Customers are increasingly choosing frozen ready meals and semi-finished products. Experts explain this trend by lifestyle changes, the development of the ready-to-eat market and the expansion of the assortment in retail chains.

According to analytical companies, sales of frozen semi-finished products, fruits and vegetables, and ready meals in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 8%-10% in physical terms and by 16%-20% in monetary terms compared to the same period in 2025.

In frozen ready meals, the highest rates are shown by fish snacks (+232% in volume), breaded vegetable snacks (+176%), ready-made hot dogs (+156%) and breaded cheese snacks (+147%).

Frozen ready-made food and semi-finished products are growing faster than the entire market. Freezing is still inferior to ready-made food in terms of dynamics in physical terms, but in the first quarter it showed a faster pace in terms of money (23% versus 22% for ready-made food). This is due to the ongoing downsizing (reducing the size of packages) and the transition from the low price segment to the medium in a number of categories. The fastest growing frozen groups are those offering the most ready-to-eat product. It is possible that the interest in frozen ready-made food that has begun will transform into a steady trend. The popularity of such products is explained by several trends at once. Customers are increasingly looking for products that allow them to quickly prepare a full lunch or dinner, and frozen vegetables and berries simultaneously correspond to the trend for healthy eating.

Retailers are responding to the growing demand by expanding their product range. Depending on the store's format, the number of frozen items varies from 90 to more than 1,400 items. The chain offers only 40 to 240 types of ready-made dishes and side dishes.

The growing interest in frozen products reflects a change in consumer habits, and modern consumers increasingly value convenience and time savings, so categories that simplify cooking as much as possible are winning.

At the same time, the market is developing not only due to an increase in sales volumes, but also due to the transition of customers to more expensive segments. This is especially noticeable in the categories of ready-made entrees and vegetable mixes, where customers are increasingly choosing more complex and high-quality products.

Modern shock freezing technologies make it possible to preserve the taste, structure and nutritional properties of products as much as possible. The main quality factor is the freezing rate: the faster the product goes through this stage, the fewer large ice crystals form, destroying its structure.

According to the expert, meat, poultry, fish and berries are best frozen. This allows you to preserve the taste and at the same time reduces the risk of bacterial growth.