The “The Future of Grocery in the United States: Online Grocery, Meal Kits, & Direct-to-Consumer Food, 2nd Edition” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
This report evaluates the dynamics of the current landscape of the online food and beverage market. Consumer demographics, perceptions, motivations, and behavior are examined as pertaining to dietary choices and use of food delivery and pickup services.
Attitudes on food, diet, health, and product packaging are studied. Effects of recent historical trends on consumers – including the COVID-19 pandemic and the inflation era – are considered in both a broad sense and in the context of the online grocery market.
This report provides information about online retail sales of food and beverages to consumers in the following product categories:
- Shelf-stable foods and beverages in cans, bottles, or other packaging (including alcoholic beverages)
- Meal kits and prepared meals
- Perishables such as fresh fruits and vegetables
- Dairy and egg products
- Meat, poultry, and seafood
- Bakery items
- Frozen foods
This report includes online sales of such items from:
- Store-based grocers (e.g., Kroger, Safeway, ALDI)
- Mass merchandisers (e.g., Walmart, Target) and warehouse clubs (e.g., Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s)
- Online-based grocers (e.g., Amazon, Thrive Market, Hungryroot)
- Brands that sell their own food products via their websites, direct-to-consumer
- Meal kit and prepared meal delivery services (e.g., HelloFresh, Sakara Life, Factor 75)
- Third-party pack-and-deliver companies that use their own workforce to purchase groceries at various stores and deliver them to customers (e.g., Instacart)
- Local co-ops and farmers’ markets that arrange for subscriptions, single orders, and pickup or delivery digitally
- Online sales made via website or app – whether delivered to a customer via shipment or local delivery, picked up in-store, or received via curbside pickup – are all included.
- Historical numbers for the online grocery market are provided from 2017 through 2022. Market forecasts are provided for 2023-2027 and 2032.
- The online grocery market in 2022 is also segmented by fulfillment type (delivery, pickup/curbside, and shipment), retailer category (grocery stores/supermarkets, mass merchandisers/warehouse clubs, online only retailers, third party pack and deliver services, and farmer’s markets/organics/other), and product category (bakery items, beverages, dairy and eggs, fresh produce, meats and seafood, pantry/frozen, and prepared meals and other foods).
- Historical numbers for the meal kit delivery services market are presented from 2019 to 2022. Market projections are provided for 2023-2027 and 2032.
- The reasons for and implications of shifts in consumer perception and behavior are analyzed in the context of future market opportunities.
- Additionally, the report has dozens of tables showcasing numerical survey data on consumer demographics and psychographics and numerous marketing photographs. This report goes in-depth on COVID-19 and inflationary trends affecting the food and beverage market.
- Primary research includes national online consumer polls of U.S. adult consumers (age 18+) conducted on an ongoing basis by the publisher to analyze attitudes of consumers and their relevant food and beverage preferences.
Survey data from MRI-Simmons are used to analyze the demographics and psychographics of consumers. - Supplementing the exclusive survey is analysis of the 2022 Food & Health Survey conducted by the International Food Information Council, which analyzes consumer food purchase decisions, diet and lifestyle choices, snacking activity, and perception of health benefits in foods.
Key Topics Covered:
Chapter 1: Executive Summary
- The Future of Grocery Delivery
- Online Grocery Shopping Driven by Convenience
- Expansion of Online Grocery Shopping Led by Third-Party Player instacart
- Covid-19 and Beyond
- Opportunities For Growth
- Key Consumer Trends
- Scope
Chapter 2: Recent Historical Trends from the Pandemic To the inflation Era
- Highlights
- First Time Use of Online Grocery Shopping and Restaurant Ordering Methods in 2020
- Boosted Online Grocery Shopping Activity Continued Through 2022
- Activity Spiked in 2020 During the Early Part of the Pandemic
- Many Consumers Continued Ordering More Groceries Online in 2021 and 2022
- Frequency of Grocery Shopping: in-Person Vs. Online
- Use of Meal Kit Delivery Services
- Many Consumers Are Still Holding off On Dining Out
- Increased Use of Food Carryout and Delivery and Convenience Food Options
- Snacking and Healthy Eating Habits
- Concerns About Covid-19 Exposure Have Remained
- Most Still Consider the Pandemic A Health Threat Personally Or To Family/Friends
- Concerns About Covid-19 Variants
- Rising Prices During the Pandemic
- The Vast Majority of Consumers Have Noticed the Rising Cost of Food, and Many Are Changing their Purchasing Decisions
- Cutting Back On Household Expenses
- Food Shortages During the Pandemic
- Concerns About Food Shortages
- Stockpiling of Food and Beverage Items
- Negative Personal Effects of the Pandemic
- Negative Effects Reported in 2020 and 2021
- Continuing Mental and Physical Health Effects
- Stress Levels and Changes Made To Reduce Stress
- Pandemic Effects On Work
- Changes To Work Patterns Have Continued in 2021 and 2022
- in-Store Shopping Patterns
Chapter 3: Overview and Market Trends
- Highlights
