Frozen Food & Category Moves
Move to -15°C Coalition Adds Members, Advances Pilot Programs to Test Higher Storage Temperatures
The Move to -15°C Coalition expands its membership and advances pilot programs to test higher frozen food storage temperatures, aiming to reduce energy use and emissions while maintaining food safety and quality.
This initiative directly impacts frozen food supply chains by exploring energy-efficient temperature standards that could reduce emissions and operational costs without compromising product integrity.
The Coalition's work represents a major shift in frozen food logistics and refrigeration standards, with potential implications for energy efficiency, emissions reduction and regulatory frameworks across the industry.
Welch’s Rolls Out Real PB&Js at Walmart Freezer Aisles Across USA
Welch's has launched Real PB&Js in Walmart freezer aisles across the USA, offering larger, protein-rich sandwiches in six-count boxes priced at $8.87.
The product targets growing consumer demand for convenient, high-protein frozen meals, particularly among young adults, and introduces a new category player in the frozen food aisle.
This launch reflects a response to evolving consumption patterns with a product tailored for larger portions and higher protein content in the frozen food sector.
Collagen-Packed Sorbet Sorority Range Serves Up Healthy Indulgence
Sorbet Sorority has launched a frozen dessert line featuring collagen-rich sorbet, offering high protein, low calorie, dairy-free, and gluten-free options with unique flavor profiles and health benefits.
The introduction of collagen-packed frozen desserts highlights a growing consumer demand for health-conscious frozen food options that combine indulgence with wellness benefits.
This product line aligns with the trend of functional frozen desserts, potentially influencing frozen food manufacturers to explore similar health-focused innovations in their product portfolios.
Packaging, Materials & Sustainability
Beyondly urges clearer roles for UK pEPR and Packaging Recovery Note systems
Beyondly calls for clearer roles between UK’s pEPR and Packaging Recovery Note systems to improve recycling transparency, accountability, and domestic infrastructure investment.
UK packaging regulation changes affect frozen food packaging compliance, recyclability assessments, and material safety, influencing supply chain and sustainability strategies for frozen food operators.
The shift toward real-world recyclability assessments and PFAS restrictions in packaging impacts frozen food manufacturers and cold-chain operators relying on compliant, sustainable solutions.
FSSC 22000 certification adds packaging rules to reduce food waste
FSSC 22000 Version 7 introduces packaging design rules to reduce food loss and waste, emphasizing protection, preservation, and performance across the food value chain.
The new packaging design requirements under FSSC 22000 directly impact frozen food manufacturers and cold-chain operators by mandating sustainable and functional packaging to minimize food waste.
This update signals a shift toward more sustainable and efficient packaging practices that align with frozen food industry needs for product preservation and reduced waste during storage and transport.
Retail, Private Label & Foodservice
Kad Introduces Soft, Scoopable Frozen Herbs for Private Label
Kad introduces Cuca brand frozen herbs with scoopable texture, designed for private label, using new freezing tech to enhance convenience and reduce waste.
Scoopable frozen herbs offer retail and foodservice operators a ready-to-use solution that minimizes preparation time and reduces food waste, aligning with convenience-driven consumer trends in frozen food sectors.
This product innovation addresses operational efficiency in foodservice and retail by providing pre-portioned, easy-to-use frozen herbs that maintain quality while cutting down on labor and waste.
Food Safety & Regulation
USDA-FSIS to Expand Testing for Metals in RTE Foods Under National Residue Program
USDA-FSIS will expand metals testing in ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and egg products under the National Residue Program starting July 20, 2026.
The expanded metals testing in RTE foods adds a new layer of compliance and monitoring for frozen food processors and cold-chain operators handling similar products.
This regulatory update introduces new testing requirements that may influence quality control and compliance strategies for frozen food manufacturers and cold-chain logistics providers.
The new era of food recalls: Smarter, faster, more precise
Food recalls are increasing in frequency but are becoming more precise due to improved traceability and communication across the supply chain, according to a recent GS1 US survey.
The shift toward more precise food recalls reduces unnecessary waste and enhances consumer trust, which is critical for frozen food operators managing product safety and shelf availability.
Enhanced traceability systems allow frozen food manufacturers and cold-chain operators to isolate affected products rather than issue broad recalls, minimizing disruption and cost.
Following Infant Formula Incidents, FDA Urges Manufacturers to Implement Stronger, Substantive Supplier Oversight
The FDA has directed infant formula manufacturers to enhance supplier oversight after recent botulism outbreaks linked to contaminated ingredients, stressing robust management and transparency practices.
This directive underscores the need for traceability and supplier verification across food manufacturing, impacting frozen food producers and cold-chain operators to prevent contamination risks.
Regulatory scrutiny is pushing manufacturers to tighten supplier audits and documentation to mitigate cross-contamination risks in ingredient sourcing.
Ep. 221. Dr. Alex LeBeau: The Science Behind Food Contaminant Testing
Dr. Alex LeBeau discusses contaminant testing in food products, emphasizing arsenic in candy and gaps in testing methodology, data reporting, and transparency practices.
