Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The insights
- Planning ahead too far doesn’t pay off
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- Figure 1: Frequency of cooking planned meals, deciding what to cook last minute, and ordering in or going out for a meal, November 2019
- The need for shortcuts is real but Canadians want to feel involved
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- Figure 2: Select attitudes towards meal planning and making prepared meals (% agree), November 2019
- Grocery stores come into the meal planning game too late in consumers’ minds
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- Figure 3: Attitudes towards grocery retailers and meal ideas, November 2019
- The opportunities
- Adoption of small kitchen appliances remains a fresh opportunity amongst moms
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- Figure 4: Cooking activities (at least once per week), mothers vs overall, November 2019
- Quick means quick in Quebec thanks to a different orientation towards eating
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- Figure 5: Cooking involvement level for preparing weeknight meals at least once a week (NET), Quebec vs overall, November 2019
- Click-and-collect of raw ingredients is a good way to attract suburbanites
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- Figure 6: Cooking involvement level for preparing weeknight meals at least once a week (NET), suburban vs urban, November 2019
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Time pressures are cooking Canadians
- Planning and prep solutions need to mature with an aging population
- Tighter financial times will drive more to cook at home
Market Factors
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- Time pressures are real
- Work days are getting longer
- More parents, led by moms, are working full-time
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- Figure 7: Employment status of couple families with at least one child aged under 16, 1976 and 2015
- Commutes are getting longer for working Canadians
- Canadians have a positive mindset but feel the squeeze
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- Figure 8: Perception of work-life balance and time savings attitudes and behaviours, January 2019
- The double shift still exists for moms and meal prep is a top challenge
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- Figure 9: Mom survival, April 2018
- More range in meal planning and prep solutions needed as Canada ages
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- Figure 10: Population aged 0-14 and 65+, 1995-2035*
- Shifting demographics mean more marketing opportunities for meal prep-related companies
- Economic factors will foster more focus on home cooking
- Financial confidence softens due to uncertainty
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- Figure 11: Perception of financial health, January/February 2016-19
- Figure 12: How extra money is spent, January 2018 and 2019
- Home-based options will be more attractive thanks to rising food prices
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- Figure 13: Monthly movement in selected components of the Canadian Consumer Price Index, seasonally adjusted, January 2015-December 2019
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Printed cookbooks have staying power
- The Instant Pot continues to win
- The emotions associated with cooking and planning are at odds
- Canadians cook what they know; this is a challenge for ‘new’ solutions
- Opportunity exists to give centre of store a refresh
- Tech finds a way to lend an actual helping hand
What’s Cooking?
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- Printed cookbooks continue to remain a staple resource
- Canadian women continue to turn to printed cookbooks
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- Figure 14: Sources for meal ideas, by gender, November 2019
- Influencers continue to use cookbooks as part of their marketing mix
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- Figure 15: What’s Gaby Cooking Instagram post, January 2020
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- Figure 16: Chrissy Teigen Instagram post, December 2019
- Figure 17: Welcome!, November 2019
- Cookbooks are connecting with home cooks of all ages
- Fool-proof kitchen appliances are winning – starring the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot’s impact on the small kitchen appliances segment is being felt
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- Figure 18: Instant Pot Instagram post, January 2020
- Success lies in reducing tasks…
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- Figure 19: Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken and Rice, November 2018
- …as well as allowing for multitasking
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- Figure 20: Instant Pot Smart WiFi – Getting to Know Your Smart WiFi, November 2018
What’s Growing Cold?
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- Cooking vs planning, it’s a bit of a love-hate relationship
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- Figure 21: Emotional aspects associated with cooking (% agree), September 2018
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- Figure 22: ‘Meal planning is stressful’ (% agree), 18-34s and parents with under-18s at home vs overall, November 2019
- Consider partnerships with already existing apps that work with what they have
- A note on meal kits: yes, there’s opportunity, but adoption is low
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- Figure 23: Meal kit usage and intent, May 2018
- Canadian home cooks tend to be creatures of comfort
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- Figure 24: Preference for cooking with familiar recipes and usage of same seasonings/spices (% agree), by cooking segments, September 2018
- Consider ways to make the ‘new’ a little more familiar and accessible
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- Figure 25: Instant Pot Instagram post, January 2020
- Figure 26: McCormick Instagram post, November 2019
- Giving the centre-of-store items a fresh take
- The image of shelf-stable or frozen foods is a bit stale
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- Figure 27: Attitudes towards centre-of-store products, September 2016
- Refresh the image by positioning these as go-to pantry staples
- Give it a fresh spin by showcasing how these can address broader concerns
What’s Next?
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- Connected appliances get their ‘hands’ dirty
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- Figure 28: Introducing the Smart Timer for Apple Watch and iPhone!, April 2015
- Food resources are also going the way of subscription models
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- Figure 29: Usage of select video sources, by age, September 2019
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- Figure 30: Learn to cook with the world’s best chefs | Yummly Pro, July 2019
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- Figure 31: Food Network Kitchen Cooks, November 2019
- Figure 32: Food Network Kitchen Instagram post, January 2020
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Weeknight dinners are the responsibility of nine in 10 Canadians
- Plans turn into reality when consumers have more context
- Feeding kids comes with its own unique challenges
- The magic ingredient for shortcuts is involvement
- Grocery stores are underrated as a resource by consumers
Planning and Cooking Responsibility
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- Nine in 10 Canadians partake in cooking weeknight dinners
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- Figure 33: Cooking responsibility, November 2019
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- Figure 34: Meal planning responsibility, November 2019
- Mothers continue to bear the responsibility of making weeknight meals
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- Figure 35: Cooking responsibility, mothers vs overall, November 2019
- Much potential to boost traction of cooking appliances that reduce cooking steps
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- Figure 36: Cooking activities (at least once per week), mothers vs overall, November 2019
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- Figure 37: Instant Pot Pho Chicken Noodle Soup, March 2019
- Team up for success: grocery retailers and time-saving kitchen appliances
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- Figure 38: Instant Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes, May 2019
- Gains to be had by targeting men 25-34 as they are at a transition point
- The likelihood to hold cooking responsibility jumps at 25-34
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- Figure 39: Cooking responsibility, men 18-24 vs men 25-34, November 2019
- Lack of cooking skills translates into lesser adoption of behaviours
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- Figure 40: Cooking activities (at least once per week), 18-24s vs 25-34s, by gender, November 2019
- Grocery retailers stand to gain by focusing more attention on this segment
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- Figure 41: Classic Oysters Rockefeller, November 2018
- Figure 42: Jumbleberry Croissant Strata, November 2018
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- Figure 43: Seafood Made Simple: Just cook the bag, September 2015
- Time-saving cooking appliance companies also stand to gain – and for the long term
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- Figure 44: Instant Pot Zesty Lemon Chicken, April 2019
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- Figure 45: ‘Low-priced ingredients’ and ‘involves little clean-up’ as factors considered when planning meals, men 25-34 vs overall, November 2019
Planning vs Cooking Weeknight Meals
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- Closer proximity of planning translates into greater likelihood of actualization
- Canadians plan ahead for weeknight meals, but not too far
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- Figure 46: Meal planning timing, November 2019
- Those who plan ‘a day or two ahead’ see greater success actualizing planned meals
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- Figure 47: Frequency of cooking planned meals, deciding what to cook last minute, and ordering in or going out for a meal, November 2019
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- Figure 48: ‘Cook a meal that you planned ahead of time’ at least once a week, by meal planning timing, November 2019
- Context dictates success; consider developing campaigns that call this out
- Context opens up opportunities for shelf-stable staples – ie the centre of the store
- There’s an opportunity to tap into environmental concerns with frozen foods
- Boomer women: plan the morning of and follow through
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- Figure 49: ‘Cook a meal that you planned ahead of time’ at least once a week, women 55+ vs overall, November 2019
- Figure 50: ‘Cook a meal that you planned ahead of time’ at least once a week (net), women 55+ vs overall, November 2019
- Inspiring Boomer women: spark ‘fresh’ ideas by raising attention of ‘old’ favourites
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- Figure 51: Select factors considered when planning meals, women 55+ vs overall, November 2019
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- Figure 52: Epicurious Instagram post, January 2020
- Figure 53: NYT Cooking Instagram post, January 2020
Cooking Involvement Level and Usage of Shortcuts
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- Shortcuts are a reality for many during the course of the week…
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- Figure 54: Cooking involvement level for preparing weeknight meals, November 2019
- …though shortcuts are necessary, four in five still want to feel involved
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- Figure 55: Select attitudes towards meal planning and making prepared meals (% agree), November 2019
- The secret ingredient to mealtime shortcuts is ‘contribution’
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- Figure 56: Bon Appétit Instagram post, January 2020
- Quebecers are all in or not, there’s no middle ground
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- Figure 57: Cooking involvement level for preparing weeknight meals at least once a week (NET), Quebec vs overall, November 2019
- Consider promoting complete meals in frozen formats to appeal to Quebecers
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- Figure 58: Your Holiday Headquarters – Let’s Celebrate Together #preparedwithcare, December 2019
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- Figure 59: Beef Pot Roast 2019 #preparedwithcare, September 2019
- Also, emotional orientation of eating and cooking differs for Quebecers
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- Figure 60: Select attitudes towards meal planning (% agree), Quebec vs overall, November 2019
- Connect by showing connections to people first, then to the food
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- Figure 61: 90,000 Holiday Meals, November 2019
- Surprise! Suburbanites more inclined to use shortcuts than urbanites
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- Figure 62: Cooking involvement level for preparing weeknight meals at least once a week (NET), suburban vs urban, November 2019
- Grocery retailers stand to gain from promoting click-and-collect of raw ingredients
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- Figure 63: PC Express – The Talk 30sec, May 2019
- Chinese Canadians see prepared meals as part of the plan
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- Figure 64: ‘Planning meals is stressful’ (% agree), Chinese Canadians vs overall, November 2019
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- Figure 65: Frequency of cooking or heating a prepared meal, Chinese Canadians vs overall, November 2019
- Partnerships between foodservice providers and grocery retailers will appeal
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- Figure 66: Select attitudes towards using prepared meals and choosing recipes, Chinese Canadians vs overall, November 2019
- Figure 67: The Keg BBQ Pork Back Ribs (Canada), August 2019
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- Figure 68: The Keg BBQ Bacon Wrapped Scallops (Canada), August 2019
Meal Planning and Grocery Stores
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- Grocery stores are missing out in the ideation process for meals
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- Figure 69: Sources for meal ideas, November 2019
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- Figure 70: Attitudes towards grocery retailers and meal ideas, November 2019
- More needs to be done to get consumers thinking about them beforehand
- Interactive resources may see more traction than static ones
- Grocery store organization a pain point for younger consumers
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- Figure 71: Attitudes towards grocery retailers and meal ideas, by age, November 2019
- Consider emulating the BPC sector to freshen things up and lend a helping hand
Deep Dive on Parents: Additional Challenges
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- Parents have more (picky) tastes to consider
- Unsurprisingly, children’s opinions are a factor
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- Figure 72: Parents’ attitudes and behaviours regarding children and meal prep (% agree), November 2019
- Mothers have more work, but aren’t keen on shortcuts – except appliances
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- Figure 73: Select cooking behaviours at least once a week (NET), mothers vs overall, November 2019
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- Figure 74: Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, September 2018
- More virtual support will win over moms as they’re multitasking
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- Figure 75: Cooking websites and cooking apps as sources for meal ideas, mothers vs overall, November 2019
- More mobile capabilities will count
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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