ON THE GO BREAKFAST PACKAGING MARKET ANALYSIS

On The Go Breakfast Packaging Market Size and Trends

The on the go breakfast packaging market is estimated to be valued at USD 1.45 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 1.99 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6% from 2024 to 2031.

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Consumers increasingly prefer convenient breakfast packaging solutions that can be easily carried and consumed on the go. The market is experiencing significant growth due to changing consumer lifestyles and increasing preference for convenient packaged food options that save time. The demand for small on-the-go breakfast packaging is growing as more people opt for breakfast solutions while commuting to work or school. Key players are focusing on developing innovative package designs targeting fast-moving consumers.

Time Poor Generation

The current generation is busier than ever before. People are taking on more responsibilities both at home and at work which leaves little time for mundane daily tasks like preparing breakfast. According to recent surveys, the average work commute has increased substantially over the past decade in most major cities. Longer commutes combined with increasing work demands mean people have even less time in the morning to fix a healthy breakfast before starting their day.  At the same time, health consciousness has risen significantly. People recognize the importance of eating a nutritious breakfast to boost energy levels and productivity. However, in the time starved morning routine a packaged on-the-go option provides an appealing compromise. It allows time pressed individuals to still eat breakfast without compromising nutrition or spending excessive time prepping a meal. On-the-go breakfast packs offer portion controlled options with the right balance of proteins, carbs and other essential nutrients to start the day feeling full and focused. The packaging is also designed for convenience, with layers that separate ingredients to maintain freshness and portability.

Market Concentration and Competitive Landscape

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Changing Lifestyles and Single Person Households

Lifestyle patterns are rapidly evolving with greater mobility of careers and smaller family structures. The number of single-person households has drastically increased as more move to cities for education and jobs or delay marriage and families. Living alone means shouldering all household responsibilities solo without the option to batch cook or share chores. An important trend is the preference for simple homemade style ready meals among this demographic versus dining out frequently. Rather than completely cooking every morning, a pre-portioned breakfast pack fits their schedule needs.  These singles deeply value saving time on daily grunt work like cooking and cleaning so they can focus energy on social or self-improvement activities. Pre-packaged on-the-go breakfasts address this pain point perfectly. The packaging allows easy cleanup and portability while providing nutritious ingredients. The portion sizes target solo consumption rather than leftovers. With convenience at its heart, the category attracts time pressed professionals without family commitments looking for easy healthy breakfast hacks. As alternative living situations rise, the demand for adaptable on-the-go meal options will continue growing steadily.

Key Takeaways from Analyst:

Increased urbanization and busier lifestyles have significantly driven up the demand for convenient, portable breakfast options that can be easily consumed on the move. Flexible and easy-to-carry packaging formats like bags, pouches, cups, and sleeves have emerged as popular choices among time-pressed consumers. While North America currently dominates sales, regions like Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa are expected to be new hotspots of growth.

These developing markets will see their workforce populations and disposable incomes rise exponentially, further propelling the need for on-the-go eating options. However, pricing pressures on packaging producers and suppliers may intensify as raw material costs fluctuate. Sustainability also remains a key challenge as most on-the-go packaging still relies heavily on single-use plastics. Innovation in packaging materials to make them more eco-friendly could unlock new opportunities.

Regional preferences will also play a role in shaping demand. While North Americans favor packaged breakfast sandwiches and pastries, Asian consumers prefer traditional regional options like buns and pancakes. Successful players must identify optimal solutions for different cultural preferences.

Market Challenges: High Packaging costs

High packaging costs are a major roadblock in the growth of the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market. Producing packaging for food products that need to be portable and convenient comes at a significantly higher price due to the advanced materials and production processes involved. Companies have to invest heavily in innovative packaging solutions that can keep products fresh for longer durations without the need for refrigeration during travel or commute. This raises the overall packaging costs. For example, producing packaging that acts as an effective barrier against moisture, oxygen, and bacterial growth requires the use of multilayer films, coatings and advanced sealing technologies. Multilayer packaging has packaging has at least three layers which may include a material like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyamide for strength, polyethylene for moisture barrier properties and aluminum foil or ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) for gas barrier properties. The additional layers and high-performance materials increase packaging costs substantially. Similarly, packaging for hot breakfast items such as pastry pockets, breakfast muffins or sandwiches needs specialized heat resistant materials and insulation to keep the food hot and fresh. Such thermoformed plastic trays or containers with insulating properties are more expensive to produce than regular packaging.

Market Opportunities: Inovation in packaging materials

Innovation in packaging materials could provide significant opportunities to drive growth in the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market. With changing lifestyles and growing demand for convenience foods around the world, packaging plays a pivotal role in meeting consumers' needs. The trend towards healthier and sustainable options is pushing packaging manufacturers to invest in novel solutions that can enhance product quality, safety and shelf life while reducing environmental footprint.

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Insights by Packaging Type: Rigid Packaging Meets On-the-Go Consumer Needs

In terms of packaging type, rigid is expected to contribute 71.3% share of the market in 2024, owing to its ability to effectively protect products and ensure convenience for busy consumers. As lifestyles grow more fast-paced, people are constantly on the go from home to work and other activities. Rigid packaging such as boxes and bottles provide robust protection and portability for breakfast items that may otherwise become damaged or spill. Their rigid structures allow for stable stacking and organization in bags or cup holders during commutes. Many see rigid as more premium than flexible films and associate it with quality brands.

