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Summary
The traditional foodservice market in France experienced significant disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the sector experiencing sales plummet of up to 100% during lockdown periods in 2020. Despite this, a gradual recovery has been observed, with new avenues for growth emerging, such as an increased focus on product quality with an emphasis on organic, gluten-free, or locally-produced offerings. Delivery services experienced growth during the pandemic, with 48% of restaurants integrating this service into their operations by 2021. Financially, the sector faced a sharp drop in sales per company by -36.9%. In the post-pandemic landscape, trends toward "mindful eating," health-conscious cuisines, and sustainable practices have become more prominent. Market leaders in the chain restaurant segment, such as Groupe Bertrand and Agapes Restauration, continue to play a significant role, with various brands under their umbrellas adapting to the evolving landscape. Despite the challenges, the traditional catering market in France is striving to adapt and maintain its cultural significance within the French gastronomy scene..
Gastronomic Delicacies and Consumer Trends in France's Traditional Foodservice Arena
In the heart of France, a country renowned for its rich gastronomic heritage, the traditional foodservice market exudes a historical charm. Despite facing the challenges of modern competition and emerging food trends, it remains an integral part of French culture. However, its growth prospects are somewhat tempered, seemingly restrained by the rapid rise of new rivals such as the dynamic fast-food industry and the advent of online delivery services which are revolutionizing the dining experience. The traditional French restaurant industry, valued at approximately between 30 and 40 billion euros in recent years, has witnessed a stagnant phase at the dawn of the decade before experiencing notable growth.
The inception of the Covid-19 crisis dealt a severe blow to the sector, inducing a standstill in operations and catapulting establishments into a vortex of uncertainty. Despite these adversities, the period did uncover potential growth pathways—for example, the surge in delivery and takeaway services that saw an uptick during lockdowns. As traditional caterers navigated through the recovery paths post-Covid, many sought to distinguish themselves by emphasizing the quality of their produce, delving into niche markets like organic or gluten-free offerings, or by sourcing ingredients locally. This conscientiousness towards quality is a reflection of a broader consumer inclination towards healthier and more transparent food options, wherein almost three-quarters of French citizens now partake in organic purchases.
On the flip side, home meal deliveries have also carved out a substantial niche, retaining their popularity with around 60% of the population incorporating this convenience into their routine post-pandemic, a significant leap from the pre-crisis affiliation. Within the intricate fabric of the French foodservice industry lies a vast array of establishments. The lion's share is held by independent restaurateurs, with nearly 90% ownership and approximately three-quarters of the market sales. A smaller, albeit significant share of the market, is represented by chain restaurants that provide an intriguing blend of cuisines under multiple brand umbrellas.
Analyzing the geographical spread reveals a fascinating landscape: while the Ile-de-France region boasts the highest count of traditional foodservice establishments, the picturesque Corsica emerges superior regarding the density of such eateries in proportion to its population. Financially, the traditional catering entities have had to endure strong currents as the tumultuous waters of the pandemic eroded sales. Yet the resilience of the workforce and the number of businesses signal an industry poised for recovery and adaptation.
Prominent Players Shaping the French Traditional Catering Industry
The French traditional catering market has a rich tapestry of players, each contributing their unique flavors and dining experiences to the gastronomic landscape of France. Among these, several companies stand out due to their size, influence, and the distinct dining concepts they offer.
- Groupe Bertrand stands at the forefront of networked catering holding companies. Under its expansive umbrella, it houses a diverse array of brands, including iconic French names such as the legendary Brasserie Lipp, the meat-focused Hippopotamus, and the trendsetting Léon. The group's portfolio exemplifies a commitment to offering a range of culinary experiences, from the traditional brasserie setting to more contemporary and specialized dining options.
- Agapes Restauration is another notable entity that has made waves with its well-known brands like Flunch and pizza-centric Pizza Paï. Despite facing challenges over the recent years, Agapes Restauration remains a key player with its array of family-friendly dining options that cater to a broad demographic, positioning itself as a go-to for casual dining.
