A growing demand for easy-to-prepare food is what’s driving the global frozen fruits and vegetables market, according to a report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., San Jose, Calif.

In fact, the study says that the frozen fruits and vegetables market is projected to reach 28.2 million tons by 2020.

Other major factors include continuous innovation in freezing technologies and development of cold chain logistics.

Plus, technology developments in post-harvest handling, storage and transportation make frozen produce superior to fresh picked vegetables and fruits, in terms of quality and nutrition. Especially poised to benefit is the demand for frozen fruits and vegetables such as broccoli.

Furthermore, the introduction of new products and development of nutrient-sealing packages will help drive growth in the market in the coming years. For example, new freezing technologies enable manufacturers to preserve the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables for a longer time. The market is also positively impacted by the influence of urbanization on lifestyles, social behavior and attitude toward health and diets. And, food-related health scares are contributing toward the shift in consumer preference of quality-assured, fresh-frozen vegetables.

Social and demographic factors pertain to an increase in the number of women in the workforce, a rise in dual-income families, fast-paced lifestyles and lack of time for cooking elaborate meals.