From supply constraints on eggs, rising cocoa prices and damaged citrus crops, to ingredient disclosure regulations, recalls and changing consumer demands, cold foods processors and manufacturers face challenges at every stage of the production process.

Reformulating refrigerated and frozen foods to reduce sugar and sodium is a strategic priority for many manufacturers aiming to meet evolving consumer demands and regulatory pressures. To achieve this, manufacturers are turning to functional alternatives—such as potassium chloride, yeast extracts, and umami-enhancing ingredients—to reduce sodium while preserving taste. For sugar reduction, natural sweeteners like stevia, allulose, and monk fruit are being integrated, alongside process innovations that enhance sweetness perception without additional sugars.

The frozen format poses specific formulation challenges. Products must withstand freeze-thaw cycles, maintain stability over extended shelf lives, and deliver a consistent eating experience after reheating. Reformulations can impact the product’s structure, moisture retention and flavor release.

For processors and manufacturers, success depends on close collaboration between R&D, quality assurance, and marketing teams. Transparent labeling, clean-label claims, and demonstrated health benefits can further differentiate reformulated products in a competitive marketplace. Investing in reformulation not only aligns with public health goals but also positions manufacturers as leaders in the growing better-for-you (BFY) frozen food segment.

“I think we'll look back on this time period in the future as the period of the great reformulation effort,” said Eimear Robertson, chief technical officer at Kerry Foods North America, a leader in nutrition solutions. In her more than 20-year career at Kerry, Robertson has held progressive positions in R&D, sales, business development, and P&L leadership.

Ingredient Innovation in Cold & Frozen Foods

From supply constraints on eggs, rising cocoa prices and damaged citrus crops, to ingredient disclosure regulations, recalls and changing consumer demands, cold foods processors and manufacturers face challenges at every stage of the production process.

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Manufacturers are driven by different goals, including regulatory changes around dyes, packaging laws (front of pack proposals) and a desire to meet consumer needs around reduced sugar and sodium and increased protein and fiber, Robertson said. 

Reformulation can also allow food manufacturers to identify waste in their process and improve yield loss.

Over 70% of the companies Robertson’s team works with are focused on reformulations or line extensions.

“Really less than 30% are food and beverage retail launches – genuinely new products,” she said.

And the timeline is speeding up for product development and reformulations.

“When I first started my career in product development, you know, you might have taken weeks shipping samples back and forth. Now, most of the work that we do is actually done shoulder to shoulder very much. The things that previously we’ve done in months, we're doing in weeks, and the things that we've previously done in weeks, we're doing over the course of a set of days,” Robertson said.

While there's a lot of challenges, I think there's one clear one that is standing out at the moment and it's really around cost management. Many manufacturers are trying to optimize their ingredients and adjust their recipes – whether that's sourcing or different ingredient families – and I think companies are really trying to balance or minimize all of the impact of that and the pricing impact, without compromising the quality or the consumer experience.”

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