Meal kit delivery services provide a time-saving, affordable, healthy solution to meal prepping for busy Americans. CivicScience trend adoption insights tracker shows an increase in meal kit subscription users and intenders in Q2 of 2021. While these services are not new, it appears that they have begun to reignite the interest of consumers.
To date, over one-fifth of U.S. adults (21%) have used meal kit delivery services. This is an increase of five percentage points over the past eighteen months. Similarly, meal kit subscription intenders have increased five percentage points in just the past three months to 11%.
Not surprisingly, meal kit subscriptions attract young patrons. This makes sense considering the cost-effective convenience they provide for individuals and families living on-the-go lifestyles.
Americans ages 18-24 are the most likely to have used meal kit subscription services (42%), and 34% intend to give them a try. Notably, experience with meal kit subscriptions begins to drop off when looking at those 35 and older.
Those making $150k or more a year have the most experience using meal kits like Blue Apron or Plated (30%), but only six percent of individuals at that income level intended to try them. Conversely, adults earning $50K or less have the highest rates of intending to try meal kits (20%).
Meal kit subscription usage among parents is greatest at 25%, this is quite a jump in experience from 2020 when only 17% of parents had used the delivery service.
Home chefs cooking for their spouse or partner or preparing meals for the whole family are the largest portion of meal kit subscription users. Those who rarely or never cook dinner for anyone make up nearly one-fifth of meal kit subscription intenders.
As the hectic pace of life returns, will this prompt greater shifts in the market for meal kits? Understaffed restaurants and rising food prices could create the perfect storm for meal kit subscription services. CivicScience will continue to monitor subscription service usage over the coming months.
