Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Cooking is popular, but somewhat infrequent
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- Figure 1: Cooking habits, August 2019
- Cooks want to spend less time cooking
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- Figure 2: Actual and desired cooking times - dinner, August 2019
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- Figure 3: Profiles of cooks who want to take less than 30 minutes to make dinner, August 2019
- Getting ingredients is a process
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- Figure 4: Cooking barriers and approach to grocery shopping, August 2019
- The opportunities
- Online sources attract younger cooks
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- Figure 5: Online sources of cooking information, by age group, August 2019
- Cooks aren’t all about cooking
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- Figure 6: Over- and under-indexed desktop travel websites visited in the last 30 days, people who really enjoy cooking vs people who don’t, September 2019
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- Figure 7: Breakout of ad spending on TripAdvisor.com, by category, January-September 2019
- Health and money can de-emphasize time
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- Figure 8: Attitudes toward cooking motivations, August 2019
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Americans like to cook, but don’t do it often
- One third of cooks are Enthusiastic, but one quarter are Avoidant
- Restaurants are on the rise
- Cooks aren’t biting on the online grocery shopping hook
- Shaky confidence can keep cooks at home
America’s Cooks
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- Fewer than half of adults cook 4+ times per week
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- Figure 9: Cooking frequency, August 2019
- People generally like to cook
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- Figure 10: Cooking enjoyment, August 2019
- People want to get better at cooking, especially the most skilled
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- Figure 11: Cooking skills, August 2019
- Split in cooking motivations offers flexibility in messaging
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- Figure 12: Reasons for cooking, August 2019
- Cooking Segments
- Enthusiastic Cooks
- Avoidant Cooks
- Aspiring Cooks
- Unenthusiastic Cooks
- Non-Cooks
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- Figure 13: Cooking segments, August 2019
- Figure 14: Cooking segments demographic index, August 2019
Market Perspective
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- Home cooking has to contend with restaurant popularity
- Slow adoption of grocery delivery impedes home cooking
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- Figure 15: Approach to grocery shopping, by age group, February 2019
- Sudden shocks in confidence could bode well for cooking
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- Figure 16: Consumer Sentiment Index, January 2007-September 2019
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Travelers love cooking
- Blooming interest in plants
- Storage joins the smart revolution
- Meal kits evolve to stay relevant
- Grocery stores have a difficult relationship with delivery
- Shelf side inspiration
- Tech concerns will hit the kitchen
- “Green” grocers
- Labor may jeopardize delivery
Targeting Engaged Cooks
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- Crossover between travel and cooking interest
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- Figure 17: Over- and under-indexed desktop travel websites visited last 30 days, people who really enjoy cooking vs people who don’t, September 2019
- Opportunity Example: TripAdvisor
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- Figure 18: Breakout of ad spending on TripAdvisor.com, by category, January-September 2019
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- Figure 19: Kraft Heinz Lunchables ad run on TripAdvisor.com, July-September 2019
- Figure 20: Kroger ad run on TripAdvisor, August-September 2019
What’s Happening
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- Plant-based proteins maintaining growth
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- Figure 21: Select dietary motivations, by gender, February 2019
- Smart food containers make leftovers more appealing
- Meal kits evolving with consumer demands
- Blue Apron tries to keep up
- The right service for you
- Yummly goes pro
- Walmart debuts same-day delivery subscription
What to Watch
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- Grocery store inspiration
- “Kitchen hacks” to take a more literal meaning
- Grocery retailers will have to play a part in sustainability
- Gig workers are closer to becoming employees
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Cooking requires effort
- Potential for creativity has a role in cooking definitions
- Younger cooks see cooking as open to interpretation
- 30 minutes or less, or it’s inconvenient
- Pop culture inspires cooks online
- Enthusiastic cooks use broader scope of cooking sources
- Dads are starstruck
- Time and resources are barriers
- Cooks are driven by health and budget concerns
- Knowledge could spur Avoidant Cooks
- Looks matter, so listen
- Bring the restaurant to Unenthusiastic Cooks
What’s “Cooking?”
