The Future of Breakfast: An Insight Report 2017

New breakfast report highlights young adults, ladies who brunch and indulgent menu options as key to market growth, but pubs missing out on opportunity

Young adults and the rise of social occasions are key drivers in boosting breakfast and brunch sales for casual dining operators, according to The Future of Breakfast: An Insight Report 2017.

The new report, launched by world leading potato brand Lamb Weston, has found that young adults are driving the trend for breakfast and brunch out-of-home and are the most likely to eat it on a monthly basis across all types of hospitality venues, with 48% of 18 to 24-year-olds eating breakfast in cafés, restaurants or pubs once or twice a month or more, and 41% of 25-to 34 year-olds doing the same.

Millennials are also eating breakfast/brunch later in the day, particularly at weekends, with 32% eating brunch after 11am on Saturdays and 39% eating out after 11am on Sundays. This group is also driving the rise of “Breakfastarians”, who are looking for breakfast or breakfast influenced dishes throughout the day.

Ladies who brunch

The Future of Breakfast report also outlines breakfast/brunch’s position as a sociable, indulgent event with these occasions being driven by women, with 58% of females saying they like to indulge when eating out for breakfast and the same number also viewing breakfast as a social occasion.

Whilst consumers are more health conscious than ever before, when it comes to breakfast/brunch indulgence is a key driver for 55% of people when selecting breakfast dishes, rising to 66% for 18 to 24-year-olds. The report also highlights the need for hospitality operators to offer hot/cooked dishes on menus, with nearly half (49%) of people saying if they eat breakfast later in the day they are more likely to choose a cooked option.

When it comes to menu options the Full English breakfast is the dish most likely to be selected in pubs, restaurants and cafés by those surveyed.

The missed market: pubs

The report also found that although more Britons go out for breakfast than ever before, just 12% eat breakfast in a pub every month.

This low level of breakfast consumption in pubs is in a market where, according to the new research, 58% of people now say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The findings also show that 67% of people feel it is important that pubs have breakfast options on the menu.

The report also highlights the ‘Third Space’ opportunity for pubs around breakfast and brunch, with 34% of UK adults now viewing it as a viable alternative to lunch or dinner for business meetings, which increases to 44% in London.

Additional key report findings include:

• 6 million adults in the UK now eat out of home between 10am and 12pm, up from approximately 1.3 million adults in 1974.
• Hotels and cafés are the most popular venues where UK consumers eat breakfast or brunch on a monthly basis, followed by restaurants and then pubs.
• London leads the way with the highest number of monthly breakfast/brunch occasions, with 38% of Londoners eating it once a month or more followed by the West Midlands and Northern Ireland.
• For pubs, London, East Midlands and North West are the most popular regions for breakfast/brunch; for restaurants London, the North East and Northern Ireland; for cafés London, Northern Ireland and the West Midlands are the most popular breakfast regions, and for hotels: London, Northern Ireland and West Midlands.
• Consumers are looking for different food experiences when eating breakfast out of home, with 55% of women and 46% of men saying they choose a dish that they wouldn’t prepare at home.
• The right breakfast/brunch offer helps drive outlet loyalty, with 41% of women saying if they find somewhere they like for breakfast/brunch they visit regularly.
• Breakfast is having an increasing menu influence across all day-parts from breakfast pizzas, burgers and brunch pies to cocktails.

Nigel Phillips, Lamb Weston’s Country Sales Manager UK & Ireland, says: “The UK breakfast and brunch market is experiencing a big boom, with 58% of people now seeing it as the most important meal of the day and as a crucial element of a venue’s offer. The times and occasions for breakfast and brunch are also evolving with breakfast no longer viewed as a functional meal to start the day but as a sociable, indulgent occasion.”

He adds: “Breakfast is a large and innovative market, presenting a great opportunity for casual dining venues and pubs to diversify their offer and grow. Operators needs to shape up their offers to capitalise on this significant opportunity.”

A copy of the Lamb Weston 2017 Insight Report: The Future of Breakfast can be requested here.