Insights by Product Type: Cereal Dominates as a Familiar and Varied Breakfast Option

In terms of product type, breakfast cereals is expected to contribute 67.4% share in 2024, due to its wide availability and adaptability. Cereal is a breakfast staple ingrained in many cultures and dietary preferences. Popular cereals offer variety through different flavors, textures, shapes and inclusion of nuts, dried fruit or granola clusters. This variety within the category allows consumers to choose options suited to their tastes and nutritional needs. Cereal can also be easily consumed alone or paired with dairy products like milk for a balanced morning meal. Its packaging lends itself well to on-the-go consumption by providing portion control and containment of items that may otherwise spill.

Insights by Distribution Channel: Hypermarkets and Supermarkets Aggregate Shopping Needs

In terms of distribution channel, hypermarket/supermarket is expected to contribute 38.8% share in 2024, owing to their ability to fulfill multiple consumer shopping missions in one trip. Their large store footprints house expansive selections of on-the-go breakfast items alongside other grocery and household goods. This comprehensive offering allows busy individuals to efficiently acquire all their needed provisions during their weekly shops. Hypermarkets and supermarkets also apply marketing strategies like promotional discounts and in-store placement to encourage incremental sales of breakfast items to time-starved patrons. Their scale affords competitive pricing that attracts both mainstream and price-sensitive buyers.

Regional Insights

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North America has dominated the on-the-go breakfast packaging market for many years owing to its large consumer base and busy lifestyles that promote convenience packaging. The region is expected to account for 38.8% of the market share in 2024. The region is home to several global food brands that were early adopters of innovative breakfast packaging formats. Several private label brands across major retail chains in the U.S. and Canada also offer an extensive range of on-the-go breakfast options, further fuelling the market growth.  A major factor for North America's dominance is the high per-capita spends on packaged breakfast foods and beverages. Many North American consumers view breakfast as an important meal but lack time to prepare homemade options due to long commute hours and work schedules. This has created robust demand for single-serve, easy-to-consume breakfast items packaged in paperboard cartons, plastic pots, cans and flexible pouches. Stringent food safety standards and regulations in the region also assure consumers of product quality and shelf-life.

The Asia Pacific region has emerged as the fastest growing market for on-the-go breakfast packaging over the past five years. Rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes and exposure to Western lifestyles have boosted appetite for convenient pre-packaged breakfast alternatives. Countries like India, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam in particular are demonstrating high double-digit growth rates owing to their large and young populations adopting busy urban lifestyles.  A major growth driver in Asia Pacific is the expanding presence of global CPG companies promoting their international breakfast brands. However, local and regional food firms are also innovating breakfast packaging formats tailored to traditional Asian diets like cupped noodles and bun sandwiches. This is resonating well with local tastes. Improving cold chain infrastructure as well as an increasingly hectic workforce are other factors fueling the packaged breakfast boom and the need for suitable on-the-go packaging in Asia Pacific markets.

Market Report Scope

On The Go Breakfast Packaging Industry News

• In January 2024, Quaker’s Beyond Breakfast Strategy
• In June 2024, Scotland’s leading confectionery manufacturer unveils nostalgic packaging design
• In 2023, Kellogg's India has collaborated with Hershey's to launch Hershey's Chocos, a breakfast cereal that combines the iconic chocolate brand with Kellogg's India's expertise in healthy breakfast options. This partnership aims to deliver the Hershey's experience with a nutrition commitment, offering a unique product that is both fun for kids and nutritious for mothers
• In December 2021, General Mills launched eight new varieties of ready-to-eat cereals to expand its product line, thereby catering to different customer segments such as kids and keto people. In addition, the company went for innovative packaging inspired by superhero series.
• In 2018, Nestle enters packaged breakfast market with Nesplus; Elephant designs packaging

*Definition:The on the go breakfast packaging market consists of packaging solutions for breakfast foods and meals that can be easily consumed on the go. This includes packages for cereal, oatmeal, breakfast bars, yogurt, fruit cups, breakfast sandwiches and other breakfast items. The packaging is designed to be portable, leak-proof and able to hold foods securely so they can be easily transported and consumed outside of the home when people are busy and short on time to sit down for a traditional breakfast.

Market Segmentation

• Packaging Type Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Rigid
  • Flexible
•  Product Type Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Breakfast Cereals
  • Dairy-based Breakfast Drinks
•  Distribution Channel Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • Hypermarket/Supermarket
  • Retail Stores
  • Convenience Stores
  • Online Selling
  • Others (Direct Selling)
• Regional Insights (Revenue, USD Bn, 2019 - 2031)
  • North America
    • U.S.
    • Canada
  • Latin America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Mexico
    • Rest of Latin America
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • U.K.
    • Spain
    • France
    • Italy
    • Russia
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • Australia
    • South Korea
    • ASEAN
    • Rest of Asia Pacific
  • Middle East & Africa
    • GCC Countries
    • Israel
    • Rest of Middle East & Africa
• Key Players Insights
  • Nestle S.A.
  • Smurfit Kappa Group
  • DS Smith Plc
  • Mondi Group Plc
  • WestRock Company
  • International Paper Company
  • Coveris Holdings S.A.
  • Berry Global Group Inc.
  • Huhtamäki Oyj
  • Winpak Ltd.
  • Schur Flexibles Holding GesmbH
  • Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH
  • Glenroy, Inc.
  • ProAmpac LLC
  • Klockner Pentaplast
  • Sonoco Products Company