Unlike other drying methods, freeze-drying is a clean process that retains the natural color, texture and inherent flavor of fruit and veggies. The freeze-dried fruits & vegetables market value is likely to surpass USD 130 billion by 2027, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights Inc. Increasing consumer inclination towards packaged fruits and vegetables will drive the industry growth.
The food industry in recent years has undergone tremendous change due to the increasing popularity of healthy and nutritious foods. Nowadays, consumers prefer healthy and nutritious products, such as all natural, no added and free from type, that are prominently displayed food products in comparison to sugary and snacks products. The increasing awareness of nutrition among consumers has driven the demand for various packaged food products. This has also forced many major brands to reformulate or remarket their products by using various freeze-dried fruits & vegetables, keeping consumer health concerns as top priority.
Various types of freeze-dried products such as freeze-dried blackberry, freeze-dried raspberry, freeze-dried pineapple, freeze-dried strawberries, freeze-dried cranberry, and others are increasingly used in confectionery, smoothies, juices, ice creams, bakeries, and other ready to eat food products. B2B is a more volume-heavy sales channel than B2C in the freeze-dried fruits market. With the expansion of markets for snacks, breakfast cereals, powdered beverages, retail (household), and others, the B2B sales channel is gaining traction. It is anticipated to continue exhibiting high growth through the assessment period.
A key factor driving the market is the prolonged shelf-life of freeze-dried fruits without any synthetic ingredients or preservatives. The rising number of confectionaries has been fuelling the demand for dehydrated forms of food like freeze-dried fruits due to their long shelf lives and diverse array of applications in healthy diets.
Global freeze-dried fruits & vegetable industry is fragmented with the presence of some major and small players. The fruits segment was the most revenue-generating segment in the industry. In the form segment, flakes held a market share of over 35% in 2020.
Some of the key players in the market include The Kraft Heinz Company, Nestle S.A., Mondelez International, The J M Smucker Company, Olam International, OFD Foods, Asahi Group, Mercer Foods, Ajinomoto Co., European Freeze Dry Ltd., and Van Drunen Farms, among others.
Some of them are focusing on marketing upon various health benefits of freeze-dried fruits that are highly sought-after among consumers. For instance, European Freeze Dry has launched their new complete meal solutions for special dietary meals, weight control meals, and others with an emphasis on sport nutrition, food intolerance, emergency preparedness, and others in the recent year.
Freeze-dried fruits & vegetables market from online distribution channel held a revenue share of over 10% in 2020. The lower price guarantees along with easier replacements or returns in case of any product concerns are further boosting the market expansion over the study period.
Latin America freeze-dried fruits & vegetables market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 9% throughout the forecast period owing to the supporting regulatory norms and rising preference of consumers to opt for such food products. The presence of stringent regulatory bodies for mandatory testing of such products prior to commercialization is further boosting the regional market share. Moreover, a few of the major food certifications laid down by regulatory bodies in the region include USDA, Non-GMO, Halal, and USDA Organic, among others.
