Americana outlines out-standing opportunity

As the UK's out of home (OOH) sector gears up to grow by 2.5% to hit £101bn this year, Lantmännen Unibake’s Americana brand has launched a guide to help operators maximise growth opportunities. 

Nearly 60% of UK adults now eat or drink out weekly, averaging 1.6 visits per week with an average spend of £18.06, a 13% year-on-year increase. This growth in spend can be seen across all dayparts, but it’s breakfast that presents the biggest opportunity for operators with average spend increasing by 33% to £16.35 last year.

The Americana research highlights that for the first meal of the day, operators should keep it classic: crispy bacon (63%), juicy sausage (57%), friend egg (46%), golden hash browns (45%) and earthy mushrooms (25%) are the fillings consumers want in a breakfast bap.

Over a third (37%) of consumers want these ingredients in a soft, buttery brioche bun, following the trend in coffee shops and branded chains. Notably, 74% of consumers would pay more for a gourmet bun at this time of day, adding £1 to every breakfast served in a gourmet bun.

It's not only breakfast that is on a growth trajectory. Lunchtime spend rose by 15% to £17.96 last year, and dinner, which has the largest share of all occasions at 30%, grew by 12% to £26.38.

Additionally, 74% of consumers are happy to pay more for a gourmet bun at lunch, equaling to £1.07 more per item. Some 72% will pay more for a gourmet bun at dinnertime, totaling £1.41 more per dinner item.

Mel Charles, customer category manager for Americana, said: “The OOH industry is still suffering from high staff turnover and ever-increasing supply chain costs. However, with more people dining out and spending more too, now is the time for operators to get in on the action and boost their revenues.”

Download Americana’s The Best Bun For Every Occasion guide here.

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