The Portable Population. Who’s Got the Time?

Why are portable breakfast options exploding in popularity? Simply because people are more active and on-the-go than ever before, so they crave breakfast options that can be eaten on the way to their destination. Therefore, portability is a major purchase driver for away-from-home breakfast. This is driven, for the most part, by younger, and more diverse generations. Considering the insights below not only emphasizes the need and importance of on-the-go items on a menu, but also shows that a variety of items will go far to satisfy a wide range of tastes.

  • 33% of 18- to 34-year-olds, eat their weekday breakfasts en route to work/school.1
  • 33%of consumers agree it’s important for operators to offer portable packaging for breakfast items.2
  • 24% of consumers say they skip breakfast during the week because they don’t have time.3
  • 45% of consumers 18-34 say that offering breakfast sandwiches/wraps/burritos is important or extremely important.4

Operators looking for portable breakfast ideas and insights turn to Margherita first. With our vast portfolio of products, along with our unique insights and ideas, we can help you create a variety of totally satisfying convenient items that are Good-to-Go!

It’s really no surprise that handhelds, led by sandwiches, remain the leading entrée for portability, familiarity and affordability.5 What’s more, blurring dayparts are influencing sandwich innovation. Classic “Breakfast” sandwiches continue to trend up on lunch and dinner menus at LSRs, and, alternately, sandwich ingredients typically reserved for lunch and dinner, such as brisket and fried chicken, are growing on breakfast menus. In addition, the most popular breakfast proteins include bacon, at number one, followed by sausage, ham, steak and chicken. And, 92% of consumers are satisfied with menued breakfast handhelds that include bacon, sausage, chicken or chicken sausage.6

Another breakfast item which is rapidly growing on menus are bowls. Bowls continue to soar in popularity due to the perceived health benefits. Protein bowls are huge because you can put a few ounces of protein, grains, vegetables and some sauce to create an item that is “healthy,” depending on the amount and type of meat used. Also, bowls offer speed, portability and convenience to consumers. Breakfast bowls can offer traditional breakfast fare, like eggs, bacon and hash browns, in a contained package perfect for off-premise consumption. In fact, weekday breakfast delivery and takeout options are finding traction, particularly in business areas with roughly a third of consumers likely to order breakfast bowls.7

More and more consumers are eating away from home, especially in the mornings. These hungry folks on-the-go want quick and easy, but also demand nourishing and satisfying. And that’s where Margherita can help. Our vast portfolio, from classic breakfast favorites including bacon, sausage and ham to our on-trend ethnic choices to fresh and fully cooked items, along with our unique insights and ideas, can help you create a variety eye-catching items that are Good-to-Go!

– – – – – – – – – –
1-4. Technomic Sandwich CTR, 2017
5-6. Technomic Sandwich CTR, 2018
7. Technomic Breakfast CTR, 2017

Additional Menu Trends Articles