KANSAS CITY, MO. — The pandemic did not stop consumers from visiting their favorite quick-service restaurants (QSRs); in fact, according to Statista, the QSR market is poised for record growth in 2021, with projections of more than $281 billion in sales this year, compared to about $200 billion in 2020.
That creates big opportunities for meat and poultry processors who supply QSRs. The chicken sandwich wars between QSRs such as Popeyes, Chick-Fil-A, KFC and about 20 others who increased chicken offerings have been a driving force for processors — more than 65% of the US population ordered a chicken sandwich at some point in 2021.
Trend watching
Annemarie Vaupel, vice president of marketing for Hormel Foodservice, noted it’s imperative to remain relevant in the minds of consumers, while keeping up the ability to drive sales and handle the labor situation. “We continue to focus on labor and time saving, value-added products – those that present safe, quality and delicious options and at the same time, are easy on the back of house.”
Tech talk
Processors are also relying on new technology, such as hyper-flexible automation with more accurate and faster measurement systems. “We can expect to see a much greater demand for end-to-end transparency in the supply chain, which ultimately saves on food costs and guarantees a higher quality product,” said Greg Phillips, chief executive officer of iMatrix. “IoT devices such as temperature sensors will be on the rise.”
Looking ahead
As customers continue to return to food-away-from-home options, companies need to continually address the evolution in the labor markets while upholding consumer expectations. “Additionally, 2022 will bring even more interest in global flavors as a result of continued travel uncertainty,” Vaupel said. “Food could become the new travel.”