The meal kit segment is heating up, with a handful of startups jostling for a spot on the front verandah via IPOs, vertical integration, and marketing know-how.
Meal kits are the fastest-growing category in the grocery e-commerce market, attracting time-poor families through to career-focused couples and millennials seeking more confidence in the kitchen.
The most prominent players in Australia are currently Marley Spoon (with its new budget-friendly alternative Dinnerly), HelloFresh, and Thomas Farms Kitchen, all of which are coming up with new ways to make headway in the sector.
Globally, the meal kit market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 21 per cent between now and 2022, according to technology research and advisory company Technavio.
The convenience trend is a big driver of market maturity, as meal kits save consumers time in planning and shopping for groceries.
Meal kits also take consumers outside of their comfort zones in terms of ingredients and preparation techniques. Most come with easy-to-follow recipes, cooking tips, as well as the exact amount of ingredients required to prepare the meal, in a convenient, pre-packaged box.
Marley Spoon has made some big moves in Australia over the last year, starting with the launch in March of its budget meal kit service, Dinnerly, which it describes as “the world’s cheapest meal kit”.
