The Food to go market continues to demonstrate strong growth driven by channel, health, and innovation. Some of the key trends expected for 2017 in food to go are expected to be a continued focus on health and wellness, an increase in the channel and meal occasion offering, an increase in the use of technology and a blurring between retail and food to go lines according to IGD.
The 2017 Bord Bia-Irish Food Service Channel report valued the total size for the food-to-go segment in the Island of Ireland for 2016 at €126 million. Consumer spending within ROI for the food-to-go segment is estimated at €96 million.
Health awareness is continuing to grow among consumers and retailers are responding by providing increasing numbers of healthier options within their food to go range. The variety of products is expanding to support the consumer lifestyles which are becoming more common in many markets.
Many UK-based chains are following their on-the-go customer to offer food to go solutions through new channels. UK-based chains Tossed and Pret is now in motorway services, while Subway and Greggs are expanding their presence in petrol forecourts to target the on-the-go shopper. In Ireland, Chopped has opened stores in Dundrum town center and Dublin Airport in addition to its high street locations.
Snacking, breakfast and take home evening meals are further opportunities for retailers to offer food-to-go solutions. Although the Bord Bia Snacking UK and Ireland report 2014 found that 59% of snacks are planned purchases bought as part of the larger shop, the snacking occasion continues to grow among consumers creating a larger potential market for unplanned snacking. Evening meals can also target consumers on their way home post work or gym.
Technology facilitates remote ordering for products which can be then collected in-store. It is expected that there will be a growth in the number of apps which facilitate pre-ordering that build on the Starbucks’ remote ordering app launched last year. Contactless payments speed up transactions for busy on-the-go consumers and wearables and trackers helping shoppers better understand the nutritional and calorific value of what they are eating.
Mainstream retailers in many markets are also looking at how they can cater for the food-to-go opportunities. Food-to-go offerings are already core to Whole Foods and Wegman’s ranges in the US. Albert Heijn To Go stores, located in high commuter traffic locations such as railway stations, offer extended opening hours and a very mission focused range of food to go products. In Ireland Centra and Spar stores have been providing in-store eating areas to support their food-to-go offering.
The food-to-go sector will continue to growth through innovation and consumer need.
For more information please contact info@bordbia.ie
