Super-app Grab has underscored healthy menus, afternoon snacks and delivery subscriptions as consumer trends that merchants should pay attention to next year.
The trends are shown in a survey of users of food delivery GrabFood and grocery delivery GrabMart, as part of the "Food & Grocery Trends 2022" report.
The report gauged the opinions of more than 30,000 users in six Asean countries, including Thailand.
According to Grab, the study shows healthy and plant-based alternatives are no longer niche as 74% of Thais surveyed indicated they consume at least one healthy meal every two or three days.
Two-fifths of the respondents said they have tried plant-based meals in the past six months.
The platform also underscored afternoon snacks as a promising segment to boost sales. Two-fifths of the respondents in Thailand said they have snacks at least once a day.
"With post-pandemic workplaces reopening, snack breaks during the day have become a preferred option for group activities for those looking to treat themselves, as 64% of consumers say that they generally tend to order snacks for more than one person," Grab said.
Another prevailing trend is delivery subscriptions, it said.
The platform said one in three food delivery users subscribe to at least one subscription plan, which offers discounts and privileges.
The report shows subscribers order food deliveries 44% more often compared with non-subscribers.
Grab said fried chicken was the most ordered item for GrabFood in 2022, followed by coffee, papaya salad, curry noodles (khao soi) and iced green tea.
Coffee was the most ordered beverage for GrabFood with more than 15 cups sold every minute in 2022.
Cooking oil was the most ordered grocery item on GrabMart in 2022, followed by bottled water and fizzy drinks.
According to the report, Grab registered 24% growth year-on-year in delivery gross merchandise value (GMV) in Asean in the second quarter of 2022.
"The report shows that today's consumers still find delivery businesses crucially important, with seven in 10 saying that deliveries are a permanent part of their lives today," said Chantsuda Thananitayaudom, senior director for commercial and marketing at Grab Thailand.
"The report also reveals that the top three reasons why Thais use food delivery platforms include convenience, on-demand nature of the service, and usefulness for social gatherings," Ms Chantsuda said.
