Why the number of frozen food specialty stores is rapidly increasing | The latest freezing technology used by Michelin-starred restaurants

Frozen foods, which used to be a supplement to home meals and lunch boxes, are now receiving renewed attention.

As the demand for home-cooked meals increases in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, frozen foods are becoming established as a category of delicious meals for reasons other than convenience and preservation.

Against this background, frozen food specialty stores are opening up, and there is also an active movement toward the development of frozen bento boxes, set side dishes, frozen sweets, and more.

This time, we will provide reference information for entering the frozen food field, with a focus on frozen food specialty stores.

What is a frozen food specialty store?

A frozen food specialty store is a store that only sells frozen foods. Picard, a French frozen food, has gained popularity, especially among young women, and has spread the image of ``fashionable and slightly luxurious meals'' from previous frozen foods.

In addition, Aeon Retail, which operates a major supermarket chain, has opened specialty frozen food stores in various parts of the country, which is currently a hot topic.

Frozen foods have long been loved by many households because they are easy to prepare, convenient to eat right away, and can be stored for long periods of time.

Frozen food in Japan is said to have started in the 1920s when people started freezing fish, and it has a long history, including providing frozen fish free of charge to victims of the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. .

As large refrigerators became more common in households, the number of people who regularly stocked frozen foods at home increased. In the 1990s, Japan's frozen food production exceeded 1 million tons, creating a huge market.

In 2019, the annual consumption of frozen food per person reached a record high of 23.4 kg (approximately 94 meals). The consumption of frozen foods has not slowed down since then, and in 2021, the composition ratio of production volume for household use and commercial use will be almost the same at 50%.

Reasons why frozen food specialty stores are increasing

Frozen foods have long been familiar to Japanese households, but why are there now more and more frozen food specialty stores? Behind this, social changes are largely involved. We will introduce the reasons why the number of frozen food specialty stores is increasing.

Damage to the restaurant industry due to the new coronavirus

Due to the global outbreak of the new coronavirus infection, restrictions on people's movements have become commonplace, and opportunities for gatherings and eating out have decreased significantly. As restaurants have been forced to close their doors and telework is recommended, there has been an increasing trend of eating at home and eating ready-made meals.

According to research by the Japan Frozen Foods Association, 10% of all people have started using frozen foods due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the number of men who are cooking frozen foods themselves is also increasing.

Looking at the purpose of purchasing frozen foods, the top choice was ``dinner at home,'' and frozen foods, which had previously played the role of supporting meals at home, have now expanded to include main meals and main side dishes. I can see what's going on.

While the sudden social changes caused by the infectious disease caused great damage to the restaurant industry, it also provided a tailwind for the use of frozen foods.

Improvement of refrigeration technology

On the other hand, what cannot be overlooked is the improvement in refrigeration technology.

It has been said for some time that frozen foods have become more delicious than they used to be. Although commercially available frozen foods are delicious, there is a need for further differentiation, such as commercially available frozen foods being provided for meals in the athletes' village that attracted overseas athletes during the Tokyo Olympics.

Japanese people are said to have the best tastes in the world, but the number of frozen foods that are similar to those served at Michelin restaurants is increasing, and the level of satisfaction is increasing.

​Frozen food vending machines are also on the rise, as they can now be stored for long periods of time without sacrificing taste. Since you can enjoy the same taste at home as you would get at a restaurant, we offer all kinds of dishes, from frozen gyoza, ramen, and Chinese cuisine in general to Western-style menus such as pizza, stew, and pasta.

Benefits for companies to start selling frozen foods

As we have seen so far, the demand for frozen foods is steadily increasing.

In fact, according to the "2021 (January to December 2021) Production and Consumption of Frozen Foods (Preliminary Report)" provided by the Japan Frozen Foods Association, the annual sales of frozen foods are 737.1 billion yen. This is said to be a 100 billion yen increase compared to 10 years ago.

By developing frozen foods in-house, you can expect to increase profits by increasing sales.

For example, if a restaurant has already started offering take-out services, it will be possible to extend the take-out time even further and expand sales channels further afield.

By selling through an online platform, you can target the entire country of Japan as a market.

Furthermore, through frozen foods, customers can get to know the store's own taste, which is expected to lead to an increase in customers.

How to beat rival companies in frozen food sales

On the other hand, the growing market for frozen foods also means that there are many competitors entering the market.

However, it is not so easy to increase profits by making frozen foods.

It is important to consider products with high added value and to differentiate ourselves from other companies.

Below, we will explain specific ways to beat your competitors with frozen foods.

Differentiate your products with their appearance

What kind of image do you have when you think of the appearance of frozen foods? The common image is that the food comes in a plastic package and has frost on it.

As the saying goes, ``Food is enjoyed with the eyes,'' and appearance is also an important point.

Especially when it comes to sashimi, it tastes even better when the chef arranges it neatly. When making frozen foods, beauty as a food is also important.