The discussion highlights the importance of accurate contaminant testing and risk assessment for frozen food manufacturers and cold-chain operators to ensure product safety and compliance with regulatory standards.
This episode provides insights into how contaminant testing is conducted and interpreted, offering frozen food companies a clearer understanding of regulatory expectations and risk communication practices.
From observations to outcomes: What Health Canada’s revised GMP guide signals for industry
Health Canada updated its GMP guide in March 2026, emphasizing stronger quality systems, risk classification of observations, and effective corrective and preventive actions for compliance.
The revised GMP guide highlights a shift toward systemic quality management, requiring frozen food operators to improve their CAPA processes and demonstrate thorough root cause analysis during inspections.
Frozen food manufacturers and cold-chain operators must align their quality systems with Health Canada’s new expectations to avoid compliance risks and ensure effective corrective actions during audits.
AR Racking updates its carbon footprint verification
AR Racking has updated its 2025 Organizational Carbon Footprint verification, conducted by DNV under ISO 14064-1:2019, covering direct and indirect emissions from operations and transport.
The carbon footprint verification provides a transparent framework for environmental management, which is increasingly important for cold-chain operators seeking to meet sustainability and regulatory expectations.
This update aligns with growing industry demands for traceable and sustainable cold-chain operations, offering a model for other logistics and storage providers to follow.
Five-year waits and rising costs: Is Europe’s Novel Food system holding innovation back?
A new analysis reveals the EU’s novel food approval process has an average 2.6-year timeline with repeated data requests increasing costs and delays for applicants.
Prolonged approval timelines and high data request rates may slow innovation in food manufacturing, affecting frozen food and cold-chain operations reliant on novel ingredients.
The EU’s novel food approval process, though transparent, creates bottlenecks that could delay the integration of new ingredients into frozen food production and other manufacturing sectors.
Fda writes to infant formula manufacturers urging them to tighten supplier oversight
FDA urges infant formula manufacturers to strengthen supplier oversight after botulism outbreaks and contamination incidents affected multiple markets globally.
The focus on supplier verification and ingredient traceability aligns with food safety practices critical for frozen food manufacturing, cold chain logistics and compliance with regulatory standards.
The FDA's letter reinforces the operational necessity of rigorous supplier audits and traceability systems to mitigate contamination risks across all food production and distribution stages.
Issues and Insights Food Technology Magazine A Multi-Pronged Approach Can Earn Consumer Trust in Food Safety Dana Cvetan Jul 13, 2026
Experts at IFT FIRST emphasized transparency, collaboration, and clear communication as key to building consumer trust in food safety and nutrition science.
The discussion highlights the importance of aligning food safety practices with consumer understanding, which is critical for maintaining trust in frozen food supply chains and regulatory compliance.
For frozen food operators, the challenge lies in bridging the gap between scientific practices and public perception through consistent, transparent communication.
Consumer Reports Finds Inorganic Arsenic in All Rice Tested; Calls on FDA to Set Limits
Consumer Reports detected inorganic arsenic in all 52 rice products tested, with 17 exceeding 100 ppb, prompting calls for FDA to establish arsenic limits in rice.
The widespread presence of inorganic arsenic in rice products may lead to new FDA regulations affecting supply chain practices for frozen rice and related products, requiring enhanced testing and compliance measures.
Though focused on rice, potential FDA action could indirectly influence frozen food manufacturers handling rice-based ingredients, necessitating closer scrutiny of heavy metal contamination in supply chains.
Manufacturing, Automation & Operations
Polysense Raises USD 10.7 Million to Transform Food Manufacturing with AI-Powered Quality Control
Polysense raised USD 10.7 million to expand AI-powered quality control solutions for food manufacturers, reducing waste and improving yield through real-time imaging and process optimization.
AI-driven quality control systems like Polysense's can significantly reduce waste and improve efficiency in frozen food manufacturing by enabling real-time process adjustments and quality monitoring.
This investment highlights a growing trend in industrial food manufacturing toward AI integration for quality and process control, which is directly applicable to frozen food production lines.
Glacier invests in ice-cream production
Glacier is investing €45m in ice-cream manufacturing plants in Italy and Belgium to expand production capacity and introduce new product formats such as spiral lollies and fruit-coated sticks.
The investment in new production lines for extruded ice creams and linear moulded lollies may affect frozen dessert manufacturing trends and cold-chain logistics for specialized formats.
Expanding into high-growth ice-cream formats suggests manufacturers are prioritizing automation and capacity increases in niche frozen dessert segments.
Other monitored signals
Carlsberg Britvic launches new competition for Pepsi Zero Sugar Ice Cream flavours
Carlsberg Britvic is running a competition for retailers to win experience days with Pepsi Zero Sugar Ice Cream Flavours, promoting the new range through its At Your Convenience platform.
The competition highlights Pepsi's strategy to drive summer sales through retailer engagement and new product launches, which may influence frozen and chilled product marketing tactics in convenience retail.
The operational link is the use of retailer competitions and platform engagement to promote new product launches, which could be relevant for frozen food marketers looking to boost in-store visibility and impulse purchases.