Home-delivered food, why has it been such a success since the pandemic?

 Cambiar el título por: El rey de la pandemia, CONOCELO!

Changes have consequences

Since the arrival of the pandemic, the catering sector has faced several restrictions (opening hours, capacity, safety distance, etc.), a new normality has set in and a take-away or take-away food craze has developed. During the worst months of the pandemic, takeaway and home delivery services became the only option, with a growth of more than 65% in 2020. In fact, we can see takeaway as a "salvation" for many bars and restaurants during the months when the hospitality industry was restricted and slowed down.

In the context of the splendor of the Spanish food industry, today we ask ourselves which dishes are the most demanded by consumers, whether to take away or to enjoy at home. What is the maximum take away order? The NPD group of companies, which specializes in market research, marketing and cross-industry sales listings, found the answers to these questions through research in the foodservice industry.

The report highlights that the ubiquitous dishes continue to be the top orders: pizzas and burgers. Specifically, 6 out of 10 orders placed directly with the business (by phone or online) included both specialties. Restaurants and businesses serving these highly successful dishes are constantly updating their menu and incorporating new items to keep growing and gaining new customers. Hence the takeaway burgers with endless options (especially meats such as Angus or Wagyu; buns with or without gluten; vegan, fish; recommended by celebrities or Michelin-starred chefs...) and the same is happening with pizza.

Another increasingly discreet component of burger and pizza service, in addition to other gourmet recommendations, is packaging. The food delivery packaging industry is constantly innovating in materials and design, offering countless opportunities to display products in the most functional and attractive way.

Envapro, the benchmark brand for disposable packaging in hospitality, restaurant and catering, confirms the growing demand for disposable packaging, which serves not only as clean packaging, but also as a powerful marketing tool for restaurant and catering companies. The company's portfolio includes a variety of packaging (paper bags, paper cups, buckets, salad bowls, sauce boats, napkins, cutlery, chopsticks, etc.) to cover delivery and take-away services. Envapro personally advises its customers, recommending the most suitable material for each menu and type of bowl (cardboard, sugar cane, bamboo, PET, OPS...), in addition to an exclusive packaging customization service that allows customers to create their own unique packaging.

In this new scenario, off-premise consumption options have managed to consolidate and gain a foothold in the routine of Spaniards, although with different dimensions depending on the segment. Thus, for the QSR channel, the off-premise offer has become an "essential" option for consumers, who devote 15.7% of their spending in this channel to home-delivered food (compared to 8.2% in the first half of 2019) and 22.2% to takeaway food (compared to 12.3% in 2019).