Fresh Rolls and Sunday Cake from your Own Oven

May 2015 – Posting a 4.7% increase in as little as one year frozen pastry was in higher demand than any other food product in the Federal Republic of Germany in 2014. The average figures per inhabitant have just been published by the “Deutsches Tiefkühlinstitut”. This increase can be attributed to the out-of-home market, in particular, whereas retail posted a slight dip. Consumer focus on part-baked breadrolls and frozen cakes is also owed to their special packaging.

The packaging of frozen goods is subject to other requirements than that of fresh produce. As early as last year the Swedish company ifood already subjected its packaging innovation to numerous “fitness tests”. Now independent inspectors have greenlighted the mass production of this unique paper carrier bag: market launch is imminent and orders have already been received from all over the world. The bags that are said to guarantee a stable temperature of their contents for some 24 hours can also be used for frozen pastry, to name but one product.

The secret of this smart carrier bag is its water-repellent paper coating with a cooling and freezing function. Despite the elaborate process the production and transport costs are the same as for conventional paper bags. Proving a clear advantage over traditional bags, however, is the fact that fewer preservatives need to be added to pastry and the like for a long shelf life. Which means high quality is ensured. Primarily developed for E-commerce, this innovative packaging is also expected to benefit food retail stores.

Only a year ago the American Frozen Food Institute held a competition inviting leading frozen food brands to highlight the freshness of frozen foods to their consumers by way of targeted packaging design. Under the heading “How Fresh stays Fresh” over half the approached companies took part and re-designed their text and graphic design along these lines. In our region, too, many packaging units inform shoppers about methods like shock freezing used to retain vitamin levels in fruit and vegetables but also about the guaranteed freshness and crispiness after baking part-baked pastry products.