Birds Eye Products

Birds Eye is the UK's leading frozen food brand, having been a family favourite for over 75 years. Founded on the revolutionary flash-freezing technique discovered by Clarence Birdseye in Northern Canada, the brand arrived in the UK in 1938 when Frosted Foods was formed to bring Birds Eye Frozen Foods to British shoppers. Today, Birds Eye is owned by Nomad Foods, Europe's leading frozen food company, which also owns Aunt Bessie's and Goodfella's. The story of Birds Eye begins with American inventor Clarence Birdseye, who observed Inuit communities in Northern Canada using ice, wind, and extreme cold to instantly freeze freshly-caught fish. This flash-freezing preserved the food's quality far better than slow freezing methods. In 1924, Birdseye developed a commercial quick-freezing process, packing food in cartons and freezing them between refrigerated surfaces under pressure. This innovation transformed the food industry. Unilever acquired a majority stake in Frosted Foods (the UK Birds Eye operation) in 1943, along with Batchelors Peas. The brand remained under Unilever until 2006, when it was sold to private equity firm Permira for £1.2 billion. In 2015, Nomad Foods acquired the Iglo Group (including Birds Eye) for €2.6 billion. Birds Eye UK now forms part of Nomad Foods' portfolio alongside Goodfella's pizza and Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire puddings. The Birds Eye product range covers frozen fish, chicken, vegetables, potatoes, and ready meals. Hero products include fish fingers, chicken dippers, garden peas, and the iconic potato waffles. The fish finger, developed in 1955 at Birds Eye's Lowestoft factory, became the company's staple product. Over 15 billion fish fingers have been sold in the UK alone, with Birds Eye selling approximately 570 million annually. Fish fingers are made with responsibly sourced 100% wild-caught Alaska Pollock fillet. Potato waffles have been a family staple since 1981, made with quality potatoes sourced within 40 miles of the UK waffle factory. The memorable advertising jingle proclaiming them "waffley versatile" became part of British pop culture. Combined with fish fingers and garden peas, the classic Birds Eye tea remains a beloved family meal across generations. Captain Birdseye, the brand's advertising mascot, became a cultural icon. Actor John Hewer played the character from 1967 to 1998, becoming so associated with the role that his portrayal defined the character for an entire generation. Birds Eye also achieved a broadcasting milestone when its 1969 peas advertisement became the UK's first colour television commercial, airing during The Thunderbirds. For dietary requirements, Birds Eye offers dedicated gluten-free fish fingers made with Alaska Pollock (65%) and gluten-free breadcrumb coating from rice, chickpea flour, and potato starch. The Green Cuisine range provides vegan and vegetarian options including meat-free burgers, chicken-free dippers, and fishless fingers made with pea protein and wheat protein. Green Cuisine products are free from artificial colours and flavourings. Birds Eye has made significant sustainability commitments. The Pea Farming Collective became the first farming group in the UK, and first in frozen food globally, to achieve GOLD certification from the SAI Platform's Farm Sustainability Assessment. Additionally, 80.5% of UK sales in 2020 came from healthier meal choices, with 91.5% of Birds Eye brand sales being non-HFSS (high fat, salt, sugar). Price comparisons show significant differences between Birds Eye and supermarket own-brands. A box of Birds Eye fish fingers can cost around £7.75 at Tesco, while own-brand alternatives start from £1.50-£2.20. Multiple taste tests suggest supermarket own-brands from Sainsbury's, Aldi, and Asda offer comparable taste at lower prices, making them popular alternatives for budget-conscious shoppers. Birds Eye products are manufactured at several UK facilities including pea processing in Hull and fish finger production in Lowestoft. The brand remains committed to British sourcing where possible, particularly for vegetables and potatoes. Products are available at all major UK supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, and Iceland.