"Making Meals at Home Instead of Dining Out" Increase in Home Meal Enthusiasts Amid COVID-19

Increased Demand for Home-Cooked Meals Instead of Dining Out Boosts Sales of Ready-to-Eat Foods
Experts Say "COVID-19 Has Changed Food Culture"

As the novel coronavirus infection spreads, telecommuting and online education have become commonplace, leading to an increase in consumers seeking home-cooked meals rather than dining out. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] "I don't eat out because of COVID-19; I cook at home."

As COVID-19 spreads again, more people are following quarantine rules by reducing outings. Especially in restaurants, where masks are removed, there is concern about COVID-19 infection through droplets, so more people are avoiding eating out altogether and preparing ingredients from nearby supermarkets to cook at home, so-called 'jib-bap' (home-cooked meals).

Recently, there are also 'meal kits' that provide pre-prepared ingredients, the exact amount of seasonings, and recipes as a set, allowing even those who cannot cook to easily make 'jib-bap.' Meal kit is a compound word of Meal and Kit.

Office worker Kim (27) said, "Because of COVID-19, I rarely eat out. After work, I stop by the supermarket to buy ingredients for simple meals," adding, "The supermarket food section is really well organized, so I often use pre-prepared ingredients or meal kits. It’s really good because it’s cheaper and healthier than eating out."

According to a survey, like Kim’s case, the frequency of grocery shopping has increased, and shopping expenses have also risen. On the 15th, the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) conducted a survey on changes in food consumption before and after COVID-19 from the 14th to 30th of last month with 275 consumers. According to the survey, 74.2% of respondents said there was a change in the items they mainly purchase.

Also, the top reason for increasing the purchase quantity of each item was "increased frequency of home-cooked meals."

Especially regarding purchase frequency, before COVID-19, 42.5% answered once a week, which was the highest, and 29.8% answered 2 to 3 times a week. However, currently, 42.5% answered 2 to 3 times a week, surpassing once a week (34.9%).

The aT, which conducted the food consumption change survey, explained, "At the early stage of COVID-19 spread, people refrained from going out and spent more time at home, so products that could replace meals and be stored for a long time, such as ramen, frozen foods, and Home Meal Replacement (HMR) products, became popular. As the situation prolonged, more people started cooking themselves, increasing interest in meal kits and sauces."

The food industry is benefiting from the increase in home meal consumers due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection.
/Photo by Yonhap News

Given this situation, the food industry’s performance has shown high growth rates. According to the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure system on the 11th, CJ CheilJedang (excluding CJ Logistics) posted an operating profit of 311.7 billion KRW in the third quarter of this year, a 72.2% increase compared to the same period last year. Sales rose 8.8% to 3.7484 trillion KRW. The sustained jib-bap trend and increased domestic sales of Home Meal Replacement (HMR) products contributed significantly.

Dongwon F&B’s sales in the third quarter of this year also increased by 8.8% to 897.4 billion KRW compared to the same period last year. Operating profit recorded 43.8 billion KRW, up 23.6%. Dongwon F&B plans to further expand its HMR lineup, launching the premium Korean food brand 'Yangban Sura' last month, in line with the increasing trend of 'jib-bapjok' (people who eat at home instead of dining out).

Ottogi announced on the 16th that its third-quarter operating profit (consolidated basis) rose 62.8% year-on-year to 59.6 billion KRW. Domestic sales increased 14% to 620.8 billion KRW compared to 543.5 billion KRW in the same period last year. Essential cooking oils (cooking oil and sesame oil) recorded sales of 107.6 billion KRW, a 36% increase from 78.7 billion KRW in the same period last year. Noodle products, which serve as meal substitutes, also achieved sales of 154.8 billion KRW, up 12.7%.

Experts analyze that the increase in consumers enjoying jib-bap instead of dining out due to COVID-19 and effective marketing in the food industry are driving these results.

Professor Lee Eunhee of Inha University’s Department of Consumer Studies said, "One reason is that consumers avoid dining out due to concerns about COVID-19 infection," adding, "Also, the requirement to maintain social distancing in restaurants, such as spacing seats, has been a burden. It is certain that COVID-19 has changed food culture, including reducing the frequency of dining out."

She continued, "As a result, people cook at home more often. However, even when cooking themselves, some dishes require a lot of effort, so simpler meal kits or Home Meal Replacement products are gaining popularity. Large supermarkets have also improved their food sections with strategies aligned with these consumption trends, which has boosted their performance."

She added, "I believe this trend will continue even after the COVID-19 situation. Small business owners might also overcome difficulties by adopting these trends."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.