Food manufacturing has faced recent transformations. Between an increase in demand for prepared meals and new automated technology, frozen food companies are adapting new ways to keep up with a changing industry landscape. However, there’s now a new aspect of the frozen food industry, food e-commerce. But what is food e-commerce?
In this article, we’ll explore what the e-commerce food industry is, and some e-commerce food trends. We’ll also discuss how your company can join and set food e-commerce trends with industry-leading Quantum automated food equipment. Let’s get started with defining food e-commerce.
What is the e-Commerce Food Industry?
The e-commerce food industry is where food companies sell their products online through e-commerce websites. Through websites and apps, companies can connect fresh and frozen foods to customers either locally or over the world. E-commerce platforms provide any prepared meals brand with the ability to reach more customers than ever before. Customers are no longer limited to what they can purchase by going to the store. Because customers can order food from their phone through an app or a desktop website, they can order food from virtually anywhere. This should incentivize frozen food companies to assess where and how they can make their products available for food e-commerce. Let’s take a look at where customers can buy food online.
Grocery Store and Food Delivery Apps
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way people shop for groceries. Grocery store delivery services and other food delivery apps have become a popular way to buy groceries. Between March 2020 and February 2022, online grocery shopping saw the largest change. Big chain grocery stores have made it easy to order groceries from their app or website and have them delivered or ready for curbside pickup. Other 3rd party food delivery apps have also joined the industry, making grocery delivery simple and convenient for customers. Frozen food companies can ensure that their products are well-stocked in grocery stores so they can connect their products with customers.
Meal Kit Services
Meal kit services have also risen in popularity because of their convenience. Meal kit services are subscriptions for a number of reheatable meals over a certain amount of weeks or months. Frozen food manufacturers can work with meal kit services to provide customers with tasty and reliable meals. For people with very busy schedules, meal kit services are a great way to connect with frozen meals nationwide.
The e-commerce industry is another way that customers can easily access frozen meals and groceries. The e-commerce food industry has provided a way for frozen food manufacturers and brands to reach more customers than ever. And more customers mean new food trends to follow. Next, let’s explore e-commerce food trends to make sure your brand can meet the increased demand.
e-Commerce Food Trends
Food e-commerce provides brands with more opportunities to connect with customers. By following e-commerce food trends, brands can continue to achieve success. These trends include eco-friendly production, fleeting popularity, and food aesthetics. Let’s explore each of these trends.
Eco-Friendly Production
Sustainable practices are important to customers. A survey found that 55% of customers are more likely to buy a food item whose packaging claims sustainable practices. Investing in eco-friendly automated food manufacturing equipment allows companies to attain such sustainability. Placing information about the eco-friendliness of production may help companies boost sales. Sustainable business practices include conserving water and energy resources where possible and limiting ingredient and whole product waste.
Fleeting Popular Dishes
Social media apps like TikTok and Instagram have large food-review and recipe-sharing communities. Because of these communities, dishes become a craze and experience periods of popularity. Food manufacturers with equipment that can create and distribute products to meet these short-lived trends are the most successful in realizing value during these periods. That’s why it’s critical to have equipment that offers low-risk R&D capabilities and high output rates. For example, if a certain pizza topping goes viral, the first company that can make a pizza with that topping and make it accessible to customers will outpace competitors.
Food Aesthetics
The last of the food e-commerce trends we’ll explore is food aesthetics. Food aesthetics are just as important in frozen food and prepared meals as in restaurant dishes. How your prepared meals look are marketable features of your brand. Aesthetically pleasing food improves the customer experience and might even inspire them to talk about or share your products online. Finding automated equipment that can improve the quality and consistency of food products can make aesthetic food easier to achieve, without extra team effort.
Food e-commerce is another aspect of the frozen food industry where there are e-commerce food trends to follow. Investing in automated equipment that can help meet these trends is critical in realizing value from food e-commerce. At Quantum, we make this possible. Let’s discuss how Quantum equipment makes joining and setting food e-commerce trends simple.
Joining and Setting Food e-Commerce Trends with Quantum Equipment
To maximize the bottom line, companies need food equipment to streamline meeting the demands of the industry. At Quantum, we make leading automated food equipment that helps brands meet and set food e-commerce trends. Here’s a list of some of the equipment we offer at Quantum:
- Sauce Applicators
- Cheese/IQF Topping Applicators
- Meat/Pepperoni Slicers
- Dry/Granular Ingredient Applicators
- Conveyor Systems
Our automated food equipment is built to conserve water and energy resources where possible, allowing companies to save on utility costs and boast their sustainability practices. Because of fast output rates, our equipment can help brands keep up with quickly emerging recipes and food trends. Our automated food equipment facilitates low-risk R&D to meet trend demands with minimal expense. And because of this low-risk R&D capability, your company can also set trends by creating new dishes. Our equipment delivers consistency and quality, ensuring that your prepared meals appeal to your customers. Quantum equipment makes participating in food e-commerce possible.
Set Standards with Quantum
At Quantum, we strive to create durable and dependable equipment that allows companies to meet demand and set food trends. With low-cost R&D, frozen meal brands can meet – and create – food crazes without taking on much financial risk. Our team is ready to answer any questions about our equipment and how to implement it in your food manufacturing process successfully. Contact Quantum Technical Services today to learn about automated food equipment that makes setting food trends simple.