Chilled, Fresh & Dairy Foods
Within this category of the food industry, you will find many different products, from ready meals, pizzas, milk, vegetables, ready to eat salads, pasta salads, fruit, milk, and butter. In 2020 the UK dairy industry produced a massive 15.3bn litres of milk which was the highest annual figure since 1990.
In 2021 the most popular chilled product was ready meals and accompaniments; this market was worth £3.1bn in 2021. Sliced cooked meats came in second worth £2.3bn and prepared salads and vegetables worth £1.1bn.
This category has a variety of businesses that supply all the retailers, foodservice and hospitality sectors from start-up businesses like BOL Foods, which started in 2015 and make shakes, noodle pots, and veg pots.
To large international PLCs like Bakkavor that has many sites across the UK and supplies retailers, foodservices and other food manufacturers with their products. They produce everything from ready meals, soups, sauces, salads, pizzas and ready to eat products.
Charlie Bigham’s won the food manufacturer chilled, fresh and dairy manufacturer of the year in 2022.
Charlie Bigham’s make chilled ready meals and desserts for the major retailers, you will find their products in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons, Co-op, and Booths.
