Citing reports on consumer trends following the COVID-19 pandemic, Side Delights says its offering fit with shopping habits such as cooking at home and pantry stocking to preferences on plant-based meals.
Side Delights says it offers a variety of nutritious, economical products, including bagged and bulk potatoes, potato kits, convenience potatoes, petite potatoes, fresh-cut potatoes and organic potatoes.
Four years after the onset of the pandemic, data shows a sustained surge in consumers opting to cook at home, Side Delights said. Despite initial expectations that dining out would return to pre-pandemic habits, consumers have embraced recipes and the enjoyment of preparing meals in their own homes for their friends and families while developing their skills in the kitchen, according to a news release.
Home cooks credited the ability to create quick, budget-friendly meals and experiment with new recipes and ingredients as key reasons they continue to lean into staying home, the release said, citing a survey by The Kitchn. When choosing a recipe, 76% of home cooks stated their top consideration as whether they have the ingredients on hand, and 40% listed “pantry-friendly” as a go-to cooking “vibe” for 2024.
“You need a well-stocked pantry to get dinner on the table night after night, and during the pandemic, there was an increase in demand for pantry-stable items,” Kathleen Triou, president and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network, the exclusive supplier of Side Delights potatoes and onions, said in the release. “Affordable and shelf-stable, potatoes fit the go-to cooking vibe.”
Healthy eating habits also remain a top post-pandemic priority. Data from a 2024 consumer expenditures study revealed that most shoppers now self-identify as “health-conscious,” and one of the most frequently purchased items at a grocery store within the past month is fresh produce, Side Delights said. Industry experts predict that as the plant-based trend continues to make the list of Top 10 Food Trends of 2024, consumers want suppliers to “put the ‘plant’ back in ‘plant-based,’” perfectly positioning potatoes as shopper staple, the release said.
These shopper habits necessitate grocery stores to reevaluate their store offerings to cater to the growing demand for home-cooking-centric products and solutions.
“With a focus on healthy eating, home cooking and budget-friendly shopping, pantry stocking is having a moment again,” Triou said. “Side Delights potatoes provide retailers with cost-effective, healthy and timesaving shopper options for the pantry to the plate.”