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- “Cooking” is process-driven
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- Figure 22: Definition of “cooking,” August 2019
- Segments define cooking by effort, creativity
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- Figure 23: Definition of “cooking,” by cooking segments, August 2019
- Young cooks have a generous definition of cooking
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- Figure 24: Definition of cooking, by age group, August 2019
- Men go for ease
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- Figure 25: Definition of cooking, by age and gender, August 2019
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- Figure 26: Select grilling attitudes and behaviors, by gender, April 2019
- Dads see cooking everywhere
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- Figure 27: Number of methods considered “cooking,” moms vs dads, August 2019
It’s About Time
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- Breakfast has the most room for lowering prep time
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- Figure 28: Actual and desired cooking times - breakfast, August 2019
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- Figure 29: Profiles of cooks who want to take less than 15 minutes to make breakfast, August 2019
- Saving time at lunch may revolve around a standard weekly ingredient
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- Figure 30: Actual and desired cooking times - lunch, August 2019
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- Figure 31: Profiles of cooks who want to take less than 15 minutes to make lunch, August 2019
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- Figure 32: Do Anything Sauce’s Kale Pesto, March 2019
- In-store meal kits are a good option to save dinner time
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- Figure 33: Actual and desired cooking times - dinner, August 2019
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- Figure 34: Profiles of cooks who want to take less than 30 minutes to make dinner, August 2019
- Money is no issue
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- Figure 35: Actual and desired cooking times, $100K+ HHI, by meal, August 2019
- Cooking segments still value their time, but inroads can be made
- Breakfast
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- Figure 36: Actual and desired breakfast cooking times, by segment, August 2019
- Lunch
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- Figure 37: Actual and desired lunch cooking times, by segment, August 2019
- Dinner
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- Figure 38: Actual and desired dinner cooking times, by segment, August 2019
- Staying out of the kitchen
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- Figure 39: Rates of not cooking meals, by segment, August 2019
Thought for Food
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- Online cooking sources compete with tradition
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- Figure 40: Sources of cooking information, August 2019
- Family is the biggest source of inspiration and information
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- Figure 41: Sources of cooking information, by age group, August 2019
- Internet sources trade on pop culture
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- Figure 42: Online sources of cooking information, by age group, August 2019
- Classes as events
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- Figure 43: Popularity of cooking classes, by generation, August 2019
- More enthusiasm about cooking means more outlets
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- Figure 44: Sources of cooking information, by cooking segment, August 2019
- Twitch provides an opportunity to convert Avoidant Cooks
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- Figure 45: Streaming game viewing, by gender and age group, January 2019
- Dads are drawn by celebrity
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- Figure 46: Appeal of cookbooks, by gender and parental status, August 2019
Barriers to Cooking
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- Time and material constraints are biggest barriers
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- Figure 47: Barriers to cooking, August 2019
- Non-city dwellers at a loss for inspiration
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- Figure 48: Barriers to cooking, by area, August 2019
- Moms find cooking particularly daunting
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- Figure 49: Barriers to cooking, moms vs dads, August 2019
- Time and stress are universal, cooking knowledge isn’t
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- Figure 50: Barriers to cooking, by segment, August 2019
Attitudes toward Cooking
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- Improving health and saving money are prime motivations
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- Figure 51: Attitudes toward cooking motivations, August 2019
- An ounce of preparation
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- Figure 52: Attitudes toward meal prep, August 2019
- Look good, eat good
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- Figure 53: Attitudes toward food presentation, August 2019
- Millennials are about the show
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- Figure 54: Practical and aesthetic cooking attitudes, by generation, August 2019
- Co-branding’s value is discovery
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- Figure 55: Attitudes toward celebrity endorsed products, August 2019
- Hobbyist men make good co-branding targets
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- Figure 56: Cooking attitudes, by gender, August 2019
- Dads are driving parental enthusiasm
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- Figure 57: Attitudes toward cooking, by parental status and gender, August 2019
Attitudes by Cooking Segment
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- Aspiring Cooks are excited to cook
- Aspiring Cooks are a good target for online communities
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- Figure 58: Usage of online sources and attitudes toward celebrity endorsement, by segment, August 2019
- Financial concerns lead to drudgery
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- Figure 59: Cooking motivations, by segment, August 2019
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Behavioral data
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 60: GDP change from previous period, Q1 2007-Q2 2019
- Figure 61: Disposable Personal Income change from previous period, January 2007-July 2019
- Figure 62: Consumer Sentiment Index, January 2007-September 2019
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 63: TURF Analysis – Reasons for not cooking, August 2019
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- Figure 64: Table - TURF Analysis – Reasons for not cooking, August 2019
- Methodology
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- Figure 65: Attitudes toward cooking, by segment, August 2019
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