Meal Kits … Repurposing the Food Business
Benefits of meal kits
- The offer a better nutritional choice as some meal kit providers have dieticians and nutritionists on-board to make food selection on the basis of recommended daily requirements
- They are a very convenient option since they nullify the need for compromising on ingredients; saves time on recipe searching, list-making and the grocery store run; and is largely hassle-free
- These are an absolute boon for those dread the clean-up which follows cooking a new dish
- Supports the human tendency to try new things instead of cooking the same thing and staying stuck in a rut
- Feeds into the joy of cooking and proclaiming – “I made it myself”
- They provide the perfect portions
- They boost the ‘eat-at-home’ concept
- They facilitate access to exotic recipes and ingredients
- They can also cater to various diet palates – organic, vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, paleo et al
Drawbacks of meal kits
- The cost of meal kits may prove to be a major constraint for economic households
- As this industry is still in its nascent stages there’s a lack of options to choose from in terms of players
- All those cardboard boxes with insulation, disposable ice packs and plastic or paper bags which are a part-and-parcel of meal kits maximize your carbon footprint
- As precise measurement is the key factor in meal kits, there’s practically no room for left-overs; so in case you are planning to feed your maid or your pet; or even keep some aside as a roll-over for the next day you’d better throw that idea out of the kitchen window
- Stifles culinary creativity
- Has less shelf-time so cooking upon receipt is a mandate
Challenges for meal kit providers
Meal kits continue to be a novel concept in countries like India. So, while those who can cook will continue to cook, there are others who would rather opt for placing online orders from food-service apps.
Moreover the DIY meal kit model brings in multiple logistic and infrastructural challenges like –end-to-end tracking of the kit; shelf life; competition from restaurants and the home chef segment; adhering to strict and uniform quality standards.
Another monumental test is meeting the ever-evolving expectations of the customer. But lessons from early market players are turning out to be quite enlightening. Simple things like providing exclusive, personalized menus with fresh ingredients along with a host of options coupled with a quick cooking experience and seamless delivery can definitely ensure a recurring customer base.
With people still a tad wary about sit-in meals at an establishment the concept of a DIY meal kit is in a very favourable position. As time goes it would be very interesting to observe how restaurants are reacting to this new opportunity and whether they too are looking to venture into this new trend.
Meal Kits … Repurposing the Food Business
The pandemic has rung in radical change in various sectors, and restaurants too are no exception.
There’s an oft-quoted adage ‘Change is the universal law of nature’, mankind learnt the true meaning of this proverb in the past ten months! With the entire household restricted within the four walls during the various phases of the lockdown and no access to their favourite food joint; and loved ones overburdened with work due to absence of domestic help each member pitched in to do his/her own bit. So while someone was experimenting with cooking, yet another was trying his hand at cleaning utensils, dusting and mopping, washing clothes et al.
The upside to this was that many people realized their hitherto latent skills especially with regards to cooking and baking!
During the unlock process restaurants opened up but didn’t attract footfall due to multiple reasons – primarily the fear of contracting the virus restricted people from dining in public spaces. Secondly, the erratic announcements from the authorities regarding the closing times were another deterrent. Thirdly, many household budgets had gone for a toss during the lockdown as many professionals had faced either a job loss or downsized salaries. Lastly, a sense of guilt held back many people from eating out as it seemed crass to be catering to one’s sense of culinary adventure when a large segment of humanity had suffered the worst impact of the pandemic in terms of - loss of life, health or livelihoods.
Food entrepreneurs brought to the fore their out-of-the-box thinking and tapped DIY in the new normal. With everyone wanting to try their hand at whipping up delicacies but handicapped with the pedagogy and the ingredients, meal kits emerged as a brand new avenue of business.
What are meal kits?
Meal kits basically comprise of instructions and ingredients to cook a meal - primarily meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, sauces and spices. Consumers mix the ingredients and cook the meal according to the instructions provided.
An informal market recce suggests that the global meal kit delivery service market is expected to be worth $8.94 billion by 2025.
