunities. The data is clear – frozen food has been a pandemic powerhouse and growth already outpaced total food and beverages in the three years preceding the pandemic.

Supply Chain

2021 data indicate strong results in light of the supply chain challenges. As Lyons Wyatt put it, “we cannot sell what we do not have.” In-stock rates progressively worsened as 2021 went on. February 2021 was the high-water mark, with an in-stock position of 91.4%. November was the category’s lowest in-stock position, at 85.8%. “This means the resulting assortment has to work harder to achieve the same sales levels. With levels such as these, it is important to optimize product allocation, leverage the information to assess competitive risk and understand the potential loss of core buyers,” Lyons Wyatt explained.

Inflation

Inflation was one of the biggest stories affecting food retailing in 2021 and frozen food was no exception, though the experience was different than for other categories in the food and beverage sector. Frozen food had a 3.6% increase in the price per unit, which was far below the average across all foods and beverages, at more than 6.0%. This inflationary difference means that dollar sales for frozen did not experience the same sales bump as some of the other departments across the store, where inflation may have reached the high single-digit or even double-digit territory.

Frozen Fruit

Mixed fruit items stood out as sales winners, a trend that is expected to continue in 2022. Frozen fruit also found pockets of growth in a number of sustainability-related claims, with above-average growth for recyclable and water conservation.

“Fruit has a distinct opportunity for continued growth,” said Lyons Wyatt. “Make the section easier to shop, with a good assortment and innovation in packaging and size. Entry price points and smaller bag options can be ideal to engage with smaller households and those with less freezer capacity.”

 

Click here to learn more about the outlooks on the frozen food industry for the future!

ABC of Mangos in Supporting Immune Function!

Do you know that mangos contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals, helping to make them a superfood? Some nutrients in mango may help support your body’s immune system.

Add Mangos to Your Diet to Help Support a Healthy Immune System

In addition to their amazing fruity flavor, mangos contain several key nutrients which may help your body’s natural immune system to work properly. These include important micronutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. Just one 3/4 cup serving of tasty mango provides 8% of your daily Vitamin A, 8% of your daily vitamin B6, and 50% of your daily vitamin C!

Three Essential Micronutrients in Mango – A, B6, C

Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C are essential micronutrients. This means that your bodies cannot manufacture them and therefore they have to be included in the food and drink you consume. You should be able to get all the vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

Adding mango to your daily regimen, whether in meals, in drinks (such as smoothies) or as healthy snacks, helps to get your required amount of these three key nutrients which help support a strong immune system.

Click here to try a few mango recipes with the help of Wawona’s frozen fruit!

Fruity Ideas for the Summer!

With the help of your frozen fruit manufacturer Wawona, you can order frozen fruit in bulk. Read this guide from Wawona to learn more. 

Related: The Wawona Way

Fruit Ideas 

You can incorporate fruit into your menu by making peach cobbler, strawberry shortcake, mango sticky rice, blueberry pie, apple pie, pineapple upside-down cake, or fruit parfaits. We have all of the fruit that you need to make your menu shine this summer!

Check out Wawona’s fruit products to start your order! 

Delicious Peach Parfaits!

National Dairy Month is coming up in June, so why not add a light and refreshing parfait to the menu with the help of Wawona’s Signature Sliced Peaches? See below for a delicious recipe to use in your operation!

16oz Oikos Greek Vanilla Yogurt
8oz Wawona Signature Peaches-Chopped
4 Tbs Nutella 
4 Tbs. Chopped Pecans or Substitute Granola
(Makes 4 parfaits)

In an 8oz clear glass layer 2oz of yogurt, 1 oz of peaches, repeat. Top with a Tbs. of Nutella and Garnish with 1 Tbs. of Pecans/Granola.

Wawona Frozen Foods has all of the frozen fruit solutions that your business needs. Contact us today!

Importance of Community at Wawona

Wawona Frozen Foods is committed to giving back to its local community. In fact, going above and beyond is part of the legacy of founder Earl Smittcamp and his wife, Muriel. They made numerous donations to the greater Fresno area, providing funding to many non-profits. For example, their $2 million donation helped to create the Smittcamp Family Honors Program at Fresno State in 1998, and funded the Smittcamp Alumni House.

Current CEO Bill Smittcamp has continued his parents’ tradition of giving back. He focuses much of his giving on Valley Children’s Healthcare, where he serves as chairman of the board of trustees. Bill also serves on the board of directors of Central Valley Community Bank and CSU Fresno Foundation.