- Le Duff France emerges as a strong contender, particularly with its Italian restaurant chain Del Arte, which offers an inviting taste of Italy through its pizzas, pasta, and other Italian classics, and the widely popular Brioche Dorée that serves up quick French pastry delights and sandwiches.
- Buffalo Grill and Courtepaille are powerful non-grouped banners that have made a name for themselves with their distinctive themes and menus. Buffalo Grill is renowned for its American-style steakhouse ambiance, while Courtepaille appeals to those craving a traditional grill house experience reminiscent of the French countryside.
- On the more exotic side, Sushi Shop has become increasingly popular, focusing on delivering a fusion of Japanese flavors to French consumers. It has responded well to the rising trend for sushi and has carved out a strong presence in the fast-casual dining segment.
- Among emerging companies, Côté Sushi and Ninkasi are noteworthy up-and-comers that continue to gain traction. Côté Sushi blends Japanese and Peruvian cuisines to offer a unique dining concept known as Nikkei, and Ninkasi, originally a craft brewery, has expanded its offerings to integrate quality dining with live music venues, merging gastronomy with entertainment.
Through these diverse and robust players, the French traditional catering industry continues to innovate and adapt to changing consumer trends while preserving the nation's rich gastronomy.
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Inforamtion
- Number of pages : 30 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update : 26/01/2023
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of the study
Traditional catering is defined as the activity of eating out with table service, but excluding the activities of bars, cafeterias and fast-food outlets. [INSEE]
This sector is historically important in France, as gastronomy has a special place in the country's culture. However, the sector is struggling to develop, and growth prospects are few and far between. What's more, the emergence of new competitors is penalizing traditional foodservice, as is the fast-food sector, which is driving overall growth in the French foodservice sector (you can find our study of the fast-food market here).
Operating in a highly competitive and dynamic environment (with the development of online delivery), each brand has to stand out from the crowd, relying in particular on the good reputation of its cuisine, its geographical positioning, positive word-of-mouth and intelligent digital communication that is sensitive to online reviews and ratings and ratings. E-reputation management and the digitalization of business management appear to be potential growth drivers for the sector.
In addition, the Covid-19 epidemic had a major impact on the foodservice sector, bringing business to a standstill for several months. While the recovery is slow and gradual, it is above all revealing new avenues for of growth, as suggested by the success of delivery and take-away sales during the confinement period. More specifically, some restaurants have decided, in light of the crisis, to strengthen their competitive edge by focusing on the quality of their products, for example by exploiting the growing success of organic, gluten-free or locally-produced products.
1.2 The global foodservice market dominated by the United States
In a global market worth around $*,*** billion by **** [***], the United States is the leading country for full-service foodservice, with sales of $***.* billion.
China ranks *nd in the market, followed by Japan, and is expected to experience significant growth over the next few years, with CAGRs of *.*% and *.*% respectively.
Global foodservice market ...
1.3 The recovery of the traditional foodservice market in France
Unlike the fast-food sector, the traditional foodservice sector in France has been stagnating since at least the beginning of the decade. Indeed, since ****, the traditional foodservice market has been worth around ** billion euros. However, from **** onwards, the sector saw strong growth, with the traditional foodservice market reaching **.*** billion euros in ****. In ...
1.4 The effect of the Covid-19 crisis
For several months between **** and ****, government measures prohibited public access to several categories of activity, including category N, i.e. "restaurants and drinking establishments". The restaurant sector was thus paralyzed , as were other sectors such as hotels and tourism, also subject to the various confinements. Restaurants and cafés account for ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The growing tourism industry
Prior to the health crisis, the number of foreign tourists had been growing year on year, reaching ** million in ****, with the resulting revenue logically following suit, at **.* billion euros in ****, +*.*% on ****. [***] France was thus the leading destination in terms of the number of international tourists in ****, ahead of Spain and the ...
