History

A Potted History of Frozen Food

Birds Eye Foodservice owes its origins to one unique man – Clarence Birdseye. Clarence was an American scientist and explorer who conceived the notion of commercially frozen food whilst on an expedition in Canada. He realised that fish and meat, once thawed, still retained their freshness after months of freezing.

On returning to the US, Clarence Birdseye patented a freezing device known as the Birdseye Plate Froster. By 1930 the brand was up and running. A group of Massachusetts shopkeepers started selling ‘Birds Eye’ branded frozen fish, meat and vegetables. Throughout the 1930’s Clarence Birdseye continued to pioneer his quick-freezing business under the auspices of the General Foods Corporation, building a reputation that would see him commonly recognised as the father of frozen food.

In 1938 the brand crossed the Atlantic and was launched in the UK by Frosted Foods Ltd, part of General Foods. The outbreak of World War Two temporarily halted production, but in 1945, under the ownership of Unilever, Birds Eye resumed operations with added urgency determined to help ease the post-war food shortage.

Today the company continues to uphold the heritage of its past, whilst developing the business to ensure that it retains market leadership now and in the future.

As part of that leadership, the company launched its foodservice division in September 2008, demonstrating a dedication to deliver its unique and innovative product range to caterers everywhere.

1930’s

• Clarence Birdseye invents the quick freezing technique in 1925.
• New freezing technology led to the creation of a significant new food industry in the USA.

1940’s

• Post war era saw a boom in Herring as a primary product, fishing out of Great Yarmouth, with the first UK factory in the same area.
• 1946 saw the first mass pea production with 390 tonnes of frozen peas being harvested.
• 185 tonnes of those frozen peas were targeted for sale into the Foodservice sector – making them the first frozen peas sold directly to caterers.
• Birds Eye revolutionised relationships between suppliers and sellers, renting cabinet freezers to retailers.
• 1949 Birds Eye turnover was £941,000.

1950’s

• Birds Eye invented and launched Fish Fingers in 1955.
• Birds Eye held 66% share of the frozen food market.
• Between 1955 & 1960 the frozen food market increased by more than 500% and the market grew to be worth £42m.
• 0.9% of the consumers’ expenditure was on frozen foods and typically 60% of households were buying frozen food.

1960’s

• Approximately 80 products were on the Birds Eye price list.
• £157m was spent by UK consumers on frozen foods.
• During the decade the Birds Eye market share reached 75%.
• 127,000 shops sold frozen foods.

1970’s

• The total market through grocery outlets was worth £512m, of which the Birds Eye share was 52%.
• Over 150 products were on the price list.
• Home freezer ownership had increased from 19.35% in 1974 to 42.5% in 1979.

1980’s

• The decade finished with increases in both sales and profit. The market share was 26.1%.

1990’s

• Birds Eye ceased fishing for cod in the North Sea in 1999 due to depleting stock levels.
• In an effort to promote sustainable fisheries, Birds Eye partners with the WWF to create the Marine Stewardship Council.

2000’s

• Permira the private equity firm buys Birds Eye in November 2006.
• Birds Eye pledges to reduce Eastern Baltic Cod fishing by 80% to tackle over-fishing. The initiative saves 6 million fish, equating to 2,000 tonnes of cod and 66.5 million fish fingers.
• In response to this, in September 2007 Birds Eye launches its Omega-3 fish finger that is produced from Alaskan Pollock whose stocks are sustainable.
• At the beginning of 2008 87% of households bought into frozen, the highest number of households in the last three years.
• In September 2008 Birds Eye Foodservice is launched as a business division to focus purely on the catering marketplace.
• As out-of-home dining trends continue to grow, alongside demands for healthier, nutritious food that’s both sustainable and traceable, Birds Eye Foodservice is well positioned to exceed those needs and demonstrate clear leadership in the frozen food category.