PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1769958
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1769958
A food subscription is a service model in which customers regularly receive food items such as meal kits, groceries, snacks, or ready-to-eat meals on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis through a subscription plan. These services are designed for convenience, offering pre-portioned ingredients, prepared meals, or curated food boxes that cater to specific dietary preferences, lifestyles, or culinary interests. Food subscription services typically operate online, allowing customers to customize their orders, pause or cancel deliveries, and enjoy new food experiences with ease.
The main types of food subscription services include meal-based subscriptions, pantry subscriptions, and snack and beverage subscriptions. Meal-based subscriptions provide ready-to-cook or fully prepared meals tailored to individual dietary needs. Subscription models may feature fixed menus, customizable options, or other flexible formats, with payment plans such as monthly, quarterly, or annually. Based on nature, food subscriptions are categorized into vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, and they are distributed through both online and offline channels.
The food subscription market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides food subscription market statistics, including the food subscription industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the food subscription market share, detailed food subscription market segments, market trends, opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the food subscription industry. This food subscription market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.
The food subscription market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $6.00 billion in 2024 to $6.73 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3%. The growth during the historic period can be attributed to increasing internet penetration, rising use of smartphones, growing consumer preference for convenience, the expansion of e-commerce platforms, and greater awareness of healthy eating habits.
The food subscription market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $10.60 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.0%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for personalized meal plans, rising adoption of sustainable packaging, growing health consciousness, expansion of delivery logistics, and heightened interest in plant-based diets. Major trends expected during this period include technological advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning, innovations in meal customization, progress in sustainable food sourcing, research and development in food preservation methods, and advancements in smart kitchen integration.
The rising number of working individuals is expected to significantly contribute to the expansion of the food subscription market moving forward. Working individuals are defined as those engaged in either full-time or part-time employment, often juggling busy schedules with limited time for meal preparation. This increase in working individuals stems from higher workforce participation, a growing need for efficient daily routines, and the search for time-saving options to balance professional and personal commitments smoothly. Food subscription services cater to these busy professionals by providing convenient, time-saving meal solutions that minimize the need for grocery shopping and cooking. These services also offer customizable meal plans tailored to various dietary preferences, enabling users to maintain a healthy and balanced diet with ease. For example, according to the Central Statistics Office, an Ireland-based government agency, the employed population reached 2,794,800 in 2024, reflecting a 3.7% rise (98,600) from 2,696,200 in 2023. Consequently, the growing number of working individuals is a key driver of the food subscription market's growth.
Leading companies in the food subscription market are emphasizing innovative products such as chef-created gourmet meals to offer convenient, high-quality dining experiences for busy consumers seeking restaurant-level food in the comfort of their homes. Chef-developed gourmet meals are premium dishes designed and prepared by professional chefs to deliver exceptional taste and presentation comparable to restaurant standards. For instance, in March 2022, SPATULA Foods Inc., a food-tech startup based in Canada, launched a gourmet meal subscription service in Toronto featuring flash-frozen, chef-developed meals that can be prepared in just 10 minutes. This service provides consumers with convenient, affordable, and restaurant-quality meals delivered via a flexible subscription platform.
In December 2024, CookUnity LLC, a US-based food technology company, completed the acquisition of Cookin Inc. for an undisclosed sum. This strategic move allows CookUnity to integrate Cookin's advanced chef operating system and broad creator network with its existing meal delivery platform, aiming to empower more culinary entrepreneurs through enhanced tools, diversified revenue opportunities, and a wider market presence. The acquisition is also expected to improve consumer access to premium chef-prepared meals while accelerating CookUnity's growth and international expansion. Cookin Inc. is a Canada-based food tech company specializing in innovative food subscription offerings.
Major players in the food subscription market are HelloFresh SE, Zomato Limited, Swiggy Limited, Marley Spoon SE, CookUnity Inc., Daily Harvest Inc., Gousto Ltd., Fresh Prep Foods Inc., Little Spoon Inc., Tovala Inc., Quitoque SA, Oddbox Delivery Ltd., Splendid Spoon Inc., Bokksu Inc., Dinnerly, EveryPlate, The Cookaway Ltd., FoodHak Ltd., Goodfood Market Corp., Gardencup Inc.
North America was the largest region in the food subscription market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in food subscription report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.
The countries covered in the food subscription market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The food subscription market includes revenues earned by entities through the pre-portioned meal kits, ready-to-eat meals, fresh produce, snacks, and gourmet items. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Food Subscription Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on food subscription market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for food subscription ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The food subscription market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the Russia-Ukraine war, rising inflation, higher interest rates, and the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.