ROCKVILLE, Md. – Meal kit delivery services sales are projected to surpass $1 billion in 2016 and become a multi-billion dollar market over the next five years, according to the “Meal Kit Delivery Services in the US” report from market research publisher, Packaged Facts. Meal kit delivery services allow consumers to cook at home without the planning or shopping by delivering ingredients to customers.
The report is based on the numbers of existing services around the country and takes into consideration the number of future entrants into the industry such as retailers and food marketers.
Meal kit delivery services also have the potential to damage the restaurant industry, as well as the supermarket industry.
“These days, consumers have access to almost everything without leaving their home and — through the power of smartphones — without even speaking to another human being. Rather than worrying whether meal kit delivery services will cut into their business, some grocers and food marketers are taking the bull by the horns and starting their own such services,” said David Sprinkle, research director, Packaged Facts.
The report defines meal kit delivery services as companies that offer and deliver to consumers’ doors (or arrange for delivery of) a box or bag of fresh ingredients for one or more meals, along with a step-by-step recipe with photos showing how to cook each meal at home.
The ingredients come portioned into the right amounts, and sometimes pre-cut, marinated and packaged with pre-cooked sauce components to aid the customer in the process of in-home preparation.
The report does not include services that deliver completely cooked, ready-to-eat meals or companies that deliver frozen foods.
