Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Forecast of Canada retail volume sales of ready meals, 2009-19
- Figure 2: Forecast of Canada retail value sales of ready meals, 2009-19
- Market drivers
- Canadian population expected to grow
- Canada’s population is aging and will continue to do so in the coming years
- Key economic indicators suggest slight increases in food costs in the future, holding true for food sold from both stores and restaurants
- The consumer
- Nearly nine in ten Canadians use ready and prepared meals
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- Figure 3: Usage of ready and prepared meals in the past six months, March 2015
- Frozen meals are most likely to be eaten at dinner followed by lunch
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- Figure 4: Occasion for ready-to-eat meal types in the past six months, March 2015
- Consumers most interested in cleaner ingredient decks
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- Figure 5: Interest in ready-to-eat meal types, March 2015
- Size matters when choosing frozen meals
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- Figure 6: Importance of different factors when purchasing ready-to-eat meal (any rank), March 2015
- Health and quality perceptions are a challenge for ready-to-eat meals
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- Figure 7: Ready-to-eat meal purchase attitudes (any rank), March 2015
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Consumers perceive ready-to-eat meals to offer lower quality
- The facts
- The implications
- Dealing with dads (and parents)
- The facts
- The implications
- Over-45s represent a challenge for frozen ready and prepared meals
- The facts
- The implications
- Ready-to-eat meals can be a vehicle for exploring new flavours
- The facts
- The implications
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Demographic overview
- Canadian population expected to grow
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- Figure 8: Share of population of Canada, by territory/province, 2014
- Canada’s population is aging and will continue to do so in the coming years
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- Figure 9: Population aged 65 years and over in Canada, historical and projected (% of total), 1971-2061
- Figure 10: Projected trends in the age structure of the Canadian population, 2014-19
- Over half of Canadians are overweight or obese
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- Figure 11: Body mass index, self-reported rate of being overweight or obese among Canadian adults, by gender, 2009-13
- Economic overview
- Consumers’ economy to pick up, but risks remain
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- Figure 12: Household disposable income and savings rate in Canada, Q1 2008-Q1 2014
- Consumer confidence may waver with falling oil prices
- Key economic indicators suggest slight increases in food costs in the future, holding true for food sold from both stores and restaurants
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- Figure 13: Monthly movements in selected major components of the Canadian Consumer Price Index, seasonally adjusted, January 2010-July 2014
- Canada’s employment rates remain steady
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- Figure 14: Canada’s unemployment rate, by gender, January 2008-January 2014
Strengths and Weaknesses
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- Strengths
- Weaknesses
Trend Application
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- Trend: Power of One
- Trend: Factory Fear
- Trend: FSTR HYPR
Who’s Innovating?
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- Key points
- Private label’s share of launches is growing
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- Figure 15: Percentage of prepared meal launches in Canada, by brand type, 2010-14
- Manufactures are promoting convenience and no additives/preservatives
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- Figure 16: Top claims by prepared meal launches in Canada, 2010-14
- Investing in ‘indulgent goodness’
- Leveraging popular foodservice brands
- Embracing ethnic-inspired meal varieties
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Ready meals volume declines to moderate as sales declines accelerate
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- Figure 17: Canada retail value and volume sales of ready meals, at current and constant prices, 2009-19
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- Figure 18: Forecast of Canada retail volume sales of ready meals, 2009-19
- Figure 19: Forecast of Canada retail value sales of ready meals, 2009-19
- Forecast methodology
Companies and Products
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- Ready and prepared meals – Overview and innovations
- Bellisio Foods Incorporated
- Overview and product range
- Recent activity and innovation
- ConAgra Foods
- Overview and product range
- Recent activity and innovation
- Nestlé
- Overview and product range
- Recent activity and innovation
- Pinnacle Foods Inc.
