Convenience can cash in with hot breakfast options
NOTHING hits the spot quite like a hot breakfast.
Yes, overnight oats are an Instagram sensation. Sure, a fry-up every day isn’t good for anyone’s health, but who doesn’t enjoy a little morning indulgence from time to time?
According to Kerry Foods director Dawn Spencer, only about 9% of people will turn their nose up at a full fry, with a recent YouGov survey finding 81% of British consumers enjoy a full-brekkie.
95%
Breakfast is eaten by 95% of consumers in the UK, a figure that has risen by 6.9% over the last four years.
Kerry Foods has no shortage of cooked breakfast options, thanks to its Richmond sausage brand, which has been bolstered by NPD that Spencer suggested is right on-trend.
Spencer acknowledged that today’s consumer does seek out healthier options at breakfast, but she suggested there is still plenty of room for sausages at the breakfast table.
“Consumers are now looking for healthier options to complement their lifestyles, choices and diets, and want a broader range of food to choose from.
“As a result there has been a surge in interest in healthier proteins. Millennial consumers account for 23% of all breakfast consumers, and they especially are seeking health benefits at breakfast,” she said.
“Richmond is leading the charge here, tapping into this growing trend with its low in fat Chicken Sausage range.
“We’ve also expanded this range to include Richmond Thin Chicken Sausages, which sit alongside our existing Thick Chicken and Frozen options.
“Coming in at just 48 calories a sausage, the Thin Chicken Sausage is ideal for those looking for a lighter alternative and a versatile ingredient.
28.8%
More than one in four (28.8%) consumers will pick up a grab-and-go breakfast from a c-store on occasion. – Kepak Consumer Foods.
“This latest launch supports our ambition to champion chicken and give families additional options to enjoy leaner, healthier proteins as part of a balanced diet.”
Healthier options appeal to millennial consumers, and with competition from weekend brunch spots, have c-store breakfasts had their chips?
Not according to Spencer.
“What retailers can offer that restaurants can’t is choice,” she said.
“As we know, we live in a world where consumers are inundated by options and therefore the limitations of a menu may not appeal to everyone.”
Sausages might still play well with shoppers who are prepared to create their perfect breakfast at home, but what about those in a hurry?
“Retailers can target shoppers by grouping breakfast items together, therefore when consumers enter the store, they are able to easily obtain everything they will need to create the perfect breakfast.
“This could include a range of popular food such a sausages, bacon and eggs. Grouping items together will create an easy shopping experience and increase sales as customers are encouraged to buy more products than originally intended.”– Dawn Spencer,
director, Kerry Foods.
Enter Kepak Consumer Foods, where shopper marketing manager Monisha Singh reckons the allure of a hot convenient breakfast can prove to be a powerful draw for c-stores.
“Food to go breakfast has grown in prevalence over the past year with an increase in buying frequency for this key occasion.
Research conducted by Kepak shows breakfast consumers want the ‘quick option’ that will ‘fill me up’ so decision making is generally highly impulsive.
“Rustlers’ entry into breakfast has been a driving force behind the growth we’ve seen over the past year within the convenience channel,” she said.
Singh may think Rustlers All Day Breakfast Sausage Muffin is a great breakfast option, but can it win over the quinoa crowd?
Perhaps, as Singh suggested that health considerations may slip back a bit when shoppers are on the hunt for a hot breakfast.
90%
Over 90% of the UK’s breakfasts are eaten at home.
“While health is a key consideration at breakfast, with consumers often choosing options that are nutritious, have a slow release of energy and leave them feeling full until lunch, research shows different rules apply when it comes to hot breakfast,” she said.
“Compared to habitual breakfasts, a hot breakfast is deemed a treat to be enjoyed, which can be comforting and indulgent while offering a break from the normal breakfast routine.
“Weekend hot breakfasts focus on the experience, with time to connect with others and eat an indulgent meal, whereas weekday hot breakfasts are convenience led and usually eaten alone as part of a busy morning routine.”
For c-store retailers then, one of the keys to hot breakfast success is speed, with the to-go mission presenting independent retailers with an incremental sales opportunity according to Singh.
81%
Of British consumers enjoy a full cooked breakfast. – Kerry Foods
“Research conducted by Kepak shows breakfast consumers want the ‘quick option’ that will ‘fill me up,’ so decision making is generally highly impulsive.
“Whilst quick hot breakfast has been well served by the High Street quick-serve restaurant market in the past, retailers have taken the opportunity to win a generous share of this, with Rustlers support.
“Although people in the UK are happy to cook and eat at home, the on-the-go breakfast option is growing to satisfy the busy lifestyle of the millennial generation and families with young children.
“This highlights the need for breakfast products which can provide a convenient, quick and easy solution, with 28.8% of time-short consumers using convenience store grab and go at breakfast time.”
