Global Perishable Prepared Food Market describes any food item which has been cooked, processed, or otherwise prepared and which is susceptible to spoilage or decay. Bakery and deli foods cover a huge spectrum of items such as fresh salads, sandwiches, deli meats, dairy products, and cooked meals. These foods usually need to be kept in refrigerators or other conditions, which include adversity to temperature changes to maintain their quality and safety for being consumed. In summary, prepared foods with perishable ingredients are generally composed of ingredients that can cause bacterial growth and or deterioration due to enzymatic process; hence if not kept correctly it can become rotten. This led to stringent regulations for manufacturers in the areas of production, packaging, labeling and transportation so as to guarantee consumer safety and lower the risk of foodborne diseases.

North American countries, but especially the U.S. market, are the leading players in the market for freshly prepared food, a segment within the food industry that is focused on offering fresh and ready-to-eat meals. This dominance stems mainly from the adoption of those lifestyle factors, including convenience culture, wide fridge and transport experience coverage, as well as store chains which are specialized in food for immediate consumption. In US there was a big market portion occupied by food stores, fast-food stores and food chains such as fast-casual restaurants. There all present you with the largest options in salads, sandwiches, ready-made meals and the vegetarian food. Another point that has helped is the fact that the food delivery services available online have also grown the market by offering convenient ways of purchasing perishable prepared foods directly from different restaurants and food stalls.

Player Names

• AdvancePierre Foods (United States)
• Bakkavör Group (United Kingdom)
• Campbell Soup Company (United States)
• ConAgra (United States)
• Fleury Michon (France)
• General Mills (United States)
• Hormel Foods Corporation (United States)
• Kraft Heinz (United States)
• McCain Foods (Canada)
• Nestlé (Switzerland)
• Nomad Foods (United Kingdom)
• Ready Pac (United States)
• Reser’s Fine Foods (United States)
• Taylor Fresh Foods (United States)
• Tyson Foods (United States)

Segment Analysis

1. By Type

• Cut Fruits and Vegetables
• Processed Food
• Prepared Meals
• Other

2. By Application

• Food
• Snacks
• Intermediate Products
• Other

Market Drivers

Lifestyle has become so hectic and more and more families with two incomes have grown. That has resulted in the rise of demand in the market for convenient meals options. Consumers get ready-to-eat or quick ready perishable foods that require no effort to cook. Also, the bought foods might be prepared in minutes. The health awareness levels among consumers have been continuously rising aiding in the demand for healthier and fresher food products. Perishability seems to be no more a hurdle for brands that bring out their range of readymade nutritious and pure foods without artificial additives. As a result of urbanization there are fewer people in the households, and the number of single person households has been increasing. This type of family units tends to be more inclined towards small portion sizes and foods that are easy to prepare. Along with that, our senior population with varied diets will be the cause of what will be consumed to a large extent in the perishable prepared foods.

Market Trends

Customers are becoming much more of food explorers; all are looking for diverse and really authentic flavors from all over the world. The food producers concerned by consumer tendency to discover new cultures and try the country’s food, as a result, responding by providing a wide range of ethnic cuisines to suit the interest of the consumers. Consumers want to have at least some control of their experience even if the product is already prepared. These have resulted in adoption of prepackaged meal kits or prepared food services, wherein the customers are able to make their own choice of ingredients, portion sizes and to personalize their dietary needs. Technology is a key enabler of customization progress in how we order online or via app. Environmental considerations are prompting the urge in global market of perishable prepared food due to the preferences of consumers. Customers have high expectations concerning the environmental sustainability of packaging materials as well as the origin of the ingredients coming from responsibly sourced places and the environmental production methods. Businesses look into reducing wastage down the line of supply and opening channels for a wider range of plastic-free packaging options.

Market Challenges

Consistency of quality across batches, complying with food safety regulations and avoiding of health issues is of utmost importance. This requires very high quality-control set up right at the beginning of production, when you source ingredients, as well as further on down the line with packaging and distribution. Taking processed food as an example, prepared foods with short shelf-lives are often perishable and hence have a shorter usage compared to the non-perishable. Therefore, it is necessary that enterprises lowering their inventories keep the stock in shape but at the same discarding the items before the term of their useful life gets lost. With regard to food safety compliance regulation, businesses in the prepared food perishable sector are facing the biggest obstacles. Brand new laws have been introduced for management, processing and marking of food products and failure to abide by these laws could cost huge fines and possibly, destroy the company’s reputation. The harvest of many of the perishables must go through a seasonal cycle, so the schedule is given by nature and by the consumer demand. Thus, such foods are seasonal. Companies should carefully plan their production schedules as well as manage their inventories to make them more flexible whereas demand in the market is fluctuating from time to time.

Market Opportunities

The urbanization has resulted in people living in small apartments with busy schedules thereby making cooking from scratch very hectic. Therefore, urban residents tend to incline to buy more pre-packaged meals that are prepared for the freshness required and less time consuming than cooking from scratch. Technologically enhanced food processing equipment, packaging and distribution possess the ability to manufacture fresh prepared foods which have extended shelf life that have not compromised on the quality or taste. Consequently, e-commerce has not only broadened management off premade products to traditional storefronts but also has grown to include meal delivery services. E-commerce websites and dalivery services being on-demand now have transformed the way we acquire fresh ready meals in the last few days. The usage of online platforms would help the companies to reach the wider audience and provide them the convenience for deliveries, thereby meeting the demand for meal delivery services.

Regulatory Factors

The FDA are the entities that must regulate food safety as well as food labeling in most unprocessed and processed foods. These set standards for food processing, packaging, and labeling, so that the consumer gets healthy food items and avoids becoming easy prey of unethical producers and suppliers. This intergovernmental organization, established by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO), designs and develops food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice; these are applied for the purpose of the consumers’ health protection and fair practices in trade. Their recommendations often expand to the level of the relevant national authority, regarding prepared foods that have shelf-life limits. In case with China, the occupation of the CFDA is to be concerned with commercial food safety and quality, particularly meat and poultry products, thanks to inspection authorization and regulations.

Competitive Landscape

The Global Perishable Prepared Food Market is with major key players such as Nestlé, Tyson Foods, Hormel Foods Corporation, Campbell Soup Company, Nomad Foods. The competitive space among prime players in the perishable prepared food market is mainly grounded on product quality, innovation, distribution network, and brand recognition. Ultimately, quality is a key factor, as people who buy their food strive for freshness, taste, and in great health. Companies of innovation in product such as new tastes, healthy options and convenient packaging are the one which differentiate them and easily attract the consumers. The logistic diagram with fresh products distribution is one of the crucial components to be delivered on time to all the retailer and customers. Recognition of the brand and its reputation is another factor that can greatly impact the decisions that people make about which brand it will choose because consumers often prefer the familiar brands that those trust. Further, the key determinants being pricing, promotional as well as the responsiveness to the consumer’s preferences play a major role in gaining a competitive edge in this dynamic market.