Sales of fresh convenience items exceeded US$19bn in the US during 2011, according to a new report by the Nielsen Perishables Group.
Convenience is among the top motivators for consumer purchase decisions in the country, the agency said.
The trend is helping to drive the large number of new convenience items that have entered the fresh market in recent years, many of which have performed well even through a recession.
According to the agency’s FreshFacts Shopper Insights, which is powered by Spire, convenience consumers are “very likely” to purchase multiple items across convenience categories.
For instance, 79.1 per cent of packaged salad buyers also buy deli prepared appetisers.
The consumer groups who spend a notably higher amount on deli-prepared items (including deli prepared chicken, deli salads and fully cooked chicken) tend to be singles and couples (not families) with varied cooking styles and health levels.
These groups also span various cooking styles, ages, and health levels, indicating there is not a singular target consumer for deli convenience foods, according to the report.
Deli salads in particular are proving to be increasingly popular as consumers turn to their supermarkets for ready-made meal options, leading to growth in every deli salad sub-category in 2011.
The category comprises 19.7 per cent of deli prepared foods sales (second only to chicken), equating to US$2.2bn in sales during 2011.
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