Britain’s frozen food revolution

Frozen food and ready meals are shaking off their reputation of offering poor quality meal solutions to time-poor shoppers. These days, not only are consumers able to buy restaurant-level three-course menus to relish at home but there’s a raft of options for those wanting to feed themselves – and their families – without the guilt that high-fat, low-nutrient conventional ready meals too often entail. 

Indeed, many producers in the fine food sphere are ticking all the boxes for the modern day consumer who is low on time but high on expectations. Yes, a meal solution created using sustainably-reared meat, expertly partnered with mouth-watering sauces and accompaniments, and prepared by an experienced chef doesn’t come as cheaply as conventional ready meals found on supermarket shelves – arguably, questions are being asked from all corners as to how, and why, these foods can be sold so cheaply – but this isn’t as large a risk factor for fine food retailers as for the multiples.

At long last, Speciality Food readers have a raft of fine quality, delicious frozen foods and ready meals to delight customers of all persuasions – including those who are seeking sustainable solutions.

Quality comfort

ByRuby is one such example of a producer borne from the desire to offer time-poor but discerning customers better than what they have traditionally been served. Milly Bagot, co-founder alongside Ruby Bell, came from a fine food background – at the time of launching the brand in 2018 she was running a fine food shop in Chelsea – and the fact that the idea came to the pair when as a new mother, she was gifted delicious meals for the freezer from a friend. She wanted to share the relief that comes from knowing an enjoyable and nutritious meal for the whole family is safely tucked away in the freezer.

“It’s so important to us that the food tastes absolutely delicious every time, and we are very conscious of what kind of ingredients we use and that all of our packaging is recyclable,” begins Milly. “We’re trying to do something really good predominantly from a flavour perspective” – co-founder Ruby’s chef experience is put to great use in the range – “and also by sourcing British, making sure we’re using the great artisanal producers that are in this country.” ByRuby uses Barber’s Vintage Cheddar, MSC-certified fish and high welfare chicken in its meals, so customers can be confident that while they’re cutting time from their to do list by purchasing ByRuby meals, they’re not compromising on quality or ethics.

“Everything we use in our products you could find in your kitchen cupboards at home,” says Milly. “Absolutely nothing is ultra-processed and we don’t use any additives or preservatives.”

Top-sellers in the range include fish pie, lasagne, beef bourguignon and chicken tikka – all familiar favourites. “People really want comforting and delicious dishes in their freezer that taste like they’re homemade.”

Restaurant-quality dishes at home

For Norfolk-based Farmyard Frozen, the Covid-19 pandemic made Hannah Springham and her chef husband Andrew Jones re-evaluate their business model – and move into the growing market for restaurant-quality food in the comfort of customers’ homes. With Farmyard, their restaurant located in central Norwich, closed, they decided to feed the growing appetite for fine food at home.

“We talk a lot about ‘foodies’, particularly time poor foodies,” begins Hannah. “People who really care about provenance and who made their food for them but also people who want to avoid e numbers and ultra processed food. There are lots of meal kits around which are brilliant, but our range is zero prep so it’s great to just be able to pull it out of the freezer and have an excellent meal without having to think. Because we’re frozen you essentially have a chef at home, on tap. In a nutshell we’re frozen food for foodies.”

Why should discerning fine food retailers act now? “We call it the frozen food revolution,” says Hannah. “The signs are all pointing the right way with people turning to it for various reasons –younger people don’t have the old stigma in their minds and it’s convenient. More people than ever own large freezers thanks to lockdown and we’re here to show people just how good it can be. We’re seeing the artisan farm shops and delis we stock investing in freezers because their customers are asking for an offering alongside the lovely fresh produce. If that’s not an indicator of where we’re going I don’t know what is. The sky’s the limit for this category.” 

It’s not only in the freezer that products can be found that satisfy the 2025 shopper’s appetite for quality foods that deliver on convenience, taste and sustainability. “We know consumers are increasingly looking for organic foods that offer shorter cook times without compromising quality or healthfulness,” begins Carmen Ferguson, brand manager at Biona’s parent company Windmill Organics – which recently launched Pumpkin and Mushroom risotto mixes. “With 90% of shoppers incorporating ready-to-cook meals into their diets and organic food sales flying at the moment, we’d encourage retailers to get onboard and stock these two delicious risottos which should both prove popular with health-conscious consumers.”

Kirsty Henshaw, founder of Kirsty’s and Prep’d Protein, agrees – and suggests that annual events can provide opportunities for retailers. “The cost-of-living crisis has seen consumers move away from dining out to creating dining in experiences instead – quality ready meals are a big part of this, with them offering quick and convenient ways to create tasty meals at home. Retailers can play on customer dine-in moments, such as Chinese New Year, Valentine’s and Easter, offering popular ‘deals’ for customers.”

Authentic and convenient

As anyone who has prepared an authentic meal from far flung destinations can attest, it often takes far longer to prepare – and even shop for – the dishes in question than it does to eat them. And with time being an ever-diminishing currency in UK households, many are on the hunt for delicious, nutritious and high-quality meals that offer up authentic flavours without the hassle of preparing them at home.

Enter Bini’s authentic Indian ready meals. By using family recipes and traditional techniques, founder Bini Ludlow has ticked all the boxes with this range – which is a far cry from the Indian dishes available in every supermarket chiller cabinet and freezer up and down the country. “The biggest difference is that everything we make is produced by hand, in small batches, just as you would cook at home,” Bini begins. “Unlike mass-produced frozen ready meals, we use fresh, local and knowingly clean ingredients.” 

With the utilisation of authentic family recipes, no wonder customers have relished levelling-up their Indian cuisine game. “Our meals are rooted in Gujarati traditions and made to taste just like I grew up eating in Bradford, West Yorkshire (curry capital of the world and 2025 City Of Culture) – being full of warmth, comfort, and authentic flavours.” 

Truly worlds apart from the alternatives available at supermarkets, it’s perhaps no surprise that the range is made using the upmost attention to detail and quality. “Using high-quality, locally sourced ingredients makes all the difference,” says Bini. “I have a unique relationship with my suppliers, having forged a trustworthy bond amongst them all. I visit the suppliers and knowing where the ingredients are sourced, how they are produced and having the same ethos creates trust and reassurances for me. When you start with amazing fresh ingredients the curry has already had a fantastic start. These high standards, paired with traditional recipes, make Bini ready meals that truly taste homemade. People who care about where their food comes from and require something convenient and wholesome are drawn to what we do and how we embrace true culture.”

No longer do fine food shoppers – and the retailers who serve them – need to sacrifice their time or ethical standards to enjoy convenient food at home. With a raft of high quality and consciously produced meals ready for us all to enjoy, 2025 is just the start of the convenience revolution.