NEW DELHI: Comfort guidelines and shoppers at the moment are reaching for ready-to-cook (RTC) meals greater than ever earlier than. Apparently, RTC is the one class in packaged meals that has doubled in quantity during the last two years, with an extra 18 million households leaping on board.Whereas packaged meals witnessed single-digit progress of practically 8%, RTC class recorded 58% improve in 2024, based on the newest knowledge from Kantar Worldpanel.
From dosa batters to curry and cake mixes, consumers should not solely embracing ease, however have doubled their annual journeys to buy the class. Urbanisation, the rise of dual-income households and a busy evolving life-style is driving the development.Whilst RTC has surged, its cousin class, Prepared-to-eat (RTE) meals, is rapidly dropping relevance. RTE, which incorporates merchandise that may be served straight from the pack, (similar to, warmth and eat pulaos, warmth and eat curries, the place the packaged meals simply must be warmed earlier than consuming) has misplaced half its quantity prior to now two years.This underscores a better curiosity in direction of semi-cooked choices that provide comfort with out compromising the home-cooked expertise, in comparison with absolutely cooked meal choices, Ok Ramakrishnan, MD, South Asia, worldpanel division, Kantar advised TOI. “Comfort is king, however the panorama is evolving. Customers need pace, however additionally they crave freshness, well being, and management over their meals. Manufacturers that innovate alongside these traces stand poised to seize the subsequent wave of progress,”he added.Capitalising on the development, packaged meals corporations are increasing their choices.Ashu Phakey, VP and enterprise head – frozen and contemporary meals at ITC, mentioned “There was substantial progress within the total RTC class in the previous few years, given the heightened demand. As well as, the latest rise of fast commerce has boosted accessibility. In the previous few years, we’ve got seen Indian shoppers more and more add RTC merchandise of their grocery basket. There are a number of components, that are driving class traction similar to, improve in disposable revenue, comfort, accessibility and innovation within the product portfolio. Additionally, shoppers desire shopping for RTC because it additionally cues contemporary meals made at residence”.Simply a few years in the past, the comfort class made up a mere 5% of the packaged meals section. Right this moment, that share has climbed to eight%, a gradual however vital enlargement that displays their rising foothold. Rajiv Kumar, vice chairman, Dharampal Satyapal Group mentioned: “Now we have been current within the gourmand, ready-to-cook gravies section since late 2023. These merchandise are usually extra in style, as they cater to the buyer’s need to really feel concerned within the cooking course of.”