The pandemic has pushed up demand for frozen food of every kind, with a recent NielsenIQ report showing a year-over-year jump of 23% and sales of more than $66 billion. Trader Joe's most recent podcast examines the explosive growth in the category and some of the products driving it, while also looking ahead to what the grocer has in store for its own frozen food section in 2021.

Seven private-label products from ALDI were recognized among the 41 winners in the 2021 Product of the Year Awards, compiled by the consumer research firm Kantar from a survey of 40,000 US shoppers. The winning items from ALDI included Aunt Maple's Protein Pancake Mix, Friendly Farms Almondmilk Coffee Creamer and Specially Selected Indulgent Greek Yogurt.

The increasing focus on fresh food waste, heightened by the pandemic, has food suppliers turning to new technology to address the issue. Some of the emerging tech trends to fight waste include the platforms Flashfood and FreshIQ.

Amid reports that many grocery customers are still trying to disinfect food and its packaging, the FDA and USDA released an update to remind shoppers that COVID-19 is not a foodborne illness. Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said people should know "based on our understanding of currently available reliable scientific information, and supported by overwhelming international scientific consensus, that the foods they eat and food packaging they touch are highly unlikely to spread" the coronavirus.

A significant investment in e-commerce infrastructure three years ago, along with its ongoing partnership with tech giant Ocado, have given Kroger the agility to adapt to pandemic-fueled demand and shifts in shopping behavior, Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said. In this Q&A, McMullen discusses learning tough lessons from the outbreak and looks ahead to a grocery landscape that includes new ways to engage with in-person and digital customers.