Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
- Rice and noodles drive value growth
-
- Figure 1: Forecast of UK retail value sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2013-23
- Deflation in dry pasta hits value sales
-
- Figure 2: UK retail value sales of pasta, rice and noodles, by segment, 2016-18
- People limiting carbs is having a mixed impact on the market
- World cuisines are a big influence on the market
- Companies and brands
- Napolina benefits from range development
- Own-label makes value gains in rice
- Batchelor’s leads in noodles
- Leading three brands grow sales in pot snacks
- More products reference fibre and protein
- Leading manufacturers fuel activity in instant rice pots
- The consumer
- Vast majority of people eat pasta and rice
-
- Figure 3: Usage of pasta, rice, noodles, couscous and grains, November 2017 and November 2018
- Pasta, rice and noodle meals are widely seen as money saving
- Fibre content is important but four in 10 looking for less carbs
-
- Figure 4: Behaviours relating to pasta, rice and noodles, November 2018
- Pasta buying focuses on convenience and price
-
- Figure 5: Factors influencing choice when buying pasta, November 2018
- Branded pasta faces tough battle against own-label
-
- Figure 6: Attitudes towards pasta, November 2018
- Ease of use is top consideration for rice
-
- Figure 7: Factors influencing choice when buying rice, November 2018
- Packaging improvements appeal in rice
-
- Figure 8: Attitudes towards rice, November 2018
- Noodles need to be quick to cook/prepare
-
- Figure 9: Factors influencing choice when buying noodles, November 2018
- Focus on nutrition is important for driving sales
-
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards noodles, November 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- Promoting nutritional benefits will help keep carbs on the menu
- The facts
- The implications
- Both value and added-value messages can be leveraged to encourage usage
- The facts
- The implications
- Packaging developments for rice should focus on materials and ease of use
- The facts
- The implications
- Focus on flavour development and authenticity will help boost noodles
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Rice and noodles drive value growth
- Inflation expected to boost sales over next five years
- Deflation in dry pasta hits value sales
- Rice sales continue to show growth
- Pot snacks and noodles sales continue to grow
- People limiting carbs is having a mixed impact on the market
- Promoting fibre content will help sales
- World cuisines are a big influence on the market
- Population growth means more users for the high penetration market
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Rice and noodles drive value growth
-
- Figure 11: UK retail value and volume sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2013-23
- Inflation expected to boost total value sales
-
- Figure 12: Forecast of UK retail value sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2013-23
-
- Figure 13: Forecast of UK retail volume sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2013-23
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
-
- Deflation in dry pasta hits value sales
-
- Figure 14: UK retail value and volume sales of pasta, by segment, 2016-18
- Rice sales continue to show growth
-
- Figure 15: UK retail value and volume sales of rice, by segment, 2016-18
- Pot snack and noodles sales continue to grow
-
- Figure 16: UK retail value and volume sales of instant pot snacks and noodles, by segment, 2016-18
Market Drivers
-
- Interest in healthy eating is an important driver of meal choices
- People limiting carbs is having a mixed impact on the market
- Promoting fibre content will help sales
- Room to tap more into interest in protein
- World cuisines are a big influence on the market
- Growing population will mean more users for the high penetration market
-
- Figure 17: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-23
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
-
- Napolina benefits from range development
- Own-label makes value gains in rice
- Batchelor’s leads in noodles
- Leading three brands grow sales in pot snacks
- More products reference fibre and protein
- Vegetables and pulses also cater for interest in more fibre
- Numerous launches bring fibre and protein together
- Leading manufacturers fuel activity in instant rice pots
- Snack pots attract more premium launches
- Expanding choice of flavours and grains in rice
Market Share
-
- Napolina benefits from range development
-
- Figure 18: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK pasta market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
- Own-label makes value gains in rice
-
- Figure 19: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK rice market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
- Batchelor’s leads in noodles
-
- Figure 20: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK noodles market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
- Leading three brands grow sales in pot snacks
-
- Figure 21: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK pot snacks market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
Start-ups and Disruptors – Case Studies
-
- Seamore
- What is it?
