On the hop: Food to go

Food to go is a huge opportunity that’s just going to grow as normal routines resume, so now’s the time to get creative with your offer

Did you know?

THE FOOD-TO-GO MARKET IS FORECAST TO BE WORTH £21.2bn BY THE END OF THIS YEAR*

Source: * Lumina Intelligence

While the pandemic may have left its mark on the food-to-go market, once thing’s for sure – the future is bright for the channel.

As people continue to return to offices and with children and students back at school, things are looking up for foodservice operators. And one area outlets can really get a win is food to go.

Its appeal is huge considering it’s essentially a takeaway option and demand for that format remains high. The Lumina Intelligence UK Food To Go Market Report 2020 Update predicts that by the end of 2022, turnover will be back to 2019 levels.

When you think about it, food to go isn’t just reserved for office workers and not just restricted to lunchtime; it’s important to think beyond the obvious to make the most of its potential.

Think out-of-season holidaymakers stocking up for the long journey ahead, students looking for quick and easy bites on their way to lectures and parents wanting a quick solution for their kids’ holiday club lunch.

THINK BIG

You won’t go wrong with a simple meal deal made up of a sandwich, snack and a drink. But further its appeal by offering different sandwich formats, such as baguettes, wraps, bagels and pittas. And throw in toasties or paninis as a hot lunch option. Instead of the standard bag of crisps or chocolate bar, offer homemade cakes and granola bars, pots of dried fruit and nuts, or a hot pasty or jumbo sausage roll.

Don’t limit your offer to just lunchtime, why not offer a breakfast meal deal of a hot sandwich or roll and a hot drink?

The bottom line is, provide great value and choice and it’s win-win.

Get your offer all wrapped up with Confex’s new Food To Go Club. With the Food To Go Club, you can encourage your customers to add a drink and snack to their main takeaway meal choice for a great price, which helps you upsell and increase your profits.

The club is supported by a number of leading suppliers, including Highland Spring, Mondelez and PepsiCo. All these products are available at discounted prices, enabling you to pass on the saving to your customers.

Here’s how you can get involved

» Talk to your wholesaler about the Food To Go Club.

» Take advantage of big discounts.

» Set your own price for meal deals.

» Display the poster in your outlet.

» Share the offer on social media.

» Talk about the value of the meal deal when chatting to customers.