the ready meal market | France

1.1 Market definition

Fast food products, ready-made meals are the most popular dishes that only need to be reheated, or minimally prepared, before being eaten. They can be found in various forms: canned, vacuum-packed or frozen. According to the INSEE definition, prepared meals are ready-to-eat and ready-made meals (prepared, seasoned or cooked).

These ready-to-eat products are distributed in mass-market stores or in small local shops, and allow employees or families to eat easily, without the worry of cooking at home.

Today, we are witnessing a revenue diversification - and quality - and of the foodstuffs used - meat, vegetables, seafood, fish - to suit new market segments whose quality requirements are more important. This is especially true after the scandals that hit the market in 2013 with the horse meat fraud.

The chain of production also tends to become more complex with distributors starting to manufacture their own products, and with the emergence of these young companies of ready-made meals, which seek to challenge the control of a few large companies.

The global market for ready-made meals is growing and according to specialists, this market will experience an average growth of about 5.5% per year between 2019 and 2027.

However, the French market is more mature and therefore less dynamic. A threat hangs over ready-made meals, which are considered to be unhealthy by a part of the population, and the market will have to overcome this vision to continue evolving. However, there are many innovations in this market that are paying off. Most manufacturers are offering new lines vegetarian, gluten-free, and some even invest in biodegradable packaging.

The players in this market are the manufacturers of ready meals such as Sodebo, Fleury Michon, etc., but also the super and hypermarkets where most ready meals are sold. We can think of Carrefour, Auchan, but also smaller shops like Franprix or grocery stores. Sometimes retail chains can also be manufacturers: this is the case of Carrefour, Franprix or Marks and Spencer. There are also digital players such as Weight Watchers who deliver individual ready meals, intended for consumption at home or outside.