The Rise of Fresh Food
A lot has changed for the food service industry during COVID-19, including which trends gain traction with consumers. For example, online orders skyrocketed because of the ease, convenience and built-in social distance. When restaurants shut down, they refocused on takeout and delivery even if they never offered those services before. Other alternatives, like online stores, enabled more to safely make revenue. However, online food ordering wasn’t the only market that thrived this year: Fresh food is on the rise, too.
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
Why? In the past year and a half, people have become much more health-conscious. They’re supporting their immune and gut health since this pandemic has had people thinking about that. Fresh food is on the rise as they look for which options are best for their body. This also coincides with customers favoring businesses that take care of the planet. Fresh foods have a lower carbon footprint especially if you partner with local vendors to get the best seasonal products available. All of this provides a healthy meal with morals they can get behind.
As of June, online orders for fresh food have risen 200% and are still growing. This heavily indicates that the trend will continue throughout the recovery period and beyond. Get more online orders with cash back, loyalty programs, discounts when they go directly through you instead of a third party, and other incentives.
Sell More Online Orders
Ultimately, marketing always comes back to your brand. How do you differentiate yourself from all the other restaurants that boast fresh food? Maybe you’re a vegetarian joint that appeals to middle-class mid-twenties who have been asking for a specifically vegan menu, too. Maybe you’re known for having the juiciest, meatiest burger in town and now you want to serve some specials that call to a different crowd. Find your selling point and maximize it.
Typically, older Millennials and Gen Z spend more on online orders. In part, it’s probably because they’re familiar with technology but also because of the inherent convenience of it. If you have three kids and work full-time, it makes sense to order in for the family and keep them healthy, too.
Promote your new fresh food initiatives by advertising on your socials and websites about the changes. Any additions to your menu, new veggie-based dishes and anything else to do with your fresh food initiative will draw in new customers. Meanwhile, keep up with the latest and greatest technology on the market to manage your customer relationships, workforce and sales data.
The Future of Fresh Food
Make sure to incorporate fresh foods into your curbside and delivery menus. These may differ from what you offer for dine-in. Contactless dining is steadily growing the same as online ordering in general. That’s why keeping up with the latest technology is just as important for pushing more online sales for fresh food.
