Making the case for breakfast

Morning mealtime for consumers these days means more breakfasts on the run. Busier than ever, people are eating breakfast away from their homes, and they’re looking for variety, value, convenience and taste—all in one place.

Though consumers have cut back on lunches and dinners out, breakfast sales in foodservice have increased for the fourth consecutive year at 3 percent, according to The NPD Group. Quick-serve restaurants served the most consumers, with a 4 percent increase in sales and a projected growth of 9 percent, according to NPD’s 2013 research. However, despite this competition, non-commercial operators have just as much growth opportunity, especially those serving hot breakfast options.

“If you’re not in breakfast you absolutely should be,” says Justin Massa, co-founder and CEO of Chicago foodservice research firm Food Genius. Since just earlier this year, Food Genius reports a whopping 5 percent increase in restaurants serving breakfast.

What’s more, consumers report that breakfast is important, even if they don’t eat it every day. “Our research finds consumers believe eating breakfast is a good idea for their health,” according to Mary Chapman, product innovation director for Technomic. Still, most consumers skip breakfast at least once a week, and 37 percent say it’s because they don’t have time. That’s where non-commercial operators can step in with a ramped-up retail section offering portable, varied and value-added options as well as beverage pairings.

A.M. Eating Types

A recent study by Kellogg’s, which polled more than 1,500 adult consumers of different ages and backgrounds, determined that morning eaters fall into five different categories, each with different needs and tastes. By focusing on the breakfast eating types outlined in the report, non-commercial operators have a ripe opportunity to boost morning sales.

When dining out, Sit N’ Savorers and Sedentary Socializers prefer to enjoy a leisurely breakfast with comfortable seating, Wi-Fi and a variety of high-quality menu items—made to order—from which to choose. Sit N’ Savorers, consisting of mainly Baby Boomers (average age: 51), prefer fresh, healthy meals with their morning coffee while surfing the web or social media sites. When they do eat on the run, they choose a variety of snacks and healthier foods to tide them over, according to Kellogg’s.

Sedentary Socializers, who tend to be more ethnically diverse and include 20 percent retirees, look for quality, variety and heartier meal offerings they can enjoy while seated and talking with friends and family. Non-commercial operations that are set up more like traditional restaurants or bakery-cafés are at a unique advantage to cater to this group and compete with quick-serves for sales.

When it comes to breakfast eaters on the run, Discerning Dashers view their a.m. “meal” as more of a grazing snack to power up their day on the go, according to Kellogg’s. This group—consisting of employed, “trendsetting” married and single adults around 38 years of age—wants their morning meals to be portable, quick to eat, filling and easily accessible on the way to their destination. In fact, 64 percent of Discerning Dashers’ early a.m. meal is a workplace cafeteria.

Ninja Munchers, a group that skews female (63 percent) are even more pressed for time but want satisfying, egg-based breakfast sandwiches to hold them over longer as well as healthier options like breakfast bars. Gulp N’ Runners—including many single, active men—often just have an a.m. beverage such as coffee, soda or an energy drink because they plan to eat more later.

A workplace cafeteria serving made-to-order hot offerings like breakfast sandwiches as well as a line of fresh, grab-n-go items like breakfast bars, fruit, yogurt and wrapped sandwiches as well as higher quality beverages could easily beat out an off-site quick-serve restaurant or convenience store in attracting these breakfast types. Even improving vending machine offerings with healthier, higher quality items could offer a competitive advantage.

Differentiating Day Parts

Knowing different consumer eating patterns can also help operators boost sales beyond just breakfast. Expanding breakfast service hours to late morning, offering “lunch” foods earlier in the day and considering breakfast at late-night can help non-commercial operators beat competition and boost sales overall.

Technomic data shows 48 percent of consumers eat breakfast foods at non-traditional times, according to Chapman. Discerning Dashers and Ninja Munchers will even eat burgers and meat-based sandwiches in the late morning. Others like breakfast foods later at night.

Improving the setup and offerings of retail and kiosk outlets at non-commercial foodservice operations can help cater to the speed- and convenience-driven types. Opening up just one cook station in a cafeteria for early morning rush orders can help expand hot food offerings for those in a time crunch.

“College students and office workers want convenient, filling meals and snacks on the way to class or work—something they can easily grab rather than have to sit and wait for service,” says Chapman. “These items also need to be inexpensive. Another reason 57 percent of consumers say they save more money by eating breakfast at home.”

To start optimizing your morning daypart sales, visit www.fafh.com