Jolene is a Meals & Drink Principal Analyst primarily based in Singapore, specialising in bakery, packaged meals and snack classes. Previous to Mintel, Jolene has model advertising and marketing expertise in world CPG firms and versatile packaging producers, predominantly within the meals and drinks business.
What was once often called TV dinners that includes meals that have been edible however bland are actually referred to as prepared meals and they’re something however tasteless. As a substitute, these prepared meals are principally appetising and flavourful and save customers numerous effort and time.
The demand for prepared meals is now not only a Western factor. In Vietnam, the rise of comfort shops like FamilyMart, Circle Ok, GS 25, and Ministop cater to city buyers who need ready-to-eat meals. These shops rely closely on high-traffic areas and on-the-go consumption and normally provide a modest choice of ready meals (which might be heated in a microwave) and drinks.
These components are what make it handy for customers, who’re both professionals or college students, to simply drop by a comfort retailer and select what to purchase for lunch or dinner as an alternative of truly cooking a meal, a course of that entails purchasing and meals prep.
In September 2022, 57% of 1,000 customers surveyed in Vietnam (from 54% in September 2021) stated they have been on the lookout for meals that’s straightforward to arrange or simply must be heated within the microwave. Vietnam is taken into account a powerful marketplace for prepared meals, with 85% of Vietnamese customers saying they search for issues that make their life simpler.
Vietnamese meals continues to be a favorite within the prepared meals market even when curiosity in meals from Japan and Korea is rising. With 71% of these surveyed agreeing that as a result of meals is the principle method to connect with their tradition/heritage, prepared meals is usually a strategy to protect the tradition via native delicacies. With 74% of Vietnamese saying they eat their principal meal of the day alone. Cooking for one individual is much more difficult due to the portion.
The World Financial institution stated Vietnam’s financial system will develop by 7.5% in 2022 and the nation’s prepared meal sector is rising steadily with many avenues for enchancment and additional development.
Listed here are the important thing areas in Vietnam’s prepared meals business for 2023:
Tapping into the Vietnamese tradition and heritage
Whereas those that purchase prepared meals from comfort shops and supermarkets additionally go for Western fare, similar to sandwiches, pasta, and salads, 71% of Vietnamese folks stated meals is a method to connect with their tradition/heritage. Prepared meals is usually a strategy to protect the nation’s tradition and heritage via native delicacies in fashionable occasions. Among the many prepared meals that may be present in Vietnamese comfort shops and supermarkets are the normal Vietnamese sandwich bánh mì and contemporary noodles with a selection of spices and condiments.
Wholesome meals
The Vietnamese love contemporary herbs and greens and there’s all the time one thing leafy and crunchy on the desk throughout each meal, be it bean sprouts or kohlrabi, a vegetable from the cabbage household. These greens and herbs might be included in prepared meals like goi cuon (spring rolls), nộm đu đủ: (salad made with thinly sliced inexperienced papaya, carrots, many peanuts, sesame seeds, basil, and coriander), and bánh mì.
Meal kits
Whereas the Vietnamese are on the lookout for prepared meals that they’ll simply warmth within the microwave, 31% of Vietnamese customers need to purchase extra merchandise that pace up meal preparation. What would possible work on this market, the place most individuals eat alone both by selection or circumstance, is to supply packs the place the substances, together with condiments, are already pre-chopped and measured. That method, all the buyer must do is warmth the pan, drop the substances, and anticipate the dish to prepare dinner.
What we expect
Shoppers on the lookout for handy meals post-pandemic will drive demand for prepared meals. Manufacturers can take a lesson from Vietnam’s prepared meal market in providing more healthy prepared meals along with comfort, particularly with the expansion in comfort shops throughout each markets. Manufacturers that supply prepared meals impressed by native delicacies will attraction to customers who join with their tradition via meals.