By creating frozen foods that not only taste good but also look good, we differentiate ourselves from others.

Making a difference with different refrigeration technologies

Conventional high-speed freezers may break down if they freeze high-temperature foods, so it was necessary to lower the temperature to a certain degree before freezing them.

However, with the latest rapid freezer the Artlock Freezer, it is possible to rapid freezing fried and stir-fried foods at high temperatures. AI Smart Freeze automatically adjusts freezing settings according to the food and season, always cooling the food at the optimal temperature.

This allows you to keep your food fresh and delicious, such as fried foods, stir-fried foods, and freshly baked pizza, making it possible to create higher-quality frozen foods.

Of course, the same can be said for raw ingredients. For example, with red sea bream, the crunchy texture of freshly cooked sea bream, which was previously lost by freezing, can be recreated to a state as close to fresh as possible after thawing. Furthermore, the flavor and richness is increased by over 25% compared to raw, and it is possible to freeze it in a state that is tastier and more aesthetically pleasing than its original state.

Make a difference with convenience

For example, in the case of ``frozen hamburger food,'' the question of whether to sell the hamburger as a standalone product or to offer the hamburger and garnish together frozen is the latter option, which is more attractive as a product because it requires less preparation. It's a target.

Even if you have a main menu, it is time-consuming to make side dishes to go with frozen foods.

Recently, plate-style frozen foods that include pasta, fried chicken, and hamburgers have become more common, and there are cases where sales are increasing.

Luxury branding

Frozen food was basically ``cheap and delicious,'' but by going the high-end route, you can make an appeal like ``Frozen food can serve dishes that would be selected by Michelin.'' If you can recreate the taste of the restaurant, you can enjoy a luxurious dinner at home.

It is also important to consider appeals other than ``tastiness,'' as some companies are starting to sell frozen foods that are high in nutrients for athletes.

As people become more health-conscious, we are aware that we live in an era where "easy and fast" plus elements are required.

When considering any of these factors, the key point is how to freeze the food without compromising quality.

​It can handle all the difficult issues related to frozen foods, such as freezing sashimi as it is, freezing fried and stir-fried foods without reducing quality, and using AI to freeze multiple ingredients at once. , the high functionality unique to Art Lock Freezer.

Introducing frozen food specialty stores (actual stores)

Finally, we will introduce an example of a business that operates as a frozen food specialty store.

De &

At Daybreak Co., Ltd., ``Oishisa Kobo Furukawa'', a member of the Daybreak Family Association, has opened ``De &'', a specialty frozen side dish store in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture.

We sell high-quality frozen side dishes that have been flash freezing using high-performance rapid freezer, and provide a new experience of frozen foods.

The restaurant, which specializes in catered meals and serves bento boxes, kaiseki meals, and hors d'oeuvres mainly in Shimane Prefecture, sells flash freezing side dishes as ``body-friendly side dishes'' made with local ingredients, and offers ``delicious because they're frozen.'' reach a wide range of consumers.

FROZEN Lab.

​FROZEN Lab., a frozen food manufacturing and sales store operated by Ryuho Foods Co., Ltd. (Kita Ward, Osaka City), has developed "flash freezing ramen" and will sell it for the first time at JR Shin-Osaka Station on September 29, 2022. It was started.

This product combines the taste of a ramen specialty store with the latest flash freezing technology, allowing you to easily enjoy the quality of ramen in a hand pot without adding water.

As a feature of flash freezing ramen, Special flash freezer Artlock Freezer is used. Manufacturing method that does not damage ingredients,moreover Small-batch production that reproduces the taste of restaurants Then, we make fine adjustments depending on the season and ingredients. Achieving high quality and delicious taste doing.

@FROZEN

@FROZEN is a specialty store that only handles frozen foods.

Our specialty is that we offer a variety of frozen foods divided into five categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and sweets.

In particular, in addition to Aeon's own products, we also offer limited edition products that could only be purchased at specialty stores and online shops.

Some stores have microwaves available, so you can eat and drink the food immediately after purchasing it.

As it is being developed by Aeon Co., Ltd., it is currently available at various Aeon stores, and as of December 19, 2023, the stores currently available are as follows.

“Aeon Style Yokohama Seya” @ Frozen

“Aeon Style Lake Town” @ Frozen

"Aeon Mall Yono" @Frozen

“Aeon Style Shinagawa Seaside” @Frozen

Conclusion

As the size of the frozen food market is growing, the number of brick-and-mortar stores such as frozen food specialty stores may increase in the future. Frozen foods also go well with online shopping, so expanding sales channels for frozen foods is an important strategy if you aim to increase sales.

When entering the frozen food business, it is important to introduce rapid freezer can freeze food without compromising quality. If you want to maintain the quality and taste and deliver a taste that you are satisfied with, we recommend the Art Lock Freezer.