You might already have an idea about the trends in the retail food industry this 2021, given that the pandemic has revealed how it was able to stay afloat and has become the safety net of families during the lockdown.
Everyone’s eagerness to avoid crowded places, endless reminders from both health experts and the government to stay at home as much as possible, and the need to have an adequate supply of essential goods and groceries have made delivery services inseparable from its retailers.
FYI: Just to give you a clear definition of the retail food industry, it consists of all foods being sold at grocery stores, convenience stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, and foodservice facilities.
To help you get a better idea about the retail food industry this year, we’ve rounded up 7 trends that are based on top consumer preferences and shopping habits in 2021.
Retail food business owners and aspiring ones could turn these trends into opportunities with the right planning and mindset.
Online shopping isn’t limited to fashion, tech, and furniture items anymore since the pandemic has paved the way for the retail food industry to still reach its consumers through eCommerce.
Referred to as online grocery shopping, millions of US consumers have tried shopping for both processed and fresh produce online for the first time in 2020 — which resulted in a 41.9% increase in
from 2019. Analysts also stated that these buyers will continue to grow until 2023 and could possibly reach 147.4 million consumers. In terms of sales, the US food and beverage eCommerce sales were at almost USD $24-B last year according to Insider Intelligence.
From the given information, retail food businesses must think of strategies and solutions that will keep them on top of the consumers' minds — especially fresh produce owners and suppliers. Now that consumers can shop on different platforms, both online and in-store, these businesses need to step up their marketing strategies to prove to consumers that they can still receive quality produce by ordering online.
Nevertheless, there will always be people who opt for shopping for their necessities online as it gives them the convenience to just stay at home and spend more time doing more important things.
Since people are becoming more conscious as to where their wastes end up, the number of eco-conscious consumers who are demanding for food products that are sustainable from sourcing, production, and packaging to waste disposal are also increasing. This shift creates a change on how businesses and their brands can create and sell food products that are produced sustainably.
Concepts like direct-to-table and farm-to-table are on the rise, too, since they give the assurance of freshness and quality to consumers while creating more opportunities for online food delivery as well.
Since brands need to become more visible online to gain more customers, they should keep in mind that their main goal is to deliver emotional gratification to them with the food products they’re selling.
Why? Because this digital age has made consumers become more needy towards experiences that will excite their senses. Brands need to show how much their food products will satisfy the hunger of their target audience creatively, without pitching to them personally.
A number of effective practices include the "Instagrammable" food trend where the food and its packaging are presented beautifully and appealing enough to make consumers crave for it. Including ingredients that can enhance the color, texture, and over-all look of the product should also be considered to enhance the mouthfeel of your food product.
Lastly, the over-all creative process of making campaigns for food products should also be in line with how the brand would want their consumers to perceive the products they sell. Getting the right photographers or videographers, food stylists, and art directors will definitely help your business achieve aesthetically- and virtually-appealing food products that will make your customers want it.
Whether you’re a startup or an established brand, you should think about these trends carefully knowing that the retail food industry is already saturated even before the pandemic began, now that consumers have an omni-channel to buy food products.
Do you need help in establishing your food and beverage business? BizScale can help you make this happen. Talk to us by completing this form, emailing sales@bizscale.com, calling 833-722-5310, or booking time on Calendly. Here's to starting a new path to success!
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