Trends report: Food and groceries
7 in 10 consumers say delivery is a permanent part of their life today
In the first six months of 2022 in the region, ₱27,900 the largest single GrabMart order made. In its newly released food and grocery delivery trend report, Grab has also come up with these other findings.
Delivery life is here to stay.
Seven in 10 consumers say deliveries are a permanent part of their life today because they like the convenience and immediacy of these services, especially when they have to prepare for social gatherings. In fact, consumers use delivery so much that one in three has committed to a delivery subscription plan.
Filipino consumers are ordering more frequently, and spending more per order.
Average basket sizes have expanded by 84 percent on GrabFood and GrabMart. Young families with children are the most avid users, ordering food delivery at least five times per month, and groceries at least seven times per month.
Food delivery platforms have become the new search engine.
Most people (74 percent) don’t know what to eat, and spend about 17 minutes browsing the app before making an order. Of respondents, 88 percent said they got to know of a new merchant because of delivery apps.
Fried chicken steals the number one spot for orders on GrabFood, with close to 55,000 orders of fried chicken made every day.
Consumers are spending more of their online time on food.
Nine in 10 read reviews and pre-purchase vouchers online, eight in 10 make reservations and buy takeaway online, and seven in 10 make dine-in orders and payment online. The food and beverage experience is becoming more digitalized.
Consumers value a personal touch.
Ninety percent of consumers said they are more likely to order from merchants that allow customization. Consumers also spend 15 percent more on average on merchants that let them customize orders to their taste.
Grab also looked at how eating habits in the Philippines have changed and here are some of the findings
Healthy and plant-based alternatives are not a fad.
Of Filipino consumers, 92 percent eat at least one healthy meal every two to three days, and almost two out of five consumers have tried plant-based alternatives in the last six months. No wonder demand for healthy meals on GrabFood shot up 12 times, and health and wellness sales grew two times on GrabMart.
Snacking is no longer a solo but a group activity.
With workplaces reopening, over 74 percent of Filipino consumers said they tend to order snacks for more than one person each time.
Last year also brought on new food favorites for Filipino consumers. Here are some of them.
- Fried chicken steals the number one spot for orders on GrabFood, with close to 55,000 orders of fried chicken made every day.
- Filipinos has rekindled their love for halo-halo, with orders of this sweet treat growing by 80 percent in 2022 compared to the year before.
- Instant food and milk products are a must-have in a Filipino household. Instant noodles, canned food, milk, cultured milk as well as evaporated milk and cream were among the top 10 most ordered items on GrabMart.
- Filipinos, being the region’s biggest party hosts, have also ordered a lot of carbonated drinks. Carbonated drink orders shot up by 50 percent compared to the year before.
“With the latest Food and Grocery Trends report, we’ve seen how GrabFood and GrabMart have continued to find a place in the lives of Filipinos by conveniently giving them their needs and wants. Whether it’s from lunch with officemates, dinner for the family after a long day of work, or even groceries delivered, we’re happy we’re able to maximize the Grab platform to be part of our fellow Filipinos’ daily routine,” says Anton Bautista, Grab Philippines head of deliveries and business development.
What do these trends mean for food and grocery businesses? Here are some tips for businesses and consumers.
- On-demand delivery is not going away. Join a platform to capture more sales opportunities.
- Make your store stand out from the crowd by investing in food photography and advertising. Don’t forget that most consumers open the delivery app without any restaurant or store in mind.
- Cater to young families who rely on deliveries most to save time and the hassle of cooking. Appeal to parents in order to tap into this segment of heavy users.
- Offer a variety of add-ons such as appetizers, desserts, and drinks. Consumers are constantly looking for ways to hit minimum spend for delivery promotions, especially those on subscription packs.
- Demand spikes during festive seasons. Offer bundle meals, sharing platters and finger food, which are especially popular for large gatherings.
- With snacking on the rise, take advantage of off-peak and tea time cravings to grow overall demand.