- Founded:
- Company mission statement:
- Founder’s story:
- Mintel analyst view
- Product information
-
- Figure 22: Seamore, product list, 2019
- Media profile
-
- Figure 23: Social media metrics for Seamore as of January 2019
- The brand’s view
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Pasta accounts for biggest share of new launches
-
- Figure 24: Share of new product launches in the UK pasta, rice and noodles market, by segment, 2014-18
- More products reference fibre and protein
- Operators must go beyond wholegrain to tap into consumer interest in fibre content
- Stronger communication of fibre content is needed to add value to wholegrain
-
- Figure 25: Perception map of attribute performance of wholegrain rice in comparison to non-wholegrain rice in the UK rice market, April 2018-January 2019
- Recent launches pair wholegrain with flavourings, convenience and ‘supergrains’
-
- Figure 26: Examples of new products making wholegrain claims in pasta and rice, 2018
- Vegetables and pulses also cater for interest in more fibre
-
- Figure 27: Examples of new products in pasta made from vegetables and pulses making high/added fibre claims, 2018
- Numerous launches bring fibre and protein together for an elevated health proposition
- Recent launches highlighting protein range from Napolina to Genius and CarbZone
-
- Figure 28: Examples of new products making fibre, protein and gluten-free claims in pasta, 2018
- Noodles see more high/added protein claims
-
- Figure 29: Examples of new noodle products making high/added protein claims, 2018
- Snack pots are a big focus of launch activity as Unilever and Napolina target the convenience segment
- Unilever, Napolina and Symington’s fuel activity in instant rice pots
-
- Figure 30: Examples of launches of instant rice pots, 2018
- Snack pots attract more premium launches
-
- Figure 31: Examples of new launches of instant snack pots with a more premium positioning, 2018
- Premium pasta maintains long-standing focus on provenance and bronze die
-
- Figure 32: Examples of bronze die pasta launches, 2018
- Expanding choice of flavours and grain combinations hopes to keep rice on-trend
-
- Figure 33: Examples of new flavour launches in rice, 2018
- Convenience is a big driver but also packaging concerns
-
- Figure 34: Examples of instant pasta and rice launches, 2018
Advertising and Marketing Activity
-
- Advertising spending continues to fall
-
- Figure 35: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on rice, pasta and noodles*, 2015-18
- Mars cuts support for Uncle Ben’s rice
- Tilda celebrates diversity of British food culture
- Mug Shot targets female office workers and busy mums
-
- Figure 36: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on rice, pasta and noodles, by advertiser, 2015-18
- Napolina partners with ITV and Gino D’Acampo
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Vast majority of people eat pasta and rice
- Pasta, rice and noodle meals are widely seen as money saving
- Fibre content is important but four in 10 looking for less carbs
- Pasta buying focuses on convenience and price
- Branded pasta faces tough battle against own-label
- Ease of use is top consideration for rice
- Packaging improvements appeal in rice
- Noodles need to be quick to cook/prepare
- Focus on nutrition is important for driving sales
Usage of Pasta, Rice and Noodles
-
- Vast majority of people eat pasta and rice
-
- Figure 37: Usage of pasta, rice, noodles, couscous and grains, November 2017 and November 2018
- Dry pasta and rice most widely eaten
-
- Figure 38: Frequency of eating pasta, rice, noodles and grains, November 2018
- Nearly six in 10 use microwavable rice
- Noodles, including pot snacks, have younger appeal
Behaviours Relating to Pasta, Rice and Noodles
-
- Pasta, rice and noodle meals are widely seen as money saving
- Recreating restaurant dishes appeals to most pasta/rice/noodles’ users
-
- Figure 39: Behaviours relating to pasta, rice and noodles, November 2018
- Fibre content is important but four in 10 looking for less carbs
- Fibre content chimes with carb limiters
- Wholegrain holds limited appeal despite the high interest in fibre
- Vegetables are a source of competition and an opportunity
Factors Influencing Choice of Pasta
-
- Pasta buying focuses on convenience and price
- Notable trading up opportunities, more scope to play up speed
-
- Figure 40: Factors influencing choice when buying pasta, November 2018
- A minority look for wheat/wholegrain or high protein
Attitudes towards Pasta
-
- Branded pasta faces tough battle against own-label
-
- Figure 41: Attitudes towards pasta, November 2018
- Added flavours and nutrients offer differentiation
- High interest in fortification
Factors Influencing Choice of Rice
-
- Ease of use is top consideration for rice
-
- Figure 42: Factors influencing choice when buying rice, November 2018
- Recipe choice is a big driver of rice purchased
Attitudes towards Rice
-
- Packaging improvements appeal in rice
- Strong demand for easier-to-use formats
- Helping users to portion rice chimes widely
-
- Figure 43: Italiamo Arborio Risotto Rice with measurement lines on-pack, December 2018
- Risk of single-serve packaging backlash
-
- Figure 44: Attitudes towards rice, November 2018
Factors Influencing Choice of Noodles
-
- Noodles need to be quick to cook/prepare
-
- Figure 45: Factors influencing choice when buying noodles, November 2018
- Flavoured/added ingredients offer differentiation
Attitudes towards Noodles
-
- Focus on nutrition is important for driving sales
- High protein content appeals to more than half of noodle users
-
- Figure 46: Attitudes towards noodles, November 2018
- Strong interest in kits for making soups/broths with noodles
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
-
- Forecast methodology
-
- Figure 47: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2018-23
- Figure 48: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of pasta, rice and noodles, 2018-23
Appendix – Market Share
-
-
- Figure 49: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK pasta market, by value and volume, 2017 and 2018
- Figure 50: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK rice market, by value and volume, 2017 and 2018
-
- Figure 51: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK noodles market, by value and volume, 2017 and 2018
- Figure 52: Leading manufacturers’ sales and shares in the UK pot snacks market, by value and volume, 2017 and 2018
-
Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
-
-
- Figure 53: New product launches in the pasta market*, by claim, 2014-18
- Figure 54: New product launches in the rice market*, by claim, 2014-18
-
- Figure 55: New product launches in the noodles market*, by claim, 2014-18
- Figure 56: Attribute performance of wholegrain rice in comparison to non-wholegrain rice in the UK rice market, April 2018-January 2019
-
Back to top