Review of the top UK food-to-go developments
IGD see robust growth plans from many different operators.
Despite a number of current challenges, the overwhelming sentiment IGD Retail Analysis hears from conversations across the sector is for a continuing robust outlook for food-to-go. Consumers remain very positively disposed to the solutions it provides them with.
Meanwhile, IGD is continuing to see robust growth plans from many different operators. London based Black Sheep Coffee, for example, following its 2017 opening in Manchester, is now turning its attention back to London, with a significant number of 2018 openings. Pasty specialist Warrens Bakery is another that has been growing rapidly, on a franchise basis, primarily across the South of England. At the same time, both Leon and Pret have been capturing headlines for their opening plans outside of the UK over recent weeks, as they look to open up new markets in locations such as the Netherlands.
More innovation coming through from a variety of sources
Whether it is Sainsbury’s new look Pimlico store, which IGD recently visited, EAT17’s Bishop Stortford store, or the continuing evolution and improvement that the research agency is seeing at the likes of M&S, there’s much to show how retailers are more focused than ever on leveraging the food-to-go opportunity.
"We’re also seeing more use of apps to improve the food-to-go customer experience. Whilst Wagamama’s new app isn’t about pure food-to-go, it’s a significant move from an operator that does influence (and compete with) many purer food-to-go operators. And Crussh’s recently launched app is definitely one that is targeting the food-to-go consumers. Outside the UK, new convenience and food-to-go targeted apps from the likes of Jumbo in the Netherlands and Franprix in France provide great stimulus around how a wider set of retailers could use apps to better embrace the wider food-to-go opportunity."
As food-to-go looks more to the evening mission
IGD sees a lot of potential for food-to-go operators currently targeting the lunch mission to build on their core brand values and stretch appeal into later dayparts.
"It’s still early stages, but we see a number of operators, particularly those in transit locations, giving a great indication of how this could develop. And like in many other aspects, it’s an area where several leading operators in Ireland, including the likes of Centra, Topaz and Maxol, are already positioning a number of their sites to do this. What’s more, as our free-to-download highlights from Rhian’s latest reports show, many food-to-go shoppers are already using food-to-go as an evening solution. We’re expecting a wide range of operators across a number of markets to look more closely at how they can take advantage of this opportunity."
