In the retail food world, one of the most well-documented effects of the global pandemic is the rise in online ordering. Consumers are flocking to websites and apps to order their groceries and restaurant meals, and their reasons go beyond just avoiding the virus. Online shopping is here to stay, and plant-based buyers are no exception.
In October 2021, Moonshot Collaborative surveyed nearly 700 of our panelists, all of whom purchased plant-based meat, dairy, or eggs in the three months prior to signing up. The results were surprising: More than two-thirds of plant-based buyers bought food online in the past six months and more than three-fourths will do so in the next six months.
A whopping 89% of Generation Y consumers (ages 25 and 40) and 87% of Generation Z consumers (18-24) say they will use an app or website to buy food in the next six months. Among Gen Xers (41-56), more than three-fourths (78%) say they’ll buy food online. Although there are clear differences by age group, a majority (60%) of baby boomers (ages 57 and older) also plan to use a website or app to order food in the next six months.
Takeaway: If you’re not already selling your food online, you’re missing out. Whether it’s selling direct-to-consumer on your website, offering your products through a marketplace, or partnering with an online delivery service, you need to get into the game. The practice of buying food online will only grow, even after the pandemic subsides.
In our survey, we also asked where people shopped for food online in the past six months (if applicable). A majority of plant-based buyers said they’ve used a grocery store’s website and/or a restaurant delivery service in the past six months. These were followed by online marketplaces (42%) and grocery delivery services (29%). Relatively few plant-based buyers selected any other type of website or app from the list.
What are your company’s plans to sell your food products online? Whether you’re selling directly or through a partner website or app, a positive customer experience is critical. Save the world from broken ordering systems by getting customer feedback on your current process and any changes you have planned.
Contact Moonshot Collaborative to see how we can help!
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
