Circana™, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, has officially published results from a new report, which brings forth the complete view of current food and beverage consumption trends, both at home and away from home. Named as “Eating Patterns in America,” the stated report basically highlights US residents’ growing interest in at-home dining over the past year. We get to say so because more than 86% of eating occasions were sourced from home. Now, while retail volumes have shown a modest amount of growth, foodservice traffic continues to remain under pressure. Having said so, substantial opportunities remain in both sectors, with American consumers spending nearly $1.7 trillion annually on food and beverages. More on the same would reveal how the results in question go ahead and deliver strategic insights for manufacturers, retailers, foodservice operators, and distributors who are currently aiming to better engage with their target consumers. Talk about the whole picture on a slightly deeper level, though, we must begin from Home-Centric Dining, where at-home food and beverage consumption steadily retains its significant share, a share which it had acquired back during pandemic. Furthermore, we would get to know that, irrespective of where meals were sourced, consumers ate 116 more meals at home over the past year than they did pre-pandemic. The reason behind is relayed to be rooted in fresh mobility patterns, inflationary pressures, and evolving attitudes around well-being that offer opportunities to craft retail solutions capable of helping consumers source meals, snacks, and beverages for both in-home and on-the-go occasions.
Next up, we get into the Daypart Disruption. Here, even though breakfast, lunch, and dinner remain the primary meal occasions, their composition, timing, and sources are now evolving to fit consumers’ daily routines. To expand upon the same, breakfast tends to start earlier, and on the other hand, mid-morning snacks away from home are also understood to be rising in popularity. Moving on, lunch has shifted significantly due to changes in workplace mobility, with lunchtime traffic falling to about half of pre-pandemic levels. Among other details, we ought to mention that snack consumption is growing, as consumers’ preference for quick bites or meal replacements over larger meals is climbing up at a significant rate.
“Despite easing inflation, consumers continue to face cumulative impact of several years of rising prices and ongoing economic challenges,” said David Portalatin, senior vice president and industry advisor of Food and Foodservice at Circana. “With dining out costing four times more than eating at home, many are cutting back on restaurant visits. Meal patterns have shifted as consumers spend more time at home and adapt to new daily rhythms. However, convenience and health remain top priorities, with consumers willing to spend on products offering added benefits, especially in the beverage space, where innovation is rising to meet these demands.”
The last piece of highlight to emerge from Circana’s report would be Beverage Innovation. In essence, over the last year or so, beverage consumption has surged, particularly among coffee, carbonated soft drinks, and functional beverages. Such an uptick, on its part, is adjudged to be driven by manufacturers’ innovations aimed at addressing evolving consumer needs. You see, today’s beverages cater to various functional requirements, including hydration, energy, and nutrition. Within the wider ecosystem, though, it’s coffee which remains a daily staple for many, offering both comfort and an energy boost. Joining the mix are carbonated drinks that continue to be popular for their refreshing qualities. On top of it, functional beverages are also gaining traction for their augmented benefits, such as vitamins, electrolytes, and other health-enhancing ingredients. The last metric, markedly enough, indicates a broader movement towards beverages that serve as both enjoyable and functional components of daily life.
Founded in 2023, Circana’s quick rise up the ranks stems from being a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior. The company, in order to do that, leverages superior technology, advanced analytics, cross-industry data, and deep expertise, thus empowering more than 7,000 of the world’s leading brands and retailers to take action and unlock business growth.
