How can QSR brands cater to the demand for affordable and healthy food options?
Healthy food options are often twice as expensive as regular offerings.
Quick service restaurant (QSR) brands are at a crossroads as emerging consumers are divided: some prioritise low prices, whilst others seek healthier, albeit more expensive, food options. This requires brands to transform their offerings to find a balance between providing an affordable menu and healthier choices.
A Euromonitor International survey found that 51% of Southeast Asian consumers are looking for health and nutritional benefits when buying food and beverage products, whilst 43% prefer items that have lower prices.
“There needs to be an affordable range but many of them also want to give more value to differentiate from the competitor. So they have another range of products. For instance, some chains have a signature menu or a more premium one,” Emil Fazira, Food Insight Manager in Asia at Euromonitor International, said.
A report by GlobalData also showed that 62% of Asia Pacific consumers’ purchase decisions are often or always influenced by the impact of a product or service on their health and well-being.
“Despite the waning of COVID-19 concerns, APAC consumers are gravitating towards natural, organic, and functional food products that are perceived to help in alleviating health concerns,” said Priyanka Jain, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData.
This rising demand for functional food products will transform the food service sector as consumers become more conscious of lifestyle-related diseases and preventive healthcare.
The trend also explains how brands like llaollao, a Spanish yoghurt brand, have achieved a following in Asia and why fast food giants like KFC in Singapore and Shake Shack in Hong Kong are going the extra mile to emphasise freshness in their ingredients.
Value hackers
However, reconciling the demand for healthier offerings with affordable pricing can be challenging, as healthy food is usually twice as expensive as less healthy food on a per-calorie basis, according to a report by The Food Foundation's Broken Plate, released in June 2023.
In the US, meal deals are rampant as fast food brands entice consumers to visit their restaurants. A similar trend is happening in Asia with the emergence of a consumer segment called “value hackers,” who look to outsmart the system to get the best deals and discounts.
“They are not about short-term savings but getting the most out of it for the long term, which suits their financial habits—a mix of trying to reward themselves and having money-saving habits,” Fazira said.
In China, a Circana report showed that 41.5% of consumers said in February that prices had increased. The report added that the majority of consumers understood the need for price increases but insisted that food quality and richness must be improved.
As a result, 30.2% of consumers said they plan to dine out less in March, up from 24% in October 2023, as they want to spend less on dining out.
Questions to consider:
- How can QSR brands effectively balance offering value deals with maintaining profitability in the face of rising food and operational costs?
- What role can technology play in helping QSR brands provide healthier and more affordable menu options?
EXPERT OPINION