T
he coronavirus pandemic has had
widespread impact on every facet of food
production, distribution, retailing, and
foodservice. It has upended some trends, such as
the long, steady decline in grocery center-store
sales, and accelerated others, such as online grocery
ordering and off-premises restaurant dining.
How 2021 will unfold will be a function of
the vaccine rollouts and the confidence consumers
have in their own safety. Some consumer shopping
behaviors that accelerated during the pandemic,
such as grocery delivery or curbside pickup, may
persist at elevated levels. Likewise, consumer
preferences with regard to restaurants, such as
takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining, are likely to
continue in the year ahead.
A significant number of consumers may also
continue to prefer cooking at home, rather than
dining out. This will help perpetuate the strong
sales performance of food retailers into 2021, at
least until consumers feel safe dining in restaurants
and restrictions on restaurant operations have
ended, according to industry observers.
In the meantime, consumers have continued
to seek to replace some of their restaurant dining
by buying more premium and specialty products to
prepare meals at home. Sales of premium and super-
premium packaged goods grew by 1.7 percent during
the latter part of 2020, says Colin Stewart, executive
vice president, business intelligence, at Jacksonville,
Florida-based Acosta, citing IRI research.
He notes that the trend has been "consistent
A focus on at-home cooking, restaurant
takeout, and delivery reshape the food
industry for the near term.
Pandemic Trends
Carry into 2021
BY MARK HAMSTRA
WINTER
THE NEW NORMAL
