Dinner for Tonight to test demand for 'ultra' convenience

The new concept has been named 'Dinner for Tonight' and provides a recipe and ingredients for a meal for two. To ensure the concept is relevant and exciting, Waitrose has included some unusual ingredients and has both a meat and vegetarian version, with new recipes for each every day. Waitrose is trialling the meal kit bags in 20 stores at £8-£12, with the potential to roll out further if successful. The new concept follows a trial last year of 'Our Chef's Menu': an in-store fresh food service targeting different meal occasions.

ShopperVista research shows that convenience is the main overall reason shoppers say they chose the last store they visited. Therefore despite the product itself being convenient, it is important for Waitrose to merchandise these products in a way that fits in with the food-for-tonight mission in order to make the shopping experience convenient also.

Grocery bags in European retailers

The meal solution concept has also been seen outside of the UK, in Denmark and Sweden. Danish market leader Coop Danmark introduced a meal bag in its flagship MAD Cooperativet store in Central Station, Copenhagen, catering to local commuters. In Sweden, retailer Axfood has partnered up with dinner kit company Middagsfrid to sell grocery bags onlinethrough its Hemköp fascia. The choice of five bags bags cover options for adult, children, vegetarian and dairy-free, widening appeal with free-from and family-friendly options.

Concept grows in UK with pure players

Online pure players Hello Fresh and Gousto have developed their businesses based on providing meal solutions in a box. In a similar way to the what Waitrose is trialling, they offer time-poor people with a convenient and simple solution for their evening meal. In addition, they help to reduce food waste and can curb over-spending on ingredients. 

Hello Fresh has boosted awareness and credibility by teaming up with Jamie Oliver who lends his expertise to the company by providing recipe inspiration. Considering the success of these companies, it will be interesting to see how Dinner for Tonight performs in Waitrose, and whether or not we will see this concept trialled by other retailers.