To capitalise on opportunities in the 2024 market, this report identifies key users of ready meals in Thailand, factors triggering increased consumption, upcoming eating occasions and potential flavor innovations.
In Thailand, major innovators like 7-Eleven and CPF Food and Beverages are spearheading advancements through diverse strategies. While convenience stores initially fuelled ready meal innovation, recent years have seen an expansion into gourmet stores, accommodating consumers shopping for home use and stockpiling. Elevated demands for convenience, health, and new flavor experiences are the driving forces behind recent innovations in this product category.
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
Ready meals include frozen, chilled and shelf-stable meals that require easy preparation. It also includes prepared meals.
Frozen ready meals include frozen dumplings/wontons, buns/dim sum, frozen meat meal set, frozen pizza/pasta and so forth. Chilled ready meals include ready-made lunch boxes/dishes that only need simple heating, sandwiches, sushi/rice balls, salad, etc. Shelf-stable ready meals include ready-to-eat foods (eg deli, Oden), which are defined as cooked unpackaged foods, and ambient packaged staple foods (eg canned mixed congee). Ready to cook foods refer to semi-finished products specifically positioned as needing no further preparation on the part of the consumer other than opening the packet and cooking the product according to the on-pack instructions.
Note: This report does not discuss instant foods, which consist of instant noodles, rice, pasta and self-heating foods, but will mention them for comparison and understanding of consumers’ total meal repertoire.
Mintel’s food industry expert for Thailand delivers in-depth insights with this report.
Secure lunch and expand to breakfast and dinner with healthier meals, packaging innovations and new age-targeted culinary experiences.
Pimwadee Aguilar
Associate Director Food & Drink, Thai Consumer
Mintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. We show you how consumers think today and tomorrow. As a trusted partner to industry leaders, we deliver game-changing insights to businesses across the globe, fuelling their marketing and innovation strategies that will shape the future.
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