2023 Top 10 Grocerant Prepared Food Trends

 

When the family asks, What’s for Dinner, in 2023 at minimum 1 grocerant niche prepared food will found item will be found on 78.7 percent of dinner tables at home according to recent grocerant scorecards. No longer do consumers drive by restaurant, service deli, or convenience store according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  In fact, Johnson says that consumers stop at restaurants, service delis, and convenience stores for grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.  

Last year’s combined grocerant scorecards lead the team at Foodservice Solutions to believe that the following 10 trends are having the greatest impact in 2023.

1. Bold Taste & Nutrition

There is an ongoing shift to healthy eating. The halo of ‘better-4-you’ will continue including in that will be ‘better-4-you’ packaging, messaging, and buildings. Authentic bold tasting entrees and side order will drive consumer consumption.  

2. Mix & Match Meal Component Bundling

According to Foodservice Solutions® 2022 grocerant scorecards: the mix and match meal components that can bundled into a complete family meal where all are ‘happy’ drives convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization and will drive customer adoption and migration.

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3. Local Fresh Seasonal Flavors

Stay in your lane.  Sell what is in season, fresh with recipes that are popular in your region.  Don’t try to out think your consumer.  Give consumers what they want and expect. 

4. Community Ethnic Flavors at National Chains

Chains will allow up to 5 percent of menu items to be unique and reflect the ethnic diversity of the local community. Including items such as BBQ Ribs, Lobster, egg rolls, empanadas, and sushi are craveable and reflect local consumers.

5. Takeout / Takeaways Entrees and Sides drive Customer Adoption  

Daily specials, including regional specialties sides, and deserts will contribute to consumers buying something they hadn't planned on purchasing.

6. Fresh Food Fast

Ready set Go. Prep, Prepared, and Package entrees, sides, fruits, veggies, salads, and baked goods.

7. Hand Held Food Including Pizza for Breakfast

Hand Held food going out the drive thru window or pick-up at a C-store will include breakfast pizza expanding the importance of the pizza category.  

8. Mini Meals including Desserts as a Snack

Marketing messaging Mini Meals: one hot dog, one loaded fresh fry, latte, or hand held apple pie via the drive thru.

9. Make It for Less 

Menu items will drop in price as competition between restaurants, grocery service delis, and convenience stores intensifies. The fight for year over year customer counts will come down to price and portability.

10. Technology Is Big for Customers

Where are you selling food?  Hand Held Food Marketing will drive top line sales, bottom-line profits and customer migration.

Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization? Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.