UNITED STATES - Grocery stores have begun blending restaurant offerings into their formats, so why wouldn’t meal kits look to restaurants to revive the sector? Mike Sula of Food Fanatics Magazine detailed what this might look like in a piece featured on US Foods’ website. 

“Industry experts say the subscription model has worn thin, while the novelty has worn out among millennials who see dinner as a last-minute decision,” he articulates in the post. “The restaurant industry has a distinct advantage. Independent operators, large and small, are building on unique concepts, loyal followers, and nimble social media marketing to reach customers who’d love to eat their food, off-premise, in the comfort of their own mental (and physical) pajamas.”

As meal kit companies shift their focus, could the blend of grab-and-go meals be incorporated into the world of chefs and restaurant owners?

Sula cites several restaurants that have taken to building grab-and-go meals in house, which busy customers simply swing by and pick up. Rather than have to assemble the meals once they’ve arrived home, they’re ready to eat. Some chefs create meals that the customer assembles after purchase, offering a similar format to that of HelloFresh or Blue Apron.

For an in-depth look on meal kits blending with restaurants, click here. 

As for its success, this depends, as most things do, on getting to know your market and what those consumers want. As we look to the latest on how foodservice may change, in the next few years and beyond, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

US Foods