39% of sandwiches sourced away from home, suggests Canadian study

Aug. 1, 2014, Chicago – Thirty-nine per cent of the
sandwiches that consumers eat are sourced away from home, suggests a Canadian
study by research firm Technomic.

Aug. 1, 2014, Chicago – Thirty-nine per cent of the
sandwiches that consumers eat are sourced away from home, suggests a Canadian
study by research firm Technomic.

Today’s consumers report eating an average of 3.3 sandwiches
per week, and 35 per cent of consumers say they eat a sandwich at least every
other day. Even with high sandwich consumption, data points to opportunities
for operators and suppliers to increase share of sandwich occasions and boost
sales; 39 per cent of the sandwiches that consumers eat are sourced away from
home.

One way to improve sandwich sales is to improve upon
quality. Today's consumers place higher importance on the quality of meat,
bread, cheese and condiments in creating a good sandwich than in years past.
Quality is often tied to health, and data also shows demand for healthier
sandwiches: just 44 per cent of consumers are satisfied with the healthfulness
of sandwiches away from home.

"Operators need to focus on the quality of their
sandwiches to help drive traffic and steal share,” said Darren Tristano,
executive vice-president of Technomic, in a release. “Restaurants should integrate
quality in a way that aligns with their concept's positioning. For example,
certain concepts can emphasize sandwich quality and improve health perceptions
at the same time through better-for-you sandwich claims, such as fresh, artisan
or made-from-scratch.”

To help foodservice executives understand the latest
behaviours, preferences and attitudes of consumers regarding sandwiches,
Technomic has published an update of its Canadian Sandwich Consumer Trend
Report. Interesting findings include:

• Sandwiches fill
  the need for fast, convenient and portable meal options: three out of every
  five sandwiches (60 per cent) that consumers order are taken to go, and 48 per
  cent of consumers sometimes purchase grab-and-go sandwiches.
• Most consumers
  prioritize health for sandwiches at lunch (57 per cent) and dinner (56 per cent).
  Further, 44 per cent of consumers would like healthier sides with their
  sandwiches.
• A fifth of
  consumers (21 per cent), and 32 per cent of 25–34-year-olds, demand more ethnic
  sandwiches at restaurants.
• Consumers are
  increasingly likely to try new or unique flavours on sandwiches than on other
  foods (27 per cent, up from 21 per cent in 2012).