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The most recent 12 weeks notwithstanding, the category has registered some of the frozen department’s biggest two-year gains.

During the 12 weeks ended May 15, dollar sales of frozen fruit were down 8.7% versus the same period a year ago, when panic buying early in the pandemic drove record growth. But compared to the same period two years ago, sales are up a whopping 44.1% to $386.92 million, according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI (iriworldwide.com).

The category was doing well pre-COVID, but increased interest in health and immunity during the past 16 months is driving even more growth — and a plethora of new product rollouts. For example, cranberries are well-known for their high levels of vitamin C and ability to fight off infections, so they are selling especially well during the pandemic, says Pat Rhodes, brand manager at Carver, Mass.-based Cape Cod Select (capecodselect.com). Coming off a 79% sales gain for the year ending April 3, Cape Cod recently rolled out 40-ounce bags of its Power Berry Blend and Tropical Blend smoothie mixes, he reports.

“People are still being conscious about what they are eating and are being intentional,” agrees Patrick Mateer, CEO of Durham, N.C.-based Seal the Seasons (sealtheseasons.com), whose frozen fruits and veggies are grown in the same regions where they’re sold. The company’s sales tripled last year because consumers are more interested than ever in buying local and supporting family farms in their community, he explains.

INNOVATION CENTERS AROUND BLENDS

Seal the Seasons’ new Farmer Blends combine regionally grown fruits with bananas and mangoes.

Despite a drop in overall sales versus the same period a year ago, manufacturers say sales of frozen fruit smoothies were up 22% during the most recent 12 weeks as consumers working from home seek DIY alternatives to their daily smoothie shop purchase. So it comes as no surprise that smoothie blends in both standard and bulk sizes are leading product innovation.

Among those launching this spring and summer is a new Crafted Smoothie Blends Mixed Berries Oatmeal variety from Westlake Village, Calif.-based Dole Packaged Foods (dolesunshine.com). “Breakfast is the most common smoothie occasion and by adding oatmeal, we are transforming smoothies from a snack to a meal,” reports vp of marketing Americas Orzse Hodi, who says oats are healthy and high in fiber “so they fill you up.”

She adds that Dole’s frozen smoothie blend sales jumped 70.7% in the first quarter of this year compared to the last quarter of 2020. Plus, its frozen fruit bowl sales climbed 48.7% and its fruit sales jumped 39.6%.

The story is much the same at Guaynabo, Puerto Rico-based Matosantos Commercial Corp., where sales of frozen fruit and fruit blends surged 89% during the most recent quarter as consumers sought “healthy and tasty alternatives during the COVID pandemic,” according to marketing manager Eldred Resto Donis. The company recently added an Exotic Indulgence blend to its all-natural Campoverde (campoverde.com) Fruit & Veggie Blenders line that combines dragon fruit, pineapples, mangos and cauliflower rice, highlighting the growing popularity of more functional combos that include antioxidant-rich superfruits as well as non-fruits like veggies and seeds.

Seal the Seasons is also entering the smoothie segment with its new line of Farmer Blends, including Antioxidant Blend, Golden State Smoothie Blend and California Mango Mix for the Pacific Southwest, Oregon Mango Mix for the Pacific Northwest, Maine Mango Mix and New York Power Smoothie Blend for the Northeast, Carolina Mango Mix and Carolina Smoothie Blend for the Mid-Atlantic, and Sunshine State Smoothie Blend and Florida Antioxidant Blend for the Southeast.

Unlike the rest of the Seal the Seasons lineup, the new blends also include a few fruits grown outside the region where they’re sold. “Our customers told us how often they added ripe mango or banana to Seal the Seasons’ local blueberries or local strawberries. So why not make it easy for them?” asks Mateer. Seal the Seasons is also launching frozen wild blueberries, sourced from an Indian tribe in Maine.

While many blends are used to create smoothies and bowls, some consumers have found a more unique use for them. Aldi made headlines this spring when shoppers posted photos of themselves enjoying “adult juice pouches” (imagine an oversized Capri Sun) made by adding wine to bags of the retailer’s Season’s Choice frozen fruit blends.

“It’s been a lot of fun watching the adult juice pouch trend come to life,” says Kate Kirkpatrick, director of communications for Aldi U.S. Shoppers can choose from a wide variety of frozen fruit blends in 24-, 32- and 48-ounce packages, she notes. “And everything is Aldi-exclusive and available at an unbelievable price point.”

BIG BAGS, SINGLE-SERVES GROWING

Dole adds a breakfast friendly Mixed Berry Oatmeal variety to its Crafted Smoothie Blends collection.

To support their increasingly high usage, consumers continue to seek out larger sizes of frozen fruit, says Mollie Wulff, spokesperson for Minneapolis-based General Mills, which owns the Cascadian Farm (cascadianfarm.com) brand.

To help meet that demand, Cascadian recently introduced a 32-ounce version of its Frozen Sliced Peaches. “Our original 10-ounce frozen sliced peaches are the top branded peach SKU in the natural and organic channel, so we saw this as a perfect way to upsize and help…the consumer looking for larger size/bulk options,” explains Wulff. The company plans to launch additional bulk sizes in the near future.

Several private label programs have also added larger pack sizes, typically moving from 10- or 12- to 24- or 32-ounce packages on core items, says Josh Scheel, vp of sales and marketing at Gresham, Ore.-based Scenic Fruit Co. (scenicfruit.com). However, “We’ve noticed that unit sales typically stay the same or increase during this transition, so volume continues to grow,” he adds. “Customers seem to be eating more fruit, incorporating the nutritional benefits into their everyday lives more often.”

Despite the trend toward upsizing, many fruit suppliers also note growing demand for single-serve products more compatible with on-the-go snacking. One manufacturer answering the call, Salt Lake City-based Trufru (trufru.com), is launching single-serve 1.5-ounce cups of its frozen chocolate-coated fruits this summer: Raspberry + White and Milk Chocolate, Blueberry + White and Dark Chocolate, Raspberry + White and Dark Chocolate, and Cherry + White and Dark Chocolate.

Not only are they convenient, the new single-serves encourage trial, says executive vp of sales Dion Rasmussen. “The shopper sees one for $1.49, tries it, and then immediately buys the 5-ounce bag.”

Trufru also introduced 8-ounce Strawberries + White and Milk Chocolate and Bananas + Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate this spring, and will launch a Pina Colada flavor (Pineapple + White Chocolate and Coconut Flakes) this fall.

The single-serve trend is also hitting the smoothie blend segment. While some manufacturers are selling single-serves individually, Scenic Fruit recently launched a single-serve multi-pack that includes five 8-ounce portions — enough to get consumers through the work week.

FROZEN FRUIT

Sales in supermarkets, drugstores, mass merchants, military commissaries and select club and dollar stores combined for the 12 weeks ended May 16, according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI (iriworldwide.com). Percent change is versus the same period a year ago. Only subcategories and brands with at least $1 million in sales during the period are listed.

“These items can take up less space in a home freezer as ingredients aren’t purchased separately,” says Scheel. “And this format helps take the guesswork out of pre-measuring and preparing individual ingredients.”

“One of the biggest trends in the frozen fruit category seems to be convenience,” adds Sophia Karbowski, co-founder of Fort Worth, Texas-based Rollin’ n Bowlin’ (rollinnbowlin.com), which supplies smoothies and bowls in pouches to which consumers add water and blend. “Consumers will now pay a premium for convenience, and some of the key attributes of our pouches is that they are single-serve, do not require use of utensils or measuring cups, and make no mess.”

BOWLS STILL GAINING MOMENTUM

While drinkable smoothies are well-established, fruit and smoothie bowls continue to gain momentum. “Sales of our breakfast smoothie bowls — including fan favorites Organic Acai Bowl, Cold Brew Dark Chocolate Smoothie Bowl and Organic Raspberry Kombucha Smoothie Bowl — are growing rapidly due to our expansion in retail and the increased demand for healthy, on-the-go meals,” says Sarah Galletti, founder of Paramount, Calif.-based Tattooed Chef (tattooedchef.com), whose fruit bowl sales increased 400% during the quarter ended May 16.

“Their versatility and no-fuss preparation make them a no-brainer for everyone from vegans to flexitarians,” she adds. “But I think what’s really driving the growth of these products is the steady rise in health-conscious consumers looking to change their lifestyle habits and incorporate more plant-based fare into their diets. And we don’t see this trend slowing down anytime soon.” ■