The ready-to-eat and deli market is growing against the backdrop of women’s advancement in society, changes in modern lifestyles, and support for deliciousness and convenience. The market has been growing steadily since the coronavirus pandemic, with the market size exceeding 11 trillion yen in 2024. By business format, delicatessen specialty stores and grocery supermarkets are doing well, and grocery supermarkets in particular have strengthened their handling of prepared foods to meet the needs of customers, which has led to differentiation from other chains.
The growth rate of the delicatessen market increased by 9.4% compared to 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic. By business format, grocery supermarkets increased by 23.5% and deli specialty stores increased by 6.1% (from Japan Ready-made Association’s “SOUZAI HAKUSHO”). Convenience stores, which are the top in terms of market share, increased by 4.8%.
Grocery supermarkets, which are growing rapidly, are accelerating the operation of process centers and the expansion of central kitchens, mainly major supermarkets. They are working to reduce the workload and work process of employees in the store. Wholesale support for this field is also increasing. Supermarket companies are strengthening their assortment of prepared foods, and prepared foods handling share of some supermarkets is said to reach as high as 15%. As a result, the proportion of deli sales is increasing for mass retailers, and the taste and quality are improving as competition is created. Due to labor shortages and rising costs, it seems that some spermarkets are moving from in-store cooking to out-packing. Frozen food manufacturers say, “Except for some of the best-selling dishes such as rice bowls, mass retailers’ prepared foods are being out-packed.”
Selling prepared foods at drugstores are gradually becoming more prominent. The sales of prepared foods at drugstores in 2023 was 64.3 billion yen (up 14.2% from the previous year). It can be said that it is one of the channels that will continue to grow going forward. The issue is about the sales floor area and cooking, but there are cases where delicatessen companies have opened stores inside rural roadside drugstores. It seems that there are some prepared foods that are likely to increase sales because they are sold at drugstores. It is also possible to consider expanding niche products and health-oriented prepared foods that cannot be introduced much in other routes.
