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About this report
 
About the market:
 
Although the Italians’ diet remains typically Mediterranean, their eating habits are changing in favour of greater use of ready prepared foods. Sales of ready meals and other pre-prepared foods are growing fast, as is the number of companies that are entering this lucrative market. Demand for processed, added-value foods is driven by young people and families with children who have less time for cooking from scratch and a growing inclination to spend their spare time on leisure and other pursuits. However, the Italian population remains fundamentally conservative in their tastes and eating habits and penetration of ready meals is well below the European average.
 

 
Convenience foods are still underdeveloped in Italy, as reflected in the more limited range of recipes on offer. Expanding the customer base, and increasing frequency of purchase, remain the most important, and difficult, tasks facing the international and Italian producers operating in this market which will require large investments in product development and promotion over the next few years. However, in the last two years the market has taken off and currently offers an exciting range of opportunities for the suppliers ready to meet the highly exacting Italian tastes and quality expectations.
 

 
About the report:
 
Using the latest, market size data and trend analysis, this report provides a vital snapshot of Italian cooking habits. Offering an invaluable insight into the driving forces behind changing cooking trends, it offers food producers, manufacturers and marketers a fascinating overview of food preparation’s market segmentation, supply structure, NPD and prospects.
 

 
Use Mintel’s research to avoid market pitfalls, discover sector opportunities, identify growth potential and achieve the best possible results.

Contents
 

 
Introduction
 

 
Definitions
 
Abbreviations
 
Executive Summary
 
Eating habits are changing
 
Health concerns influence consumer perceptions
 
Rapid growth in demand for chilled added-value foods
 
Declining interest in frozen and ambient ready meals
 
Low penetration of ready meals
 
Market dominated by the multinationals…
 
…and large retail chains
 
Emphasis on freshness, quality and safety
 
Eating habits are more relaxed
 
Market Drivers
 
Busier lifestyles demand more convenience
 
Eating out is booming and indirectly helping the growth of prepared foods
 
Competition from takeaway pizza
 
Snacking encroaches on traditional eating culture
 
Socio-demographic trends boost demand for convenience
 
Figure 1: Trends in Italian population, by age, 1999-2003
 
Younger consumers drive the changes
 
Middle-aged groups are the main target for prepared foods
 
The influence of older age groups set to increase
 
Rising female employment but housewives still in the majority
 
Figure 2: Trends in Italian employment, by gender, 1998-2003
 
Smaller households have different needs
 
Figure 3: Trends in household size in Italy, 1998-2002
 
Rising PDI facilitates and stimulates use of prepared foods
 
Figure 4: Trends in Italian consumer expenditure, at current and constant prices, 1999-2003
 
Low microwave ownership limits consumption of ready meals
 
Figure 5: Ownership of household appliances, by country, 2004
 
Factors impacting on shopping decisions
 
Packaging
 
Market Size and Trends
 
Spending on food continues to increase
 
Figure 6: Italian retail value sales of food and non-alcoholic drink, at current and constant prices, 1999-2004
 
Figure 7: Total household expenditure and expenditure on food, 1999-2003
 
Biggest increases in ‘healthy’ foods categories
 
Figure 8: Average family spending per month in Italy, 2001-03
 
Small households spend more on higher-priced foods
 
Figure 9: Average family spending per month in Italy, by household size, 2001-03
 
Convenience foods
 
Rapid growth of prepared foods
 
Figure 10: Italian retail value sales of selected convenience foods, by type, 1999-2004
 
Market Segmentation
 
Ready meals
 
Figure 11: Italian retail value sales of ready meals, by type, 1999-2004
 
Chilled ready meals have higher quality image
 
Frozen ready meals largely pan-fry products
 
Ambient ready meals under pressure and losing market share
 
Figure 12: Italian retail value sales of ready meals, by recipe type, 2002-04
 
Pasta-based meals in the lead
 
Meat-based meals are dominated by poultry recipes
 
Vegetable-based ready meals benefit from high convenience value
 
Frozen recipes dominate fish-based ready meals
 
Processed poultry is the most successful convenience product
 
Figure 13: Italian retail value sales of processed poultry products, by type, 2002-04
 
Choosy Italians more approving of chilled pizza
 
Figure 14: Italian retail value sales of pizza, by type, 1999-2004
 
Packaged salads – an ultimate convenience
 
Chilled soups slow to break through
 
Figure 15: Italian retail value sales of soup, by type, 1999-2004
 
Desserts dominated by traditional products
 
Figure 16: Italian retail value sales of desserts, by type, 1999-2004
 
Cooking sauces driven by demand for freshness
 
Figure 17: Italian retail value sales of cooking sauces, by type, 1999-2004
 
Further-processed fish
 
Figure 18: Italian retail value sales of processed fish products, by type, 2002-04
 
Distribution
 
Figure 19: Italian retail value sales of ready meals, by outlet type, 2002-04
 
Figure 20: Italian retail value sales of further-processed poultry, by outlet type, 2002-04
 
Figure 21: Major food retailers in Italy, by number of outlets, 2003/04
 
Figure 22: Number of food retail outlets in Italy, by type, 1995-2002
 
Internet sales
 
The Supply Structure
 

 
Manufacturers’ shares
 
Frozen ready meals
 
Figure 23: Manufacturers’ value shares of frozen ready meals, 2002-04
 
Chilled ready meals
 
Figure 24: Manufacturers’ value shares of chilled ready meals, 2002-04
 
Ambient ready meals
 
Figure 25: Manufacturers’ value shares of ambient ready meals, 2002-04
 
Pizza
 
Figure 26: Manufacturers’ value shares of frozen pizza, 2002-04
 
Processed poultry products
 
Figure 27: Manufacturers’ value shares of processed poultry products, 2002-04
 
Processed fish products
 
Figure 28: Manufacturers’ value shares of processed fish products*, 2002-04
 
Companies and brands
 
Findus/Unilever SpA
 
Nestlé Italiana SpA
 
AIA SpA, Gruppo Veronesi
 
Arena Holding SpA
 
New Product Development
 
NPD responding to the snacking trend
 
Product quality is a prime concern
 
Poultry is the largest sector, and still receiving NPD
 
Comparison of new product launches
 
Figure 29: New product launches, by country and product, 2004
 
New product launches
 
Prospects
 
Chilled convenience foods are fastest-growing
 
Enlargement of EU creates export opportunities
 
Innovation will lead to further market segmentation
 
Health and safety to remain key requirements
 
Ready meals to provide most industry growth
 
Ready meals finally take off, but regular use remains low
 
Forecast
 
Quality does not play second fiddle to convenience
 
This underpins the further growth depicted in the following Figure.
 
Figure 30: Forecast for Italian retail value sales of selected convenience foods, by type, at current prices, 2004-09
 
Another €1.25 billion over the next five years
 
Adding value the key
 
Prepared salads and ready meals lead the growth
 
Poultry remains largest sector and is fast growing
 
Pizza hit by takeaways
 
Chilled even helps less promising sectors
 
Rising to €4 billion at 2004 prices
 
Figure 31: Forecast for Italian retail value sales of selected convenience foods, by type, at 2004 prices, 2004-09
 
Winners and losers more apparent in real terms