With the fast-paced lives of consumers today, we often wonder what factors drives consumers to purchase ready made meals instead of cooking at home.
Many Australians lead busy lives and don’t have time to prepare food for their families and themselves. Fresh food delivery companies are growing in popularity in today’s market as TV and social media advertising is continually bombarding consumers regarding healthy life and reducing stress.
The demand to look and feel good especially in the last few years has risen very dramatically. People are looking for alternate ways to reduce stress and manage their time more wisely. The convenience of having freshly made meals delivered to your doorstep is undeniably convenient and a timesaver. It also alleviates the time spent having to prepare the meals in the kitchen and all the washing up afterwards.
Ready-made meals are increasingly popular because:
1) they trend,
2) they offer consumers nutritious options and
3) it is convenient for consumers to pre purchase them.
Today’s market is very aware of the trend and the popularity of ready-made meals and consumers are receiving a lot of information through advertising on various social media outlets regarding this. Lets look at what drives consumers to purchase ready made meals a little more.
Consumers are more aware of healthy meal choices and are spoilt for choices on which meal plans to choose. There are many food companies which offer a range of meals that cater to the consumer’s needs. Ready-made fresh food is very popular and companies such as Cooked Up is a Ready-made fresh food meal delivery company which offers a range of meals that caters for everyone. Meal varieties offered range from well-balanced meal for weight loss, muscle meals for those who are training, meals for vegans and vegetarians, gluten free meals and keto diet meals.
Employment– creates time constraints from both the time spent working and the time spent commuting. These time constraints shift consumer demand from having to go to the grocery store to buy the food and to the convenience of pre ordering and having ready made fresh meals delivered to their home.
Convenience plays a huge part in the purchase of ready-made meals. Consumers who purchase these products are typically people with hectic lifestyles and little time to make and eat a meal. Ready-made meals can be packed and consumed quickly, sometimes within minutes. Some brands of ready-made meals come in microwavable pouches that consumers can use to make them even more convenient for on-the-go eating.
Taste of ready-made meals- Ready-made meals are often advertised as having a delicious taste consumers can enjoy immediately or bring home and share with their family, adding another element of convenience. This is especially true of brands that sell frozen dinners; these can come in a variety of flavours and be enjoyed with little preparation.
Healthiness of ready-made meals –Ready-made meals are all over the map when it comes to health. Some brands market themselves as healthy by saying they contain fresh vegetables, while others pack their products with preservatives and sugars that make them unhealthy for consumers to eat on a daily basis. However, even among the unhealthiest of brands, consumers can typically find healthier options.
Cost of ready-made meals –. They can be cost effective for busy people who don’t have the time to drive to a supermarket and purchase all the ingredients to cook at home. Ready-made meals are often sold in packages containing multiple servings, and consumers can choose whether to eat one serving or divide the package up into multiple servings for later.
Supporting Local Business – some food companies support local businesses. Cooked Up is a fresh food Ready Made meal company which proudly supports its local farmers. This way the food they deliver is made from fresh ingredients which is sourced from its local farmers.
Consumers are more aware of this trend and make more informed decisions when choosing where and who to spend their money with. Consumers can be assured that at least the food they are eating comes from locally sourced farms and there is no compromise on the freshness of their meals.
Therefore, there are various different reasons as to why consumers choose ready- made meals in today’s market but at least they are spoilt for choice on nutritional information.
