Marketing Frozen Foods

Technological innovations as early as 1869 led to the commercial development and marketing of some frozen foods. Pigeon was one of the first commercially marketed frozen products and was soon followed by fish, poultry, other meats, liquid eggs, and fruits (Montgomery, 1995). These early products saw limited distribution through retail establishments because mechanical refrigeration was in short supply in required distribution channels. As late as 1938, about 60% of frozen foods was distributed in bulk form to ice cream manufacturers, bakeries, and preservers; about 30% went to institutional establishments; and the remaining 10% went to retail stores (Beck, 1993). Much of the bulk production was subsequently processed into other products, and many of these final products were sold as nonfrozen foods. Frozen fruits represented almost half of all frozen foods in 1938, and fruits also constituted the majority of bulk frozen foods.