- The Covid-19 Pandemic Was the Jumpstart the Online Grocery Market Needed
- Convenience the Ultimate Selling Point For Busy Consumers
- Us Online Grocery Shopping Well Behind Other Countries, But there Are Opportunities For Expansion and Continued Household Adoption
- Direct Sellers and Home Delivery Companies
- Dtc Companies Tackling Niche Health Food Markets With Meal Kits, Prepared Meals, and Online Grocery
- New Companies and Products With Niche Appeal May Choose Dtc Channels
- Subscriptions Save Consumers Money and Boost Sales
- Subscription Boxes As A Gift For Yourself Or Others
- Private Labels
- Brick and Mortar Stores Expanding and Promoting E-Commerce Options
- Retail Stores Rely More On Impulse Purchases
- Private Label Products Are A Driver of in-Store Traffic, Online Sales, and Retailer Loyalty
- Launching Online Grocery Shopping Via Third-Party Delivery Companies
- Expanding Direct Grocery Store Ordering Options
- “Dark Stores” Or Grocery Fulfillment Centers Can increase Operational Efficiency
- Third-Party Ordering Platforms Make offering Online Groceries Possible For independents
- Continuing Challenges To Online Grocery Services Satisfying Consumer Desires
- Pickup Can Solve the Last-Mile Problem
- Meal Kit Delivery Services
- Celebrity Endorsements Used As A Marketing Tactic
- Meal Kit Options Targeted At Specific Demographics and Diets
- increasingly offering Prepared ingredients To Save Time and Reduce Mess
- Meal Kits Are Not Just A Product – the Service Is Also Like A Home Cooking Class
- offering Meal Kits Without A Subscription/Via Stores
- Customization of Meals and Varying Levels of Preparation Required
- Lower Priced Meal Kits For Price-Sensitive Consumers
- Meal Delivery Services
- Convenient Meal Delivery Services Emphasizing Freshness and Healthy Foods
- Targeting Specialized Demographics
- Local and Regional Meal Delivery Companies Are Emphasizing Local ingredients and Compete With National Providers
- Customized Meal Delivery Catering To Special Diets and Weight Loss Plans
- Community Supported Agriculture and Farmers’ Markets
- Creating Online Marketplaces and Collaborating With Local Producers
- Csas Joining the Meal Kit Market Through Partnerships Or New Product offerings
- Concerns About Food Waste
- Most Consumers Are Concerned About Food Waste
- How Consumers Reduce Food Waste
- Imperfect Or “Ugly” Produce Has Become An Attractive Option For Consumers, But Food Waste Claims Are Being Re-Examined
Chapter 4: Market Size, Forecasts, and Historical Trends
- Highlights
- Scope
- Historical Online Grocery Market
- Share of the Market by Fulfillment Type
- Share of the Market by Retailer Category
- Share of the Market by Product Category
- Online Grocery Forecast
- Meal Kit Forecast
Chapter 5: Use of Food Ordering Methods and Online Food Purchases
- Highlights
- Use of Food Delivery and Pickup Options
- Most Consumers Have Used A Food Delivery Or Pickup Service in the Last 12 Months
- Strong Overlap Between Use of Services
- Purchases of Meal Kits and Prepared Meals from Retailers in the Last 12 Months
- Frequency of Using Convenient Food and Food Ordering Methods in the Last 3 Months
- Changes To the Frequency of Using Convenient Food and Food Ordering Methods Now Compared To 12 Months Ago
- Use of Online Grocery Ordering/Delivery Services
- Online Purchases of Alcoholic Beverages
- Use of Meal Kit Delivery Services
Chapter 6: Growth Opportunities
- Highlights
- Targeting Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation, Who Are Less Likely To Shop Online
- Online Grocery Shopping Can Solve Problems Faced by Older Consumers
- Meal Kits and Prepared Meals For Older Consumers
- Expansion of Meal Delivery Options For Children and Families
- Appealing To Customers Trying To Resist Impulse Buys
- Further Acceptance of the Outsourcing of individual Item Selection
- Label Readers Can Get Additional Product information Online
- Ai-Powered Voice Technology For increased Convenience
- Vr and Ar Shopping Experiences
- Artificial intelligence For Video Marketing, “Shoppable Videos”, and Improving the Shopping Experience
- Micro-Fulfillment Can Boost Profits and Delivery Speeds
- Robotics and Fulfillment Automation
- Delivery Via Drones Or Autonomous Vehicles
- Creating A Seamless Omnichannel Experience
- Target Special Occasions To interest infrequent Customers
- Offering Expiring/Clearance Items For Sale Online
- Meal Kits and Prepared Meal Delivery Services Can Reduce Food Waste At Home
Chapter 7: Online Grocery, Meal Kit, and Meal Delivery Service Providers
- Highlights
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Venture Capital Stimulating Startups, Though Consolidation Is Afoot As Some E-Grocers Are Struggling
- Online Grocery Market Share
- instacart
- Walmart
- Amazon
- Kroger
- Target
- Ahold Delhaize
- Meal Kit Delivery Services Market Share
- Hellofresh
- Home Chef
- Sunbasket
- Blue Apron
- Competing Products and Services
- Home Chef Services Compete With the Meal Kit and Meal Delivery Concept
- Restaurant Delivery from Third Parties
Chapter 8: Consumer Demographics
- Highlights
- Trends by Gender
- Trends by Age
- Patterns Based On Household income
- Regional Differences
- Urban, Suburban, and Rural Consumers
- Educational Attainment
- Employment Status
- Presence of Children in the Household and Marital/Partnership Status
- Race/Ethnicity
- Plant-Forward Consumers
Chapter 9: Consumer Psychographics
- Highlights
- Strong Overlap With Clean Label Ideals
