The frozen food market in Germany is set to grow by 2.5% in volume terms to 4.145 million tonnes in 2024, while total turnover will increase by 9.6% to €23 billion, according to the Deutsches Tiefkühlinstitut (dti).
In volume terms, the frozen food market in retail and home delivery is expected to surpass 2 million tonnes in 2024 (+1%), the dti noted.
From a category perspective, key growth drivers include fruit, potato products, fish, and meat/poultry. Frozen pizza and snacks are also experiencing growth, while frozen ready meals remain stagnant. Frozen baked goods and vegetables, however, are facing declines.
In value sales terms, meanwhile, the dti forecasts a 5% increase in frozen food sales through retail and home delivery channels in Germany this year, to €12.22 billion.
Out-Of-Home Sales
The out-of-home market is expected to undergo consolidation in 2024, as the catering industry faces a decline in customer visits during the first half of the year.
Despite this, the dti expects a 4% growth in sales of frozen products in out of home. Sales volumes are projected to reach 2.14 million tonnes, while revenue is expected to increase by 8% to €9.5 billion.
'Inflationary Environment'
Commenting on the findings, dti managing director, Sabine Eichner, said, "Demand for frozen food in the food retail trade and home delivery services has held up well in the inflationary environment of the past few months.
"However, with a buyer reach of 96%, frozen food has a firm place in almost every household."
She added that the out-of-home market continues to demonstrate strong demand for frozen products, driven by convenience and sustainability trends.
The Deutsches Tiefkühlinstitut, or German Frozen Food Institute (dti), represents over 150 medium-sized frozen food companies across the industry, logistics, and trade sectors. Germany's frozen food industry, valued at approximately €22 billion, serves 80 million people daily.
According to dti sales data, per capita frozen food consumption reached a record high of 49.4 kg in 2023, surpassing 4 million tonnes in total sales. As the world's third-largest economy, Germany is Europe's leading market for frozen products.
