Seven in ten consumers say delivery is a permanent part of their life today

P27,900—that was the single largest GrabMart order made in the first six months of 2022 in the region. Grab‘s newly released food and grocery delivery trend report found that:

• Delivery life is here to stay: 7 in 10 consumers say deliveries are a permanent part of their life today because they like the convenience and immediacy of these services especially when they have to prepare for social gatherings. Consumers use delivery so much that 1 in 3 has committed to a delivery subscription plan.

• Filipino consumers are ordering more frequently, and spending more per order: Average basket sizes expanded by 84% on GrabFood and GrabMart. Young families with children are the most avid users, ordering food delivery at least 5 times per month, and groceries at least 7 times per month.

• Food delivery platforms have become the new search engine: Most people (74%) don’t know what to eat, and spend about 17 minutes browsing the app before making an order. 88% of respondents said they got to know of a new merchant because of delivery apps.

• Consumers are spending more of their online time on food: 9 in 10 read reviews and pre-purchase vouchers online; 8 in 10 make reservations and buy takeaway online, and 7 in 10 make dine-in orders and payments online. The food and beverage experience is becoming more digitalized.

• Consumers value a personal touch: 90% of consumers said they are more likely to order from merchants that allow customization. Consumers also spend 15% more on average on merchants that let them customize orders to their taste.

We also looked at how eating habits in the Philippines have changed and here’s what we found:

• Healthy and plant-based alternatives are not a fad: 92% of Filipino consumers eat at least 1 healthy meal every 2 to 3 days, and almost 2 out of 5 consumers tried plant-based alternatives in the last 6 months. No wonder demand for healthy meals on GrabFood shot up 12 times, and health and wellness sales grew 2 times on GrabMart.

• Snacking is no longer a solo but a group activity: With workplaces reopening, over 74% of Filipino consumers said they tend to order snacks for more than one person each time.

• 2022 brought on new food favorites for Filipino consumers—from fried chicken overtaking burgers as the #1 GrabFood order to more people ordering the Filipino-favorite dessert Halo Halo

• Fried chicken steals the #1 spot of orders on GrabFood, with close to 55,000 orders of fried chicken made every day.

• Filipinos rekindled their love for Halo Halo, with orders of this sweet treat growing 80% compared to last year.

• Instant food and milk products are a must-have in a Filipino household. Instant noodles, canned food, milk, cultured milk as well as evaporated milk and cream were among the top 10 most ordered items on GrabMart.

• Filipinos, being the region’s biggest party hosts, also ordered a lot of carbonated drinks. Carbonated drink orders shot up by 50% compared to the year before.

“With the latest Food and Grocery Trends report, we’ve seen how GrabFood and GrabMart have continued to find a place in the lives of Filipinos by conveniently giving them their needs and wants. Whether its from lunch with officemates, dinner for the family after a long day of work, or even groceries delivered instead of going out, we’re happy we’re able to maximize the Grab platform to be part of our fellow Filipinos’ daily routine,” said Anton Bautista, Grab Philippines Head of Deliveries and Business Development.

What do these trends mean for food and grocery businesses? Here are six tips for them:

• On-demand delivery is not going away. Join a platform to capture more sales opportunities.
• Make your store stand out from the crowd by investing in food photography and advertising. Don’t forget that most consumers open the delivery app without any restaurant or store in mind.
• Cater to young families who rely on deliveries most to save time and the hassle of cooking. Appeal to parents to tap into this segment of heavy users.
• Offer a variety of add-ons such as appetizers, desserts, and drinks. Consumers are constantly looking for ways to hit a minimum spend for delivery promotions, especially those on subscription packs.
• Demand spikes during festive seasons. Offer bundle meals, sharing platters, and finger foods which are especially popular for large gatherings.
• With snacking on the rise, take advantage of off-peak and tea-time cravings to grow overall demand.

“More than learning fun facts about consumer habits, this Food and Grocery Trends is meant to help our merchant-partners in understanding the Filipino consumer and how we can all better serve them for all their delivery needs,” Bautista added.

To read more about what consumers in the Philippines are eating, download the full trend report here: https://www.grab.com/ph/merchant/food-and-grocery-trends-report-2022/