Convenient but not a luxury!

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2024/4

Eating habits of new generations have changed

According to Mintel’s Frozen Snacks Market Report 2023, the more than 21% growth in the frozen snacks category was primarily driven by Covid, although inflation also played a role in the nominal increase.

Research by Future Market Insights has found that the value of the global market is expected to reach nearly USD 137bn in 2023 and is likely to exceed USD 250bn in 10 years’ time. Consumers are more aware of the nutritional content of frozen and packaged foods than before, so manufacturers are responding by adding vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

When you need a tasty bite or two

In Hungary most of the finger food sold in HoReCa is nuggets and chicken wings at chain restaurants, while the main culinary trends are creative street food type dishes from restaurants and food trucks – or the small versions of these: mini burgers, mini wraps and mini sausages.

Mossóczy Csaba
magyarországi
képviseleti vezető
Salomon FoodWorld

Csaba Mossóczy, the Hungarian representative of Salomon FoodWorld:

“Salomon FoodWorld is one of the biggest finger food manufacturers in Europe and we are going to launch lots of new products in 2024”.

Transforming dining and socialising patterns predict growth for the category in the longer term.

Beáta Bukovenszki
head of domestic sales
Gallicoop

“As our lives are becoming busier, consumers have started to concentrate on convenience, so there is a growing demand for finger foods, which can be eaten on the go or as a snack at home”,

says Beáta Bukovenszki, head of domestic sales at Gallicoop.

There is an ongoing trend towards convenient eating, since people are looking for light, quick and easy meals for different occasions, gatherings and as snacks.

Boglárka Enikő Tóth 
commercial leader
Nestlé Professional

“Nestlé Hungária Kft. Nestlé’s Professional business mainly sells ingredients to catering companies, for instance the vegan and vegetarian Garden Gourmet products, which can be used to prepare the most popular finger food dishes quickly and easily”,

explains commercial leader Enikő Boglárka Tóth.

In the last two years the finger food market also expanded in HoReCa, thanks to the increasing number of events.

An obvious solution

Major European companies also offer tools and recipes

Gallicoop’s experience is that shoppers are now often looking for products that aren’t only quick to prepare, but also nutritious and offer a variety of flavours. The company’s finger food products have been designed to be easy to prepare in a short time, without oil or other fats, and have high meat content to suit a new, more dynamic lifestyle. Nestlé Professional knows that the catering industry is short on staff all the time, so bars and restaurants want to work with quick-to-prepare ingredients. There is also a growing consumer demand for healthy and vegan/vegetarian options. This year the company is planning to introduce exotic flavours, but will also focus on “pulled” products. //