McCain unveils plans to move beyond frozen food

McCain, a brand best known for its frozen potato products, is planning to extend out of its core frozen category and into other areas of the grocery market to increase sales.

McCain, a brand best known for its frozen potato products, is planning to extend out of its core frozen category and into other areas of the grocery market to increase sales.

An industry insider says that McCain has “long held ambitions to get beyond frozen” and that chilled foods would be a key area for it to break into.

According to McCain head of communications Simon Eyles, a range of new product development is planned for this year, though frozen potato products will continue to be the brand’s “core focus”. But he says it is looking to use its consumer base and brand heritage to launch into new categories.

Eyles adds: “We have some exciting new ideas planned in potatoes for this year as there is still a huge opportunity to change the way people consume our products. We want to offer convenient solutions and naturally we are looking to develop into new areas of the grocery market.”

McCain has been extending out of its core potato products range with launches into the snacks market such as frozen filled baguettes and Southern Fried Chicken Wings – convenient foods that can be cooked in the microwave and eaten out of the packaging. It also has a range of frozen desserts (MW September 16, 2004).

Last year McCain launched a range of premium delicatessen-style hot sand- wiches into the convenience and eating-out sector. The range, launched by its foodservice arm, was aimed at younger, more upmarket consumers who increasingly eat out of home (MW May 5, 2005).