International food.
It has never been easier to have high-quality food delivered straight to your home from almost every imaginable kitchen. DoorDash, Uber Eats, Menulog, Deliveroo – I'd guess you have at least one of these apps on your phone.
In fact, according to Canstar Blue's latest survey of food delivery service users, two in five Australians have tried more than one restaurant food delivery service. The survey also found that Australians spend an average of $ 44 each month on grocery delivery services.
So what does this mean for the international food category in supermarkets? Is easy access to restaurant-quality ready-made meals the grocery store's share?
Thomas Michaels, Ettason's Category Manager, says the growth in grocery delivery services is adding positive value to the food industry, especially during the pandemic.
"Not only do they encourage more consumers to try new kitchens during restricted hours, but they also encourage authentic dishes that users may not have been aware of," he says.
"These grocery delivery platforms encourage more adventurous buying behavior by training households on how to use or consume authentic ingredients available in supermarkets."
Meg Terrill, General Manager Marketing & Strategy at Chen Foods, says Asian takeout is both an inspiration and a threat to Asian food brands.
"We know Chinese is Australia's number one international cuisine, but many households don't cook Asian food because they feel it's difficult to shop and prepare, which is why so many choose to take out," she says.
“To compete with the take-away threat, Asian grocery brands must push themselves to create more shortcut and convenience products for a mainstream audience, as well as offering simple Asian food inspiration to demystify the making of Asian takeaway favorites at home. "
Heath Dickson, Head of Marketing at Passage Foods, says while grocery delivery services continue to grow, there is some level of consumer satisfaction with cooking a meal at home.
"Brands need to offer authenticity and usability to combat these services and a range of exciting flavors that consumers will continue to delight," he says
Henry Chen, managing director of Tasman Foods, says grocery delivery services have influenced the category to some extent, "but there will always be people cooking at home because of the relatively higher cost of ordering."
Read more about the international food category in the August issue of Retail World.
