The ready to eat meals market in Italy

Ready-to-eat meals are defined as those dishes that do not require any preparation to be consumed or require minimal preparation time. These products may be available in different formats, including canned, vacuum-packed, or frozen packages, and are distributed in both large-scale retail trade (GDO) and specialty stores. Their main attraction lies in convenience, allowing consumers to save time in meal preparation without sacrificing quality.

The global market for ready-to-eat meals is expanding and was estimated at $383.93 billion in 2023, with projected growth to $488 billion by 2028 thanks to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5 percent. The European segment, which is one of the most relevant areas worldwide, was valued at $85.65 billion in 2023, with forecasts to exceed $100 billion by 2028.

In Italy, the market for ready-to-eat meals has also experienced significant growth, driven by factors such as hectic lifestyles, reduced time available for cooking, and an increased focus on products with healthy connotations, such as organic, low-salt, and fat- or palm-oil-free meals. The turnover of Italian ready-to-eat meal companies increased by 28.8 percent between 2016 and 2024, from 1.39 billion to 1.79 billion euros. After a slight contraction in 2018 and 2020, the recovery has been steady, accelerating from 2021 onward.

This expansion is also visible in consumption habits: the average monthly household expenditure on ready meals has risen from 3.1 euros in 2017 to 34.44 euros in 2023, marking a 1010 percent increase.

In the frozen ready meals sector, first courses dominate the market with 57.4 percent of total spending, followed by frozen main courses (21 percent) and side dishes (19.7 percent). Vegetable protein substitutes, while growing, still account for a marginal share of sales(1.9%).

Despite strong growth in the value of retail sales (+45.7%), the turnover of Italian companies specializing exclusively in the production of ready-to-eat meals is declining (-2.9%). This phenomenon suggests an increasing role of large Italian and foreign agribusiness companies, such as Knorr, Frosta, and Bonduelle, which are strengthening their position in the Italian ready meals market.