Redefining Convenience: Consumer Expectations for Quick, Quality Meals

Life is busy — and consumers are even busier. With jam-packed schedules, consumers are on the hunt for convenient ways to create tasty, high-quality meals from the comfort of their own kitchens. During the pandemic, many had the luxury of time to create indulgent meals for themselves, family, and friends. Now, life is buzzing with things to do post-pandemic and consumers still want high quality meals but don’t want to spend time in the kitchen preparing them.

That’s why the idea of “convenience” has changed. It’s no longer about fast and easy meals that can be eaten on the go, but products that assist in cooking premium meals at home and exploring new ingredients and international flavors. Based on KeHE’s 2024 Macro Trends, learn more about how consumers are redefining convenience.

Efficiency in the Kitchen

Consumers want meals that are easy to prepare without compromising the taste or quality of the food, which is why it’s no surprise that there’s been a 6% increase in demand for pre-prepared foods in the last year. These readily available food options range from freshly cut meats to partially assembled meal kits and grab-and-go alternatives. According to a study by Mintel, 59% of consumers report using ready to eat meal options to save the time it takes to cook a meal from scratch and lessen the kitchen clean-up that follows. Some will even supplement home-cooked dishes with pre-prepared sides to make meal preparation less time-intensive. From shopping to clean-up, consumers simply want to save time in any way they can.

Eating Healthier Without the Time Commitment

Around half of consumers across all age groups rank healthy eating as a top priority. However, 64% say the biggest barrier to eating a healthy meal is extensive prep time. This is one of the reasons why pre-cut produce has become popular, as it helps consumers cut down on prep time and can even serve as a quick, healthy snack.

Grab-and-go options have become so popular that restaurants are struggling to keep up with demand. A recent report by the Power of Foodservice at Retail reflects that a quarter of surveyed shoppers are replacing restaurant meals with readily prepared grocery store made alternatives, a 17% increase from the previous year. This rise is partly a result of high rates of inflation which have made eating out an unrealistic option for many. By providing consumers with delicious, convenient, and nutrient-packed meals, they can reach their health and wellness goals without putting a pause on their busy lives or breaking their budget.

Consumers Want International Cuisines and Exciting Flavors

As the pandemic put a halt to international travel and the exciting culinary experiences that come along with it, food lovers turned their kitchen into a space of flavor exploration to try globally inspired cuisines. Specifically, hot and spicy flavors have become increasingly popular among consumers and have influenced frozen food and snack options as well as nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages.

According to a recent report, 84% of consumers want the bold flavors of Southern Italy, with South America, Asia, and Africa following close behind as other exciting alternatives. Caribbean, Cantonese, Osakan, Filipino, Guadalajaran, Oaxacan, and Moroccan flavor profiles are also highlighted by the report as noteworthy international interest. Further, consumers have shown a preference for the flavors of sesame seeds, ginger, jerk seasonings, spicy honey, miso, tahini, and specific Asian seasonings, such as chaat masala, Kashmiri chili, and togarashi. The increase in demand for international flavors gives retailers and brands the opportunity to revitalize their offerings with pre-prepared and ready-to-eat products that will take consumer taste buds on a global adventure.

Quick and Easy Meals Make for Fuller Consumer Lives

Consumers are always looking for ways to streamline time-consuming tasks in their daily lives. As food and beverage trends continue to evolve around consumer needs, retailers and suppliers need to know when to revamp product offerings to meet them where they are. Especially considering the competitive nature of the grocery industry, any players who want to remain relevant must do what they can to forecast and anticipate what consumers will be looking for on store shelves. As a leading distributor, KeHE has industry experience in ensuring suppliers and retailers are looking in the right direction to drive long-term success and growth.

The idea of convenience is changing not only because consumers are seeking easy-to-prepare and deliciously healthy meals, but because these products also allow consumers to be more efficient in the kitchen. The bottom line is that exploratory and exciting flavors should also be available in easy-to-prepare and readily available formats to complement the busy lives of everyday consumers. Learn more about the changing needs of the consumer and how retailers and suppliers can meet this demand by visiting https://www.kehe.com/news-blog/.