We are so proud of the work that all of our family and employees have put into this community!

Trends Influencing Frozen Fruit Market

Frozen fruits can retain their quality over long storage periods. Freezing is a method of long-term preservation for fruits. The main advantage of preservation by freezing is the extended availability of frozen fruits during the off-season. Additionally, frozen fruits can be transported to remote markets that could not be accessed with fresh products.

Compared with ordinary fruit, frozen fruits retain the majority of their nutrients after the freezing process, although fruits may experience a loss of vitamin C. As the same time, fruits that we select to freeze here at Wawona are ripe and ready to eat, which are in the state of the highest nutritional value.

The increasing use of Frozen Fruit In Direct Consumption, Processing Consumption and other industries is driving the growth of the Frozen Fruit market across the globe. Expect to see a continued rise in frozen fruit popularity. Allow us at Wawona to assist you in your frozen fruit endeavors!

Get Creative with Wawona’s Custom Blends

Peaches remain one of the top fruits for adults and children alike. We’re proud to be one of the leading frozen fruit distributors in the country.

Do you need peaches for your peach cobbler or the ever popular smoothies? Read on to learn about our frozen fruit bulk offerings.

Peaches in Your Menu

Peaches are a staple food for some of the best dishes around. Try the following this year:

Related: Looking Ahead: The Future of Frozen Fruit

Our Custom Blends

Frozen peaches bulk options are one of our many specialties. We provide fresh, juicy frozen fruit year-round with box-to-box consistency. 

Stock up on frozen school food or summer staples with Wawona custom blends. Contact us today for our scheduling and availability. 

Looking Ahead: The Future of Frozen Fruit

Frozen fruits are enriched with vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, antioxidants, and other nutrients. They are used in various food cuisines for adding nutritional content and flavor. Owing to busy and hectic lifestyles, there is a noticeable increase in the consumption of these ready-to-eat food products and beverages since the past few years. Moreover, rising disposable income and improving economic conditions are encouraging consumers in developed and developing countries to spend on packaged food, including snacks and bakery products, which further propels the demand for frozen fruits.

The demand for frozen fruit is going to continue to increase for years to come. At Wawona Frozen Foods, we have an extensive product line of various types of frozen fruit, available for your operation’s convenience. From our Signature Sliced Peaches, to Fruit Cups, and a whole line of Organic products, we have something for every company.

Contact us today to get ahead of the future with our delicious frozen fruit!

Improve your Sustainability by Eating Fruit!

The globalization and mass distribution of fruit worldwide allows us to enjoy a large variety of produce at any time of the year. Eating more seasonal fruit has become an increasingly popular message to improve the sustainability of our diets.

Fruit is an important part of a healthy and sustainable diet. They provide essential vitaminsminerals and dietary fibre, and tend to have a lower environmental impact than animal-based foods.

The overall picture that emerges from research, is that the fruit and vegetables with the lowest GHG emissions are those that are grown outside during their natural season without much use of additional energy and consumed in the same country or region.

Wawona Frozen Foods picks their fruits at peak ripeness to ensure the highest amount of nutritional content. Make sure to choose Wawona for all of your frozen fruit solutions — we are the answer to high quality products and sustainability!

Burrata and Peaches — the Perfect Appetizer!

Burrata and Peaches are the perfect combination to ring in the warmer weather. Try this amazing recipe with Wawona’s Signature Sliced Peaches today!

Ingredients

Lemon-Thyme Oil (makes extra)

  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • Peel from 1 small lemon
  • 4 thyme sprigs

For the burrata platter

  • 4 heirloom tomatoes
  • sliced peaches
  • 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh burrata
  • ½ cup fresh basil and/or mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pistachios, chopped
  • Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • A few cherries or fresh currants, optional
  • Toasted bread, for serving

Instructions

  • Combine the oil, garlic, lemon peel, and thyme in a small saucepan over low heat. Gently warm the mixture, then turn off the heat. Let steep for 20 minutes, then strain.
  • Assemble the tomatoes, peach slices, and burrata on a platter. Sprinkle with salt, then drizzle with lemon-thyme oil. Top with the basil and mint and sprinkle with pistachios. Top with cherries and currants, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with toasted bread.

Make sure to utilize Wawona’s Signature Sliced Peaches today — these delights are perfect for any item on your menu! Contact us today.

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