2.2 Consumers and restaurant consumption habits
Out-of-home consumption
According to a FranceAgriMer study, in May ****, **% of consumers say they have visited a restaurant in the last * months. Of these, **% are women, and **% have no children. Nearly **% are between ** and ** years old. Furthermore, two-thirds of out-of-home meal consumers live in the center or outskirts of a city.
Age ...
2.3 Examples of popular and trendy kitchens
Among the dishes and types of restaurants in vogue according to LaFourchette food trends include :
The "mindfood" trend
The customer's mood is central to the dining experience.
Cuisine as a sensory experience
**% of consumers are looking for unique and memorable brand experiences [***]
Intelligent consumption
**% of French people take into ...
2.4 Home meal delivery on the rise
Against the backdrop of the health crisis that has paralyzed the restaurant sector, one service has enjoyed phenomenal growth: delivery. Despite the lifting of restrictions on restaurant room service, delivery has retained its place in new consumer habits, and is now a real consumer trend. **% of French people say they have ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Very uneven supply and population densities by region
A comparison of the number of businesses in relation to the population of the various French regions at the start of **** shows thatIle-de-France is the region with the most traditional restaurants, withgion with the most traditional restaurants, with **,*** establishments, but Corsica has the most in proportion to its population (***).france counted ...
3.2 Economic and financial performance of traditional catering establishments
Failure rate
The default rate is measured as the number of business failures in the sector under consideration, as a proportion of the total number of businesses in the sector.
In the French hotel and catering market, this rate peaked at *.*% in ****, subsequently falling to *.*% in ****. This figure is particularly high ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 The different restaurant chains on the French market
Although **% of restaurateurs are independent, the remaining **% operate under brand names or are franchised, and account for around **% of sales [***]
The following table gives an overview of the main restaurant chains in France. It also includes fast-food chains and institutional catering.
Source: ****
4.2 Consumer price index
The consumer price index is the tool used to measure inflation in a country. [***] Published monthly in the Journal Officiel, it estimates price trends for various household consumption sectors, whose list and weighting for the final index are available on the official site of the iNSEE website.
The CPI for a ...
4.3 New management tools for restaurateurs
Assisted management system (***)
Since January *, ****, restaurateurs (***) subject to VAT, have been required to use LNE or NF***-certified cash register software or systems, primarily to secure cash receipts and limit fraud.
As a result, cash registers in the form of iPad applications have emerged. The benefits are manifold, not only in ...
5 Regulations
5.1 General regulatory framework for the traditional foodservice market
The rights and obligations of foodservice professionals are summarized in practical information sheet issued by the Direction Générale des Entreprises.
In terms of signage, they are required todisplay their prices both inside and out.Since ****, restaurateurs have also been required to display the logo or words "home-made on their ...
5.2 Payment by luncheon voucher
The French Labor Codethe French Labor Code stipulates that all employers are obliged to provide a catering service when their company employs more than ** staff, i.e. one of the following solutions:
Distribution of luncheon vouchers Setting up a company catering structure Setting up an inter-company restaurant
There are no specific ...
5.3 Waste management
Since ****, restaurateurs, school canteens and food shops that produce more than ** tonnes of waste per year have been obliged to sort and recycle food scraps. Failure to comply with the law carries a €**,*** fine and * years' imprisonment.
In addition, the French Food Law of November *, **** requires on-site catering professionals to provide ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
- Agapes Restauration
- Le Duff Groupe
- Buffalo Grill
- Courtepaille
- Autogrill
- Sushi Shop Restauration
- Hippopotamus (Bertrand Groupe)
- Flunch
- Frères Blanc (Bertrand Groupe)
- Côté Sushi (ETLB Franchiseur)
- Boréa
- Convivio Groupe
- Newrest
- Dupont Restauration
- Bertrand Groupe
- McDonald’s France
- Pizza Hut (Yum Brands Group)
- Holder Groupe
- Areas France
- La Boucherie - Baudelaire groupe
- Zenchef
- Alain Ducasse Groupe -De Gustibus
- Paul Bocuse Groupe - Institut Paul Bocuse
List of charts
- Global foodservice market size
- Size of the traditional foodservice market
- Monthly sales indices for traditional restaurants
- Breakdown of Covid-19 effects by job type
- Number of international tourists
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Latest news
Le Duff invests 50 million to convert a frozen food plant in Calvados - 03/10/2023
The food giant (sales €3 billion) is preparing to inject €50 million into an extension to the Frial site in Calvados.
This plant produces frozen ready-made meals sold under brand names and private labels.
The Group's Cité Gourmande brand of frozen ready meals generates sales of only around 60 million euros, compared with 188 million for Frial.
the Frial Frial employs 480 people
Zenchef goes on the offensive to rival The Fork - 14/09/2023
- Zenchef was founded in 2011 by Xavier and Thomas Zeitoun and Julien Balmont.
- The group recently acquired Resengo, a 20-year-old pioneer of online reservations in Belgium.
- Resengo has a portfolio of 3,500 restaurants, including all 3-star restaurants in Belgium.
- Zenchef's main rivals are The Fork and Open Table, which each claim 60,000 partner restaurants worldwide.
- The group is backed by the American fund PSG, which has pledged a further 50 million euros to finance the acquisitions.
- With the acquisition of Resengo, Zenchef now has 15,000 partner restaurants, including 8,000 in France, where it is half the size of The Fork.
- Zenchef's model is based on a monthly subscription charged to the restaurateur, which averages 150 euros per month.
- Zenchef has 30 million meals booked each month via its software.
- With the acquisition of Resengo, the group forecasts sales of 25 million euros for 2023, and is positioned close to profitability.
Groupe Bertrand prepares its next offensive - 21/07/2023
- Groupe Bertrand sales: 2.7 billion euros in 2022 (compared with around 2 billion in 2019).
- Groupe Bertrand is France's leading independent restaurant operator, and number two in the sector behind McDonald's.
- Groupe Bertrand comprises two distinct divisions: Bertrand Franchise and Bertrand Hospitality.
- The group's brands include : Burger King, Léon, Au Bureau, Hippopotamus, etc.
- Groupe Bertrand owns 40% of Burger King, with the remainder held by the Bridgepoint investment fund.
- The group plans to open 120 to 130 new establishments a year in France.
- Estimated sales for 2023 are €3 billion.
- Groupe Bertrand also owns Nespresso boutiques, Maison Plisson (which sells fresh produce and delicatessen products), and an agricultural estate in Nonville (which produces organic fruit and vegetables).
How McDonald's is switching to reusable tableware - 02/01/2023
- McDonald's is the number 1 restaurant chain in France
- By 2021, more than 90% of establishments will be ready for the end of disposable packaging
- In 2021, the group has invested in the installation of dishwashing lines and the enlargement of some of its establishments
- The industry heavyweight opted for an in-house solution
- Feedback suggests that it will take six months for consumers to adopt good habits
Groupe Bertrand expands its street food business with the acquisition of Pitaya - 03/08/2022
- Groupe Bertrand, France's second-largest restaurant chain, boasts some 1,000 establishments ranging from Burger King to Hippopotamus, as well as numerous brasseries
- Few offerings in Asian cuisine until now
- Acquisition of the Pitaya company, with a network of around 150 restaurants (sales of 120 million euros)
Industrial bakery: Le Duff strengthens its American branch - 21/07/2022
- The Le Duff Group becomes France's second-largest pastry manufacturer
- The Rennes-based group announces the acquisition of North American viennoiserie manufacturer Lecoq Cuisine, whose activities on the other side of the Atlantic will bolster those of Bridor, Le Duff's industrial division
- Lecoq Cuisine, founded in 1991 in New York, generates annual sales of 60 million euros and employs 250 people
- This manufacturer of viennoiseries, brioches and filled pastries is located in Bridgeport
- Bridor already manufactures viennoiseries, breads and other dough-based products at its two sites in Quebec, Canada and Vineland, USA
- Investment of around 200 million euros in its North American facilities to meet the needs of local markets
- 30% of Bridor's billion-euro annual sales are generated across the Atlantic
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