The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased levels of trial purchases of frozen food, in turn boosting category perceptions among lapsed and new consumers.

The key challenge for the frozen retail channel now is to make these consumers stick, Nomad Foods head of Seafood Procurement Stuart Price said during the North Atlantic Seafood Forum webinar this week.

“It does not mean all will remain forever however, but there has never been a better more encouraging opportunity for them to remain.”

Consumers were forced to change their habits when the pandemic hit last year and some of these habits such as online purchases, in-home lunches and premium tiering of ranges are expected to remain.