- Contents
- *Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: market context
What you need to know
Increased amount of time spent at home has resulted in consumers cooking more frequently this year compared to last. This increased time in the kitchen has resulted in some cooking fatigue, emphasizing an already building trend of consumers saying they cook because they have to rather than because they want to. Brands will have to find new ways to connect with consumers by emphasizing great tasting ingredients and simple recipes to reverse this trend and maintain enthusiasm.
Key issues covered in this Report
The impact of COVID-19 on Americans’ cooking habits.
The impact the recession will have on the market for at-home cooking.
Reasons why consumers have adjusted their cooking behaviors over the last year.
How to maintain enthusiasm for cooking at home.
Definition
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
Enthusiastic Cooks are adults who cook four or more times per week, love or like cooking a lot and typically cook because they want to. 25% of American adults aged 18+ are Enthusiastic Cooks.
Unenthusiastic Cooks cook four or more times per week, but do so out of necessity. They either don’t like or only like cooking a little. 13% of American adults aged 18+ are Unenthusiastic Cooks.
Aspiring Cooks cook three or fewer times per week, but still love or like cooking a lot and cook because they want to. They’re also interested in improving their cooking skills. 10% of American adults aged 18+ are Aspiring Cooks.
Avoidant Cooks cook three or fewer times per week, dislike cooking or only like it a little and cook because they have to, not because they want to. 18% of American adults aged 18+ are Avoidant Cooks.
Content Cooks cook three or fewer times per week, but still love or like cooking a lot and cook because they want to. However, they are not interested in improving their skills. 2% of American adults aged 18+ are Content Cooks.
Conflicted Cooks cook one of more times per week and do not fall into any of the above segments. 26% of American adults aged 18+ are Conflicted Cooks.
Non-cooks never cook. About 7% of the sample population never cook.
COVID-19: market context
This Report was written October 20-November 13, 2020. Consumer research was fielded in October 2020 and thus reflects consumer attitudes in the pandemic environment.
The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global health pandemic, and on March 13, President Trump declared a national emergency in the US.
Across the US, state-level stay-at-home orders rolled out throughout the months of March and April, remaining in place through May and in some cases June. During this time, referred to as lockdown, nonessential businesses and school districts across the nation closed or shifted to remote operations.
During re-emergence, all 50 states have relaxed stay-at-home orders and allowed businesses to operate with varying levels of social distancing measures in place. The continued spread of COVID-19 infections has driven some states to slow down or reverse course on reopening plans. Mintel anticipates the US will remain in a state of flux through 2021, until a vaccine is available and fully distributed.