- Overview and product range
- Recent activity and innovation
- President’s Choice
- Overview and product range
- Recent activity and innovation
The Consumer – Usage of Ready and Prepared Meals
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- Key points
- Nearly nine in ten Canadians use ready and prepared meals
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- Figure 20: Usage of ready and prepared meals in the past six months, March 2015
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- Figure 21: Frequency of usage of ready and prepared meals in the past six months, March 2015
- Canada’s aging population may challenge ready and prepared meals
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- Figure 22: Usage of any ready and prepared meals in the past six months by age group, March 2015
- Young men are core consumers for single- and multi-serve frozen meals
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- Figure 23: Usage of single-serve frozen meals in the past six months, by gender and age, March 2015
- Fathers are more likely to rely on frozen meals
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- Figure 24: Usage of frozen meals in the past six months, by parental status, March 2015
The Consumer – Occasions
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- Key points
- Frozen meals are most likely to be eaten at dinner followed by lunch
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- Figure 25: Occasion for ready-to-eat meal types in the past six months, March 2015
- Younger adults more likely to eat frozen meals outside of ‘traditional’ meal occasions
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- Figure 26: Occasion for ready-to-eat meal types in the past six months, 18-24-year-old vs overall population, March 2015
- Quebec consumers are more likely to eat frozen meals at lunch
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- Figure 27: Occasion for ready-to-eat meal types in the past six months, Quebec versus overall population, March 2015
- Household composition influences occasions when frozen meals are eaten
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- Figure 28: Occasion for ready-to-eat meal types in the past six months; parents versus non parents, March 2015
The Consumer – Interest in Meal Types
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- Key points
- Consumers most interested in cleaner ingredient decks
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- Figure 29: Interest in ready-to-eat meal types, March 2015
- Gender impacts consumer interest in frozen meal innovation
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- Figure 30: Interest in ready-to-eat meal types by gender, March 2015
- Consumers are open to innovative and premium options
- Parents looking for nutritious options for their kids
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- Figure 31: Interest in ready-to-eat meal types, parents versus non-parents, March 2015
The Consumer – Choice Factors
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- Key points
- Size matters when choosing frozen meals
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- Figure 32: Importance of different factors when purchasing ready-to-eat meal (any rank), March 2015
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- Figure 33: Importance of different factors when purchasing ready-to-eat meal (#1 rank), March 2015
- Men and women are influenced by certain factors
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- Figure 34: Importance of different factors when purchasing ready-to-eat meal by gender (any rank), March 2015
- Age impacts purchase considerations
- Region holds modest impact over what people eat
The Consumer – Attitudes towards Ready and Prepared Meals
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- Key points
- Health and quality perceptions are a challenge for ready-to-eat meals
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- Figure 35: Ready-to-eat meal purchase attitudes (any rank), March 2015
- Consumers apprehensive about ready-to-eat meals’ nutritional content
- Ready-to-eat meals are a conduit to new food experiences
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- Figure 36: Ready-to-eat meal purchase attitudes; agree ready-to-eat meals allow consumers to try different foods and flavours by age, March 2015
- Ready-to-eat meals are seen as ‘emergency options’
The Consumer – The Chinese Consumer and Ready and Prepared Meals
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- Key points
- Chinese Canadians eat ready and prepared meals more frequently
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- Figure 37: Usage of ready and prepared meals in the past six months: Chinese Canadians versus overall population, March 2015
- Chinese Canadians are more likely to turn to frozen meals at lunch and as a snack
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- Figure 38: Occasion for ready-to-eat meal types in the past six months: Chinese Canadians versus overall population, March 2015
- Chinese Canadians want to avoid artificial ingredients in frozen meals
- Chinese Canadians hold more positive perceptions of ready-to-eat meals
The Consumer – Target Groups
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- Key points
- Four target groups
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- Figure 39: Target groups for ready-to-eat meals, March 2015
- Ready for Emergencies (28%)
- Less Health Minded (28%)
- Frozen Meal Enthusiasts (27%)
- Disengaged (17%)
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