Meal kit delivery services another threat to grocery retail

Meal kit delivery services have exploded over the past few years by bridging the space between home-cooked meals and takeout. According to a new report from the Packaged Facts division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com, the services offer people a convenient way to cook at home without having to do the meal planning and grocery shopping.

But meal kit delivery services have the potential to disrupt both the grocery industry and the restaurant industry, Packaged Facts said, because they allow people to cook restaurant-quality meals at home without going out to grocery shop.

"These days, consumers have access to almost everything without leaving their home and — through the power of smartphones — without even speaking to another human being," said David Sprinkle, research direct for Packaged Facts. "Rather than worrying whether meal kit delivery services will cut into their business, some grocers and food marketers are taking the bull by the horns and starting their own such services."

To learn more about the report, titled "Meal Kit Delivery Services in the U.S.," visit http://www.packagedfacts.com/redirect.asp?progid=88688&productid